The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1882-11-15
THE FIRST CLOUD.

at was to meet such difficulties az
this that confines" "Bother.."
1 wrote the first sitting at my desk
and said the last aloud, impatiently-
well, there, angrily-for Matte ha(
bounced into the room, u to the back
Of my chair and clapped her hands
over my eyes, exclaiming:
"Oh, Dick, what a shame And
you promised to come up and dress. y
81 do wish you would not be sc
childish !" 1 cried, snatching away he1
hands. "There's a blot you've made
on my manuscript"
Don't be so cross, sir !" she said,
laughing, as she gave a waltz round the
room, making her pretty silk dress
whisk over n of the light chairs,
which she merrily picked up, and then,
coming to my writing-table, she took a
rose out of a basket of flowers and be-
gan to arrange it in her hair.
I'm not cross" 1 said, coldly, "but
engaged in a serious work of a mer-
camille and monetary nature. You
seem to think men ought always to be
butterflies"
"No, I don't, Dick, DEAR" she cried.
"There, will that do?"
She held her head on one side for
me to see the creamy rose nesting in
her crisp dark hair but, after a glance
at it, l let my eyes fall on my desk,
and went on writing my pamphlet. I
saw that she was looking wistfully at
me, but I paid no heed, and then she
came and rested her hands upon my
shoulder.
care you cross with me, Dick" she
said, softly.
"Cross? nor I jerked out, i'm
patiently. "Only I thought I had
married a'woman and she has turned
out to be a child"
There was silence then for a few
minutes, only broken by the scratching
of my pen. The little hands twitched
a little as they lay upon my shoulder,
and I very nearly wrote down, instead
of "The calculations arrived at by the
projectors Of tontines"-"Richard Mar
low, how can you be such a disagree
able wretch?" But Of course 1 did
not write it-only thought-and then
I felt wonderfully disposed to turn
round, snatch the little graceful figure
to my breast and kiss away the tears
which I knew were gathering in her
eyes.
Somehow or another, though, 1 did
not do it-only went on glumly writ
ing-for I was cross, worried and an
noyed. 1 had set myself a task that
necessitated constant application, and
I vas not getting On as l could wish;
so, like many more weak-minded in
dividuals of the male sex, instead Of
asking for the comfort and advice of
my wife, I visited my disappointment
upon the first weak object at hand, and
that object was the lady in question.
"Please, Dick, dear, don't be angry
with me. I can't help feeling very
young and girlish, though 1 am your
wife. / do try, oh! so hard, to be
womanly; but, Dick dear, I'm only
eighteen and a half"
Thirteen and a half, I should say"
I said sc%ornfully, just as if some sour
spirit were urging me on to say biting,
sarcastic things that I knew would
pain the poor girl but, for the life of
me, I could not help it.
There was no aIswer-only a little
sigh-and the hands were withdrawn.
l went on writing rubbish that l
knew I should have to cancel.
Had you not better get ready,
Dick:" said Matte, softly. you said
you would come when 1 went upstairs,
and the Wilson's won't like it if we are
late"
Hang the Wilson'S" I growled.
There was another pause, filled up
by the scratch, scratch of one of the
noisiest pens 1 ever used, and another
little sigh.
Matte was standing close behind
me, but I did not look round, and at
last she glided gently to a chair and
sat down.
"What are you going to do" 1 said,
roughly.
"Only to wait for you, Dick, DEAR"
she replied.
"You need not wait. Go on. I
shan't come. Say I've a headache
say anything"
".Dick, are you unwell?" she said,
tenderly, as she came behind me once
more and rested her little hands onmy
shoulder.
"Yes-no. Pray, don't bother. Go
on. Perhaps I'll come and fetch YOU"
There was another pause.
"Dick. dear, I'd rather not 60 with
out you," she said, meekly, at last.
"And I'd rather you did 60 without.
mel said, angrily. "The Wilson's
are our best friends and 1 won't have
them sighted"
Then why not come, Dick, DEAR"
said the little woman, and l could see
that she was struggling bravely to
keep down her tears.
because I've no time for such
frivolity. There, you've wasted enough
of my time already, so 60"
Scratch, scratch, scratch, went that
exasperating pen, as I went on writing
more stuff to cancel, and yet too weak
and angry to leave off like a sensible
man, run up and change my things,
and accompany my little wife to the
pleasant social gathering a few doors
lower down our road.
She had been looking forward to the
visit as a treat. So had | until that
gloomy fit came over me; but as l had
taken the steps already made, l felt
that 1 could not retreat without look
ing foolish; so 1 acted with that usual
wisdom displayed by man under such
circumstances, and made matters
worse.
"Did you hear me say that I wished
you to 60 alone?' I said, angrily.
Eyes, yes, Dick, dear, I'll go, if you
WISH" Matte said, very meekly; "but
indeed Idfar rather stay at home"
"You are desired to 60; you have a
rose in your hair" 1 said, satirically-
oh, what poor satire, when it was put
there to please me!-"and they expect
you; so now go-and enjoy yourself"
1 added, by way Of asting to my SEN
sible speech.
II can't enjoy myself, Dick" she
said, gently, "unless you come too. Let
me stay"
II desire you to go" I exclaimed,
banging my hand down On the desk.
She looked at me with sthe great
tears standing in her piteous eyes, and
then, coming nearer, she bent over me
and kissed myforehead.