Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1884-04-10


was given to boy of the street, his
other garments adorned the gardner and
the bakers boy, and he received long
coat, a gaily lowered vest, large hat,
a big watch and white necktie. Thus
arraycd he was allowed on Sundays to
SO TO mass and vespers with his wife.
Now he looked Ike 8 doctor, at least.
Mother Boedaart observed the former
foppish costume was not at all suitable.
Willem did not quite willingly make
himself ridiculous, but as it brought
peace to the household he had in Gods
name put ON the white necktie. In
another matter, however, he offered a
more obstinate resistance. This was the
society of his young friends, in which
he found some distraction, and could
sometimes be merry for few hours.
From morning he lived in anticipation
Of the evening which he was to spend
with them His wife had not objected
very much in the beginning, but Ii was
only postponed and not entirely given
up.
Gradually the opinion arose that the
husband came home too late and there
after Willem started homeward punct-
ually at half-past nine. Then it was
'Ah YOU couldn't remain at home a
single EVENING" and at least once a
week Willem had to give up his friends
/. At last one day he was summoned to
Mother Bc3daart.
See here, WilleB, SHE addressed him
in solemn tone, when | gave my
daughter to you, you promised that she
should live happily with you.
Yes n other, responded Willem..
Now, then, do YOU do everything to
make her life sweet and agreeable? Have
you nothing to reproach yourself with?
No mother replied Willem, and he
might have mentioned the cigar he had
given up and the white nccktie he had
put on, yet he perferred to wait the
Storm
Then / must tell you right out,
continued the mother iii wrath, that it
is shame to leave your wife alone 50
much, while you waste your time in
saloons, and that you will bring the poor
girl to her grave.
Willem was frightened by the idea of
being such villain, and stammered:
But, mother, | sit with her the whole
day
Surely you don't see, though how
pale and thin your wife is getting, and
how she is wasting away from day to
day
Willem indeed saw nothing of the
kind, but he saw enough of what was in
store for him. He went home; his wife
gave him cross reception. In the
evening he went out, and when he came
home his wife was sick abed As he
was going out again the next evening
supper was not ready So it went on
and his wife looked daggers at him all
the time, and his mother-in-law preached
necessarily. Willem gave up seeing
his friends, and now lives in accordance
with his wife's wishes.
Every morning he rises at eight
o'clock and goes about-ln his dressing
gown until twelve. Then he is allowed
to go out; at one o'clock sharp, how
ever, he must be back again, for his wife
has laid down the rule never to wait
with the meals. In the afternoon he
may do what he pleases, but not go out,
for then his wife would have to sit alone;
nor read, for then he could not talk with
his wife; and not sleep, for he is too
young for that. Otherwise he can do
anything he likes-for example, hold the
yarn or look after the stove.
The evening excursions are done away
once for all, and there is no need of his
working. Every fortnight there is a
company of old wives and maidens where
Lotto is played the whole evening.
His uncle, who makes him a visit
from time to time, although madame
cannot endure too many strangers iii the
house, slaps him on the shoulder and
says:
You see now, young man, that your
uncle wasn't a fool, after all, and don't
you have happy life? TO have moth
ing to do, to find your bread already
earned as soon as you get up in the
morning indeed, my young friend, that
is such match as one would gladly look
for with lantern. You were surely
born to be lucky
In truth, Willem has a wife, a moth
er-in-law, house, two dogs, two cats
CHS wife has got another one-she
has no children3 and expectations of
two hundred thousand francs. The
happy young man!