The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1883-05-25
My Wife LUCIE.

To begin with-she was very pretty.
/ don't know where to show you another
just like her. She was straight and
round i'll figure, with a fair face, golden
hair and soft white hands. She had
brown eyes, regular features and mo-
bile red lips. On rainy day certain
fine tresses OF her shining hair would
escape from the remainder and curl
about her temples i'll little gold tendril
rings Her voice was quiet and melOdi-
Gus, and she wore violet dresses. This
is as well as L can describe her.
And L am afraid this is about all l
knew of her when we were married.
We met first out West. l was alone in
strange country. She, Also was
alone. She was music teacher, living
in a boarding house. She was gentle
and sad. l made her acquaintance. l
loved her. l promised to make her
happy and we were married.
My Western tour being ended, we
came back East and settled at roman
tic little place called Daphne Dell. We
had been married just year when my
story commences.
/ was young, just starting in life, and
very much engrossed in my business.
Neither was la particularly demonstra-
tive man, and, rs Lucie was very quiet
and composed in mien, think we hard
ly appeared like newly married people
L had all confidence in my wife. 1t
was her neatness, frugality and good
Judgment that won me, as well as her
beauty. All home affairs-the employ
ment of servant, and bills-I left en-
tirely to her management 1t was
great rest to leave my counting-room
and return homeward for was sure to
find everything right. If Lucie had.
any annoyances she never confessed
them to me, and / never took home my
business trouble.
As | said, we had been married
year, when one evening / came home as
usual. 1t had been a fine day, but as 1
left the cars a great drop of rain
splashed on my nose. L had ten min
utes' walk before me, and commenced
the task rather bTiskly.
Daphne Dell was within half an hours
ride of the city. / had thought it better
for our health to live out of town, and
then to me, at least, it was infinitely
pleasanter. Lucie, too, had seemed to
like the place. She came and examined
it before / made the purchase-said
that it was pretty and would do very
well.
The rain came down smartly as /
reached my garden gate. AS entered
the sittng-room, found Lucie hurried
ly putting away some papers.
The rain is blowing up from the
west. You had better shut the parlor
windows, Lucie," said, as 1 went to
the closet to hang up my coat and get
my dressinggown.
Yes, WILL" she said, absently, rum
maging in drawer. The storm struck
sharply against the pane. She went
and shut the parlor windows and then
came back to the drawer.
When she looked the drawer through
she looked over the table, and finally
went to the escretoire.
"What are you hunting for, Lucie ?"
said /.
Never mind" she said carelessly /:
Il guess it will come Supper is
ready, Will"
We went out to the dining room. She
poured my tea, and chatted of her gar
den Rnd the Incidents of the day. She
had planted mignonette under the win
dow that it's fragrance might come in
TO her while she was sewing, she said.
The Misses Granger had called, and
the man had been to graft the pear
trees. Pleasant ordinary chat that sug-
gested nothing of the mystery to come.
The rain continued all night, but the
morning Was clear. 1 felt myself a
very happy man as 1 stepped from my
door into the balmy spring air. The
tulips were in blossom, and the crocuses
filled the whole garden with their
fragrance. 1 walked leisurely along
the path, unattached the gate and went
out
A few steps distant, under the or
chard wall, lay sheet of paper. i
looked like something that should mo-
have been there, and went and picked
1T up.