Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1882-04-20

window pane, now steaming with drip
ping rain. On the floor lay newspa-
per. and Nelly tossed and pushed it
with her foot and then suddenly picked
it I'D. She smoothed and folded it, and
then read again a line of advertisement
In one corner.
eff could only see Rick, he would
find out what it means. Perhaps it
isn't anything, and the paper is a week
old too. Poor Rick, struggling so hard
what can he doP We have no money.
There, must not think, or can't get
dinner
The girl Strengthened herself, and
her eyes shone with determination as
she pushed back the heavy masses of
brown hair from her temples and set
resolutely to work. There was some
thing about her that, had Mrs. Mason
seen, she would have uttered a little
scream. and thought still more that
Nelly was not a docile person. and the
follower" question one she couldn't
settle without Charles assistance.
Fortunately for Nelly, Mrs. Mason was
not present at the cooking of her din
ner. She did not see, unless in spirit,
the imperious manner with which her
favorite paste was rolled, or hear the
rapid beating of the eggs as they froth-
ed in the white bowl. With the aid of
dexterous fingers and real culinary
talent, dinner gradually progressed,
and when six o'clock arrived, and a
stamping of feet in the front hall an
nOunced Mr.. Mason's return, Nelly had
grown calm and collected.
Up stairs the lire burned steadily;
the dot of a dinner-table with its bright
array of wedding silver, the woodcOck
evoked TO turn, the potato dellciOusly
brown, and ruby mould of jelly in
its crystal dish, was CHEEKY spectacle
for wet and hungry man. Though
married whole year the honeymoon
had not waned percrptibIy with these
two people, and so Charlie Mason kissed
his wife. before he began his dinner.
MY Grace" he said, "what could be
betterp" And very pretty his Grace
looked, her beautiful golden hair tied
back with a blue ribbon, her cheeks
pink with flush of b .ppiness, as she
futtered around the table, arranging
in housewifely way the spoons. or
settling the dishes just at the right
angle. i
There's none of your favorite salad,
dear. 1 would not let Nelly go out in
this dreadful rain, though she wanted
to go and get some celery" said the
little wife alphabetically, when her
husbands appetite was slightly ap-
peased.
"Quite right; salads not positively
necessary to my happiness" said he,
laughing.
Nelly was handing the jelly, and it
shook in very undignified manner,
but she merely bit her lip. cit wasn't
at all important, Nelly" said Mr..
Mason kindly, but with searching
glance at the girl, whose eyes were suf-
fused with tears; soon after she left
the room.
"What is this all about, Grace I?
haye you been administering a matron-
ly reproofp Nelly seems quite upset"
"Now, Charlie, 1 haven't said a
single word. don't see any thing the
matter, eitherp with little pout.
swell, you just observe when she
comes back; her eyes are red, and
she's been crying, if I'm not mistak-
en-"
"Nonsensep said Grace, very disre
spectfully. Il won't have great lub.
berly men in my kitchen, though, at all
hours, and I've seen horrid one with
beard there twice already"
'Shockingl"
mamma says she never will have
followers about, and that 1 mustn't.
And Nelly is so pretty"
Eyes; she is a beauty, that's a fact;
and a lady, tool" interrupted Charlie.
ga ladyF' cried Mrs. Grace, her nose
more retrouSsee than usual, "with that
horrid-"
But Mrs. Mason didn't finish her
sentence, and her husband never heard
what was great and horrid, for the
thorn in his wifes flesh, namely, Mel.
ly's admirer, was heard in the region
below. AT last Mrs. Mason declared
1t wasn't the butcher or baker at that
late hour, and who else could it be
unless "that man?'
$50 ling, Charlie, if you are ready
and have the table cleared. It's really
shameful, at this time, too, when Nelly
ought to be on hand, to have this love.
making and eating-of course, he eats
going on down stairs"
Mason laughed good naturally at hi:
wife's economy and prudence, and
begged her to recollect a year or two
ago. when he used to sun himself il
her sweet company, and make raids OF
her mothers pantry late at night, foI
cold chicken for her and her sistersl
"Just as if it were parallel case
you silly boyi' cried Grace, pinchin,
his ear. "But wouldn't you have beer
startled, If you had gone down stairs
as l did last night. and seen your cook
sir, sitting on a mans kneeP Why. /
nearly took my breath awayp
$50 you ran off without saying
word, you little gooseI' said her hus
band. 81 should have askei wha
such gross improperly meant in m,
houser'
cts no Oocd 4 ,lkioo RI x,o,, ChorIo-