Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1884-10-29
ONE NIGHT IN THE COUNTRY.

ONE NIGHT IN THE COUNTRY.
happened TO come home late that
night, for had dined some old friends
at the club by way of sparing my wife
the trouble of entertaining. Now,
Fanny was the most amiable woman in
the world, and, of course, never felt
nervous about returning at any hour /
chose. But the truth was. she had
given up her happy country life for my
sake, and knew that she secretly re-
GREETED those rural delights. also
knew that, whenever / was detained
later than usual at the club, that feeling
was especially dominant. So thrust
my hands deep into my ulster pockets
and tried to think of some pleasant
topic of conversation with which to be-
guile her into cheerfulness. As l drew
near home my fingers came in contact
with crumpled bit of paper in the
depths of my pocket. This / knew to
be a telegram, which recalled the fact
that my agent had that day taken
fruit-farm near Vineland to secure a
debt and this, in turn, suggested an
idea. l would tell my wife about
Cookies bargain, and emphasize the
hS"o W VIC
Softly opening the front door, 1
CROPPED my way along the dark hall to
the nursery, where | was sure to find
Fanny, and almost equally sure of
waking baby. lis that you, Georgc?'
she asked, in discouraged tone, with
out turning her head. The wicked idea
of Disgusting my voice to note the effect
crossed my mind, but thought of the
telegram and resisted the temptation.
"Of course, Fanny. How cozy you
are here! Turn up the lamp have
something to show YOU" said, cheer
lily, rs l smoothed out Cooke telegram
before her.
"What do YOU think of that, Fan?'
She rubbed her sleepy eyes and gave
the cradle little jog with her foot to
keep the baby quiet.
80, George, how good YOU arer she
cried, joyfully. "Have you really
bought n farm? When are we to go?''
"Why, you you wouldn't move in
March, would youP" | asked, for lack
of something better to say.
"What shall we do with this house,
Georgep" And the furniture? Hadn't
we better sell the horses and carriage
and get something n little more suited
to country roads?'
i saw that my wife was wide awake
now, so yawncd and replied that we
would have plenty of time TO think about
that, and remarked that it was getting
late.
| suffered an occasional twinge of
conscience the nest day, as now and
then | recalled my wife's innocent pratt
tie about our farm | also began to fear
that | had not behaved with my usual
wisdom in the attempt to strew my own
path with flowers on my return from
the club. AS dinner time approached
l shrank from meeting Fanny, and ut
last sent her note to say that l would
not be at home till late hour, and
begged her not TO sit up for me. But /
might rs well have gone home like q
man. II was only deferring the evil
hour, when | must confess that ] never
had the rcmotest idea of living in the
country, even though i might be the
possessor of forty farms.
Still, day after day put it of. while l
was forced to hear myself praised for
unselishness, or to listen to my wife's
schemes for the education of our boys
when they should be out of the reach of
schools. By and by our friends be-
gan to talk of our departure rs if it had
been a settled fact. In vain l assured
them that it was all nonsense, aad we
were not going away at all. They took
the pang of separation more philosoph-
ically than one would have imagined,
and l began TO be little sensitive.
They even inquired whether meant to
let or sell the house, what we were going
to do with our servants, and if our pew
in church was for sale.
All this was rather hard; but when,
on our eighth anniversary, our neigh
bors gave us little surprise party, pre-
sentng us with a silver berry-set appro-
priately marked as "a parting testimo-
NAL of esteem and regret" l was in
despair. After the company was gone
my wife gently rcproached me with q
lack of cordially to our guests, but
had not the heart TO confess the reason.
do not know how l ever managed to
restrain my feelings till she left the
room. Then / locked the door, and,
turning up the gas, critically surveyed
myself from top to toe. Was L q de-
mented lunaticp If I were still in the
full possession of my mind, why did not
my hair turn whitcP Twas nearly driven
to suicide. What could il meanp With
out one voluntary step on my part was
literally driven out of tho city-talked
and smiled out of my own home.
ut is past endurance, said, through
my clenched teeth, 81 have still n
roof over my head and will have my
freedom. Twill let my ncighbors know
George, softly called Fanny through
the nursery door, "did tell you that l
showed Mrs. Howe through the housc
to-day, and sho has rs good rs promised
to take IL ut your own terms for five
years. p''
l groaned soto voce, and was glad
that Fanny could not sec me at that mo-
ment.
'Did you hear, dcarp" she insisted.
Eyes, but l am too tired to discuss
anything tonight. DO get the lights
out rs soon rs possible. am complete
ly worn OUT" answered, fretfully, but
with great sincerity.
Poor Georgcv' sighed she. "You
need the rest and quiet of the country as
much rs l."
So, scarcely knowing how, our pretty
house on Fourth street was let, fur
nished and the first day of May found
tho Warren family on wheels. The
purchase Of the farm had been accepted
"sight unseen" rs old-fashioncd boys
used TO trade jack knives. II had even
dreamed OF occupying the house ! should
havo paid II visit, but nothing had
boon farther from my mind, and / nat
urally felt very anxious as we nearcd
Pcachvillc.
/
twas one of Fanny's hobbies that our
boys should be removed from the town
and its vicious influences while they
were yet blissfully unconscious Of evil.