The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-09-22

faShl nable nowadays. Anyway, she
missed her calm. Wait a minute
neighbor; don't hurry off so. Iwant t.
talk church matters"
Cant" responded Deacon Somers
whipping up his horse. ''Dave's wife
is sick in bed, and came to the store
to git few things for her-bitters anC
some nourishing things to eat. She
sort O. run down with the exertion she
made in them readin's. She used to be
just drippin' with perspiration when
She got home"
/ Dawes wife was ailing for months,
unable to do more than sit in her room
and paint an hour or two each day.
The house was filled with her paint
ings. They ornamented brackets, and
stood in corners, and peeped from the
folds of fans, and smiled from Dawes
china coffee-cup.
One day Dave proposed to his wife
that she should go to her old home
the home of her guardian-and make
visit.
"We've been married fifteen months
now" he said, land you've never been
away. | think change will do YOU
good. You seem to be running down
every day."
So she went. After an absence of
ten days she wrote to Dave to send her
paintings to her by express. She had
need of them; would explain when she
returned. Dave packed them careful
ly, and sent them with sigh.
Poor Dave ! He had come to realize
that his marriage was great mistake.
To be sure, he loved Madge vet, but
the romance of his youthful attach
ment had all passed away in the dull
commonplace routine of his domestic
life, where Madge had proved such an
Inefficient helpmeet.
He had been blindly in love with his
divinity; elated with the fact that he
had won her away from two or three
other suitors. Madge was a brilliant
scholar and BELLE and with the blind
faith of young love, Dave had believed
that she would excel in domestic duties
as in intellectual pursuits. Her igno-
minious failures, her utter uselessness,
and his mothers constant and indis-
putable references to her inefliciency
about the farm work, had presented her
to his eyes in a new light The bril-
liant girl who was the pride of the col
lege, and the helpless, thriftless wife
whose husband was regarded with pity
by sympathetic neighborhood, were
two distinct individuals as were also
the young elocutionist carrying off the
honors of her class, and the tired, tear
full woman weeping over her soggy
bread and melted butter.
The success in her readings had re-
vived his old pride in her for time.
But her consequent illness and listness-
ness had discouraged him.
Mrs. Somers saw the express pack
age, and inquired what i. was Dave
told her, remarking at the same time
that he did not know what use she in
tended to make of them.
"Maybe she's going to give EN- away
to those who will appreciate en- sug-
gested his mother. I'm sure we've no
room for such rubbish. But her time s
no more a settin' hens, and she might
as well spend tin that way as any other.
She can't do nothin' that amounts to
anything"
81 think her readings amounted to q
good DEAL" Dave responded, glad that
he could once speak authoritatively of
his wife's usefulness.
''Oh yes, for that emergency. But
its steady work that tells. Lor' pity
you and father eff couldn't do nothin'
but give readings! Wonder where your
meals would come from. Your mar
rage and your horse trade were bout
off one piece, Dave. Your wife's pretty
/ in h, ,Nn,.ln,. tho HoO,. ,.onIi,,i
and your mare looks nice and drives nice
in the buggy. But they can't work. -"
Dawes wife came home at the eXpira-
ton of month, looking fresher. and
feeling stronger, she said. And she
did not bring her paintings.
Deacon Somers came into Dawes
room the night after her return to talk
| about certain piece of land that was
for sale. 1t ''cornered on to the dea-
cons farm, and stream of water ran
across it.
at will be worth mint of money to
me,n he said, ''for can turn that field
into pasture, and all my stock will
water itself But the man who's sellin'
wants hundred and fifty dollars down.
| He's goin' West and must have that
amount this week. I don t see the way
clear to pay it, for expenses have been
good deal of late, takin' doctors bills
and hired help and all into considera-
ton, and my ready money has run low.
Do you think of anybody that'll be
likely to lend us that amount for three
months, Dave?"
But before Dave could reply Dawes
wife spoke.
''Father Somers," she said, II can
let you have the money-not as q loan,
but as gift. have been of so little
use to you, and have made you so much
expense, shall be very happy if you
will let me do this for you" And rising
up, she came and laid little silken
purse in Deacon Somers' hands.
'.But where did you get it, child?"
asked the wondering Deacon, looking
from the plethoric little purse to her
face, which had flushed rosy red.
II sold my paintings" Dawes wife
answered. "a gentleman happened to
see little thing painted, and he said
he knew where could dispose of any
Houantity of such work. And sure
henough 1 sold every one of those
things painted when was sick for
lioood prices. And decorated some
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