The Osceola times., 1883-03-31

derly, as she came behind me once more,
and rested her little hands on my shoul
der
"Yes-no. Pray don't bother. Go on.
Perhaps iii come and fetch you
There was another pause.
'Dick, dear, I'd rather not 90 without
you" she said at last meekly.
"And I'd rather you did go without
me-" said angrily. "The Wilson's are
our best friends. and won't have them
sighted"
Then why not come Dick, lear" said
the little woman, and | could see that
she was struggling bravely to keep down
her tears.
Because I've no time for such frivCli-
ty. There, you've wasted enough of my
time already, so CO."
Scratch, scratch, scratch went the ex-
asperating pen, as | went on writing
more stuff to cancel, and yet too weak to
leave off like a sensible man, run up and
change my things, and accompany my
little wife to the pleasant social gather
ing few doors lower down our road.
She had been looking forward to the
visit as treat. So had till that gloomy
fit came over me but as / had taken the
steps already made, | felt that could
not retreat without looking foolish so
acted with the usual wisdom displayed
by man under such circumstances, and
made matters worse.
"ni1 Won hpar mo say that / wished
you to go alone ?" said angrily.
"Yes, yes, Dick, dear, III go il you
wish," said Matte very meekly; "but in.
deed I'd far rather stay at home"
"You are desirous to GO; you have a
rose in your hair" said /, satiricllly-oh,
what poor satire, when it was put there
to please me !-"and they expect you; so
now go-and enjoy yourself" added |,
by way of sting to my sensitive speech.
Il can't enjoy myself, Dick" said she,
gently, unless you come, too. Let me
stay"
81 desire you to gop' exclaimed |,
banging my hand down on the desk.
She looked at me, with the great tears
standing in her pitcous eyes, and, then
coming nearer, she bent over me and
kissed my forehead.
/ w III Nou 'ViiiO INt'ii hit. blth4
said she, softly.
"Yes-.no-perhaps- dent know"
said |, roughly, az repcllcd her cdress-
went slowly TO the door, glided out, and
was gone.
That broke the spell, and | started
from my seat, but more angry than ever.
was wroth with her now for obeying
| aaI I
door, to her call the maid, and tell her
to accompany her as far as the Wilson's.
Then heard them go-heard the girl
return, the door closed, and was alo lc.
Alone? Well, not exactly; for, SO to
speak, | was having an interview with
my angry self, as felt that was, asking
how could let feeling of annoyance
act upon my better nature, and make me
behave as | had to the sweet little girl
ish being who, during the six months we
had been married, had never looked at
me but with the eyes of love.
Change your things and 90 after her."
something seemed to say but repelled
it, threw my writing aside kicked off my
boots, snatched my slippers out of the
sideboard, thrust the easy chair in front
of the cosy fire, threw myself into it, and
then with my feet on the fender and my
hands N my pockets, sat, morose, bitter
and uncomfortable, gazing at the glowing
cmbers.
"She had no business to gol" exclaim-
ed |. "She knew was up all last night,
wr ting that abominable book, and was
out of sorts, and ought to have stayed"
Then | reviewed the past half hour,
and grew Calmer as | leaned back, know
ing as did, and well, that forced her
to go, poor child, and how miserable she
would be.
"She'll forget it among all those peo-
pie" said /, bitterly; but did not be-
lieve it, and at last sat there calling my
self ass, idiot, blind, madman to plant,
as | had, the first seeds of what might
grow into very upas-trce of dissension,
and blight the whole of our married life.
"Poor little darlingw said l. at last
IN wait up till she comes home, and
then tell her how sorry am for my fol-
ly, and ask her forgiveness"
But as man, can do that ?' said l.
"Will il not be weak ?"
"Never mind" exclaimed !, I'm do il
Surely, there can be no Drawer thing TO
do than own ones self ia the wrong.
Life's too short to blur it with petty quar-
rels. And suppose she was taken III to-
night-my darling, whom love with all
my heart? Or, suppose she went too
near the fire, and her dress caught alight?
There, how absurd Thank goodness,
she is in silk, and not in one of those fly
away muslinsw
sat on, musing and musing, till sud
denly there was buzz outside of the
house, then the rush of feet. fancicd /
heard the word fire. repeated again
and again, and, turning to the window,
there was glow which lighted up the
whole place.
dashed down stairs and out of the
door, to find the road thronged, for a
house little down was in flames, and, to
my horror, had not taken a dozen steps
before found that it was at our friends
'the Wilson's"
There was no engine, but crowd of
excited people talking eagerly; and Just
then the fire escape came trundling along
the road.
1t was quite time, for the house, as l
reached it, was blazing furiously, the
flames darting out in long fiery tongues
from half the upper windows, while at
several there were people crying piteous-
ly for help.
| fought my way through the crowd
and tried to run up to the house, but
half dozen ofiicious people held me
back, while the men with the fire escape
tried to rear it against the house; but it
would not reach because of the garden
in front, So that they had TO get the
wheels of the escape over the iron rail
ings, and this caused great delay.
-. I ,Nantad t, thnoa hn