Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1882-08-24
MEMS WAYS.

MEMS WAYS.
Mary Swift sat gazing uneasily first al
the clock, then out upon the street. She
was evidently expecting an arrival, and
there was a look of anxiety upon her
mobile face. But that was not all; she
seemed to be annoyed, and at times her
lip quivered as if she were almost ready
to cry. On the whole, the dominant
expression of her features was one OF
sore disappointment.
Mary had not been sitting there long
in fact, she was too much disturbed to
admit Of quiet anywhere. She had gone
to the piano and played mechanically
several of Towards favorite tunes; she
had stood long while before his little
case of books, pulling down one volume
after another, and seeming to read a
page or two in each; she had rearranged
the pictures and bric-a-brac on the
mantel, had adjusted each piece of fur
niture in the neat sitting room, and,
with that wonderful tact which belongs
to some women, had restored to it the
easy, home like attractiveness which
gives an indescribable charm to the
plainest apartment, and which Ann,
who came in to sweep that morning,
had disturbed. 1t was, indeed, pretty
room,s into which the sunlight stole
cheerfully through the Stats of the
closed blinds, and a puff of air laden
with the scent of apple blossoms came
in at the open window and filled it with
perfume.
The newness of everything about her
was confession that Mary had not been
long a housekeeper; and it seemed out
of keeping with that first sweet June
morning to hear none of those pleasant
snatches of song with which the house
usually resounded when she was alone,
and to see her naturally sunny face so
cloudy and sad.
Mary had been unhappy for several
days. During the spare time after her
morning duties were performed she
had been restless, and allowed her
thoughts to wander back over the six
weeks of her married life, and had put a
touch of regret into her reveries, because
her maiden dreams had not been fully
realized. Not that Howard had disap-
pointed her expectations-no, she could
not say that, for he was as affectionate
as ever, watchful to help her when he
was at home, and as full of polite little
attentions as when he was simply her
lover. He was all that was noble, too,
and his love for her was even deeper and
tenderer now she was all his own. Nor
had she been mistaken in his tastes or
attainments. Howard was q good
scholar and an enthusiast in his profess
sion; he was industrious and successful.
They still enjoyed reading the same
books together, and discussing the same
subjects that had first attracted them to
one another, and nothing pleased him
more than to have her play and sing to
him. after the evening lamps were light
ed, her favorite music.
They were by no means rich, and
from motives of economy had begun
housekeeping in an unpretentious cot
tage a little out from the center of the
thriving town where he had established
himself in the practice of law. They
had furnished it tastefully but mex
do her own work, with the help of Ann,
who came in twice week to do the
washing and sweeping. No couple had
ever begun their joint life more happily
than did Howard and Mary. They had
means to supply their modest wants,
and their prospects were as bright as
the June morning on which the young
wife was introduced to the reader.
Mary had found the housekeeping
little hard at first, and experienced
some mishaps, as all beginners do; but
Howard had been so indulgent and
helpful that she soon forgot the aches
in her fingers and feet when he came
home. Then he had undertaken to do
the marketing when he went to his
office, and to see that things were sent
home in season for dinner. To be sure,
he forgot to leave the order twice the
first week and three times the second;
but that was nothing. 1t was new
care to him, and her deft hands and ready
ingenuity could easily prepare din
ner of things already in the house. But
Howard's memory did not improve with
increased experience. The lightinconven-
fence his forgetfulness first occasioned
grew to be an annoyance, and, without
his being aware of it, his pretty wife
was sorely tried and often puzzled to
devise acceptable meals.
At first it was an easy matter to ex-
cuse Towards carelessness, and it
really panied Mary to see how sorry he
seemed to feel about is; but the trouble
was. he did not do better. As the weeks
went on. Mary became unhappy about
the matter, and vexed at having her
plans so often frustrated, until she ac-
fually began to question whether How
ard could be so negligent if he really
loved her. And this was the problem
over which she was bordering when the |!