The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1883-03-01

Swan. what q name!" thought the
doctor, but as he looked 1t her ha saw
that she was fair; gentle, healthy and 8
"A good. sensible age; must be neat and
orderly" was his verdict. In moment
of enthusiastic devotion she had accepted
him.
They were married. She lived in his
house, she poured out his tea and cot:
fee, she entertained his friends, and
everybody said: 'rOh, how much nice,
she was than that other womanl' She
was very popular with everybody, but
she not at all popular with the doctor.
To him, "that other woman" was still
all the world and the brightness thereof
So homeless did he fell in the presence
ofthis much nicer;:woman that his visits &c
Becky's grave were the only happy
hours of his new life. After while he
became more accustomed to Della, and
then he began to give her frequent lee
lures on Becky; "She' used to say &c
she had been right then, she must be
right now and forever, and in every.
thing.
Della had married "from sense oil
duty" and deserved to be punished
but it seemed to her that her punish.
ment was greater than she deserved
She would not have wished that her hus-
band should forget the wife of his youth
but she had expected that Re would
have some regard for the woman whom
he had invited to preside over his house
comfortable; to "do her duty by him, "
az she expressed it. Part Of that duty
she had performed in the most admir-
able manner, never had the doctors
house been 80 clean; never had his shirt
bosoms shone with such lustre; but the
heart which beat behind them she had
been unable to conquer.
Was it her fault? Had she not tried
to be kind, to be patient, to be meek?
Yes, but it was the trying that spoiled it
all and she lacked the sweet boldnesa
which love alone can give. She was al
most afraid of that ungracious man, and
she was jealous of Becky, much loved,
happy Becky. At tho end of six months
of such a life the doctor noticed that
Della looked pale and thin. "You need
little more fresh air." he prescribed,
land I shall take you out as often as I
can" Not without some inward fear,
but alfred in her very bests Della
sat in the buggy by the side of her lord.
It was balmy spring afternoon, nature
looked 50 fresh, 50 bright, so happy, that
little of this happiness breathed itself
into Delia's sad heart. The doctor must
also have been touched by these benign
influences, for never before had he been
She smiled several times; twice :ehe alb
solutely laughed. She sat a little nearer
to him, her cheeks bloomed and she was
beginning to feel quite comfortable, when,
as luck would have it, they happened to
ride past a very small cottage, so very
small that Della said. "Oh, look! won
der how people live in such tiny bit Of
a house?"
The doctors brow grew dark. I'm
such house as this" he said in his most
impressive manner 'in just such house
as this my wife and I lived in the great
est happiness when we were first mar
ried?"
Had Della been suddenly shifted from
India's coral strand to Greenland'e icy
mountains the shock could hardly have
been greater. His wifep she thought,
"then, if she is his wife, what am r.
Peculiar reasoning, perhaps, but Del1a
knew very we'll what she meant. al!
that evening she sat silently sewing and
answering the doctors remarks, with 9
primness of dignity that surprised
him. But he asked no questions
and took refuge In thoughts Of
the old days when Becky sat in that same
chair, sewing too, but with such bright
loving looks, such an interesting way Of
saying things! And now, what q difference
What, In truth, was this woman to him7
Not wife, not even q companion, only
housekeeper. And he gazed at her re-
aectively. It 80 happened that Della,
who had been making desperate efforts
to overcome her sulky mood, looked up
at that moment and caught the fall mean.
ing of the doctors eyes. Had he slap
ped her face she could not have felt It
more, but she gave no sign. With white
fingers that trembled q little she folded
her work and said, Il am tired, I will 60
to my ROOM"
Della did not sleep much that night,
Il must leave him" she decided at last.
II will not live with him unless I am
really his wife. cannot" Leave him;
but how? She could not go back to her
mothers house where questions would
be asked which she, wasa determined not
to answer: and besides It was too near,
Where could she 90? A few hours at
forwards that questioned was answered.
She received 9 letters post-marked
"Denver, Colorado;' It came
from "dear cousin Mamie," and a. she
read her letter Delia's face frightened;
lit is just what I wanted" she said to
herself.
One evening when the doctor came
home, Bridget met him at the door and
said "Missqs has gone sr; re-; che en- bad dee,
write and tell you" "All right" an
er's' he explained to himself. "Isup-
pose there is some sort of fandango 60
ing on there" He made himself very
comfortable. It was cool evening, and
he smoked his cigar, and put his feet on
But what the doctor really liked was to
be hindered; he enjoyed watching the
mild shadow Of disapproval stealing over
Delia's face; If she had frankly and
briskly expressed her opinion, then tax
ing it back prettily, he might have fallen
in love with her; but Della always re-
lapsed into meekness, and all was lost.
As the days passed the doctor began to
miss his housekeeper. 'tWhy does she
not writer Cold blooded creaturep'
The cold bl6oded creature wrote. Her
letter was dated from Denver. II said:
DEAR SIR-I thought you would be hap.
pier without me- 90 came here. 1anavis-
{dnx Cousin Mamie. With best wishes fol
your happiness remain sincerely,
sSs5 DEL1A BR1NsLEY. /
"a pretty letter-and dear sir to
me! Gone to Denverl Who could h4ve
supposed she had spirit enough for that7
Little Gooeel Gone to Denver, by Jove!'