Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1885-10-01
A WoRKING-MAN'S WIFE.
ny HELIX ronRrsr GRAVES.

at Doctor Junius Dale; shook his head
asst to say, ""Tis true, tbs pity; pity
tits, tits true"
MY dear fellow" said BARLEY, the
sage mentor of the pair, 'you can no
more afford s;;ca q wife than you can
afford steam yacht or SIN ivory
mounted billiard table"
There 8 no occasion to tell me that,
mournfully replied Doctor Dale. "I'm
quite aware Of 1t already. Ii / was
rich I'd marry Miss Clarke tomorrow
always providing that she thought me
worthy OF acceptance; but as am only
a struggling young doctor, I'll do my
best to keep away from her destinations
in the future
"A sensible decision" observed Bar
tley.
But she is so pretty" yearningly
remarked Doctor Dale.
Granted"
"And she sings like nightingale.
"She ought to, with all the cultiva-
ton that her voice has received.
And she has such winning way
with her"
What difference does that make to
your" said BARLEY. Haven't you re-
solved that hereafter she is to be
nothing to your"
"Y-yes; but"
stick to your colors then, mani"
cried BARLEY. "Clissy Clarke is moth
ing on earth but a society belle. What
you want is helpful, willing, work
ing bee of wife--one who can aid you
with heart and hand to climb lifs's
hill, You saw Miss Clarkeat the Win
field masquerade last night, in white
satin and pearlsg"
"And very beautiful she looked?"
cried the young physician, firing sud
denly up at the recollection OF Miss
Clarke's auburn hair, all twisted with
ropes of seed-pearl, and violet blue
eyes sparkling with girlish animation.
Did she look like a poor mans
wifeY"
Not bit of it."
"rhen be warned" said BARLEY,
shortly. Remember the old story OF
the myth scorching it's wings in the
candle-hame."
Doctor Dale was silent. He had
promised himself the pleasure OF acall
on Clarissa Clarke, that very after
noon.
There was something in the girl that
attracted him with almost magnetic
force. The tender light OF her eyes,
the sweet intonation of her voice, the
rosy ilushes of color that overspread
her cheek when he talked to her, We're
all separate attractions; and yet he
knew that he, like the hero of French
romance, was "APoor Young Mani"
He recollected, now, that he had
even said something to Clissy about
going to the Clarke cottage that day.
at won't do" he said to himself
81 had better keep away"
And so instead of following the dear
est inclination of his heart, he betook
himself, with Spartan resolve, to the
public library.
"lll read up that case on the mves
tigation of cholera microbes" he
thought "If a man expects TO make
any mark i'm his profession, he must
keep posted up in these modern discov
cries of science"
So he disappeared into one OF the al
roves OF the library, with his medical
quarto and his memorandum-book
md set to work in good earnest.
But he had not fairly entered into
he merits of the microbe question
when the twitter of sweet girl-voices
rom the adjoining alcove struck upor
Dis ear.
ooh, Clissy Clarkep' said one. %
called for her, and she wouldn't come
1t was baking day, and there was CHS
sy up to her elbows in flour and spices.
"Well, neverl' said the other, wItl
a giggle.
ooh, she does all the houseworkf
said the first speaker, scornfully
Like any hired servant. Even th,
fine Washington they only keep on,
little bound -girl--and Mr. Clarke won
wear shirt unless Clissy has ironeC
it."
GLOW does she find timefor her mu
sic and oil-pairting2" asked the second
"0h, she rises ut dawn. She says
| the best time ofthe working-day is be
fore breakfast .es5s.She finishes her hous'
work, sews for the family"
Makes all her own dresses, dom
/ she?"
Eyes, and her mothers, tool That
satin dress she wore at the party las
night was her grandmother brida
gown made over, and the pearls wer
( borrowed from Miss Layton. 1t dom
cost her anything to dress. Shel
take the horridest old affair, and re
! model it with scrap of ribbon or
/ panel of velvet until you'd think i
! vas made by q French dressmaker
| | declare, ] wish | had her knack
| Papa is always grunbling about m.
bills. But that amt all. Do yol
know? she gives Bessie Layton musi
I lessons, and earns quite nice little in
| come for herself And she writes bool
! reviews and things for newspapers
and keeps Mr.. Clarke in books tina
/ way"
Dear mel" said the other with
! yawn. "what dreadful nuisance sh
must find it! | couldn't drudge tina
I way"
"She says she likes it.
/ "She'd make nice wife for a poo
man. wouldn't she?" said the secon,
/ speaker. Although no one who saw
her at the party last night would thinl
it"
"Humph!" remarked the other
"She'll live and die an old maid, see
she don't! Such girls always do. Come
here are our novels at last. Let'sgo!'
The perfnned silken hounces rustic,
I out of the library, the sound OF chat
tering voices died away, and still Doc
/ tor Dale sat, with his pencil in hi
hand, staring down at his memoran
| dum-book. Itseemed as II thegloom,
4 veil which dropped between him AM
his future life were lifted. In his hear
ne could have blessed the agile tongue
OF these idle, gossiping girls.
Clissy, then, was no mere butterfly
but true, noble-hearted working
girl
He carried back the ponderou
medical tome to the assistant librari
an.
/ much obligedr' he remarked, sue
cinctly.
SCOT through with it pretty quick
haven't your" said the assistant ]
I brarian.
eyes; I've had very good luck thi
] ~ n. 4. r. II.