Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1885-07-30
WHAT DlDIT MEAN?

Wuht Woo W. A4NO Ouc COuiu kuCcc.
Rosa Maria had arisen from the table,
where the family was assembled, eat
ing apples, and had gone up stairs and
shut herself into her own room; and
what was. more, she would not let her
mother.in-law in when the old lady
ran up after her; and more than that,
when the husband of her heart, the
partner of her life, Adolphus Lobb
himself, tapped softly at the door, she
bade him go away. Had anything
been done to hurt her feelings, or had
she hurt herself? Dolly, the waiting
girl, declared she had, for she saw her
turn ''gashly pale;" but If 50, why not
tell them all2 She had been married
only two years; she had never had q
quarrel with her husband, and, won
derful to relate, had been friends with
her motherin-law. What could it be
that troubled her that she would not
tell them!
She sits where she can see out of
the basement window, thought the
mother-in-law to herself. Il saw
some one pass through the corner of
my eye. Perhaps it was handsome
young man; perhaps it was an old
lover-who knows?'
She'll come down after awhile, l
suppose, said the husband, pacing the
floor uncomfortably. 1T can't be that
she's angry about snything. I didn't
say anything to hurt any ones feel,
ings, did ~
mo, my son, said the mother, I've
been thinking
Y Please'm, please sir cried Dolly,
rushing into the room, "young missus
is gone
iGone!' cried Adolphus. Gone
where?
you don't mean dead?' shrieked
the mother -in-law.
Nm, thank gracious. Gone crazy
and gone out sir-rushed away like a
loonatick, and went and jumped into a
car, and says to me, give this note to
my husband.
She thrust a folded paper into the
hands of Adolphus Lobb, and stood
open-mouthed to hear it read aloud.
Her curiosity was grati6ed:
MY Dear Husband (began the note)
forgive me and ask no questions.
Something has happened which makes
my conduct strange as it is, unavoid-
~able. I have found myself Obliged to
leave home for few days and to take
with me the sum of fifty dollars, which
you remember you gave me to buy
shawl with. l implore you, if you
love me, ask no questions now or at
any time. Place confidence in me
and forgive me for keeping a secret
from you. I wish I could tell you all,
but I cannot. Yours forever.
Rosa MARIA.
sWhy, what on earth! cried the
mother-in-law.
'Massy sakes!' exclaimed Dolly.
'Humphr said Adolphus. 'Ah!-
well-yes.'
sWhat?' asked his mother. DC
you guess what has happened?
Yes, l do said Adolphus.
do you know where she has gone?
i can imagine said Adolphus.
Won't you tell me?' said his
mother.
NO said the son. No; she can, II
she chooses, some day
Does she know you know? asked
the mother.
NO.
How did you find out?'
I've expected a smash of some kind
for long while, said Adolphus. M
matter. Don't fidget, mother. Shell
be back soon.'
This is perfectly outrageous sale
the mother in Jaw shameful, scanda
lous! A young woman rushing out O
the house like thisl A married wo
man, too! Some people would no
take her back, Adolphusr
'Oh! we'll, 1 will said the son
She has little secret that she doesn'
s@choose to tell every Que, 1 know; bu
I don't mean to get angry over it
She's safe. She's gone to New York
To New York; exclaimed old Mrs
Lobb. 'Adolphus, you ought to fol
low her at once. You are no man i
you don't. Leave Fishkill and go t,
New York like this without warning
Owning to secret, too! I can't stan'
it. She must explain. I will neve
offer her the hand of friendship agai
if she does not. And anyhow, Adol
phus, how do you know she will com
back2''
Il am sure of it, said the husband
1--WE no doubt at ALL
Then he brushed back his hair, an
went back to his drug store-fo
Adolphus Lobb was druggist
calmly as if nothing. had happened.
Old Mrs. Lobb could not explai
his conduct to herself much bette
2 than she could her daughter-in- laws
She was angry, indignant and alarmed
How did she know Rosa Maria wa
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