Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1885-11-25

| to invite.
| mentioned the matter to Jack when be
he came home, and he entered into the
the spirit of the affair with great excite
ment.
ITO be sure. little wife, have party ~
all means. when ones in Rome one
must do as Romans do, you know. Don
spare expense either, my dear; we must
make as good show as other people. And
costume. | want you to look as grand as a
little empress.
But Jack" suggested timidly, eve
are spending great deal of money"
'Oh, well, never mind 1t will all 60
anyhow one day or the other, and we might
as well enjoy it. You've always wanted t.
get into good society, Nell, and you are fair
| ly in it now and it won't do to let people see
that you are cramped for money. Let.
1 make the most of it while we've got it.
/ My heart ached little, and in the midst
tof all the flare and fiutter of prepaI ations,
was conscious Of a vague feeling of regret
whenever recalled the quiet months of my
early wildwood, spent at Cherry Hill. Jack
had seemed such different person in those
| days-so strong and steady and self-reliant,
and now he seemed to take as much plea
sure in life's frivolities as did. With the
foolish inconsistency of my sey, l sat down
and cried over the consummation of the very
hopes which had cherished so long.
| But despite my tears, our reception went
on, and it turned out to be a great success.
The best people in town honored us with
their presence and everything, thanks to
Mrs. Vanborolgh's foresight, was carried
out in the most lavish and elegant manner.
"By George" said Jack, ''this sort OF
1 81, &c ..1i %I,, oil f..r 7
now. little wife, that you are right, always
right"
| Iwould ten times rather he should have
upbraided me for what I had done.
| The winter that followed was exceeding
ly gay. We were invited everywhere. aud
our house was constantly filed with guests.
Balls seemed to engross every hour. Jack
and seldom had quiet moment together,
yet he seemed to enjoy it all with his whole
heart.
When spring came our last surplus dol
lar had been expended, and we were cole
ly dependent on Jacks monthly salary.
The warm weather came on. and the
baby soon feel ill. hoped day by day that
Jack would say something about going
back to his fathers for the summer, but
he did not even hint at such thing.
The days grew longer and warmer. The
sun shone down with a pitiless splendor,
and the paved streets seemed like heated
brass. Our fashionable friends futtered
off like summer swallows, and we we're left
almost alone.
Couldn't y manage to make little
trip to the sea-shore, my dear % Mrs. Van
borough had suggested, and Jack had
caught at the idea with eagerness.
"We might, Nell. 1 think we can. III
| try to borrow few hundred somewhere. ~
'sOh, Jack, no, no.' sobbed out in my
remorse and despair. II won't go to the
sea-shore. You see how i'll baby is. Oh
Jack, ask your father to let us return home" +"
''Oh, you wouldn't be satisfied, Nell, if
we were back. 1t is dreadfully stupid
down there these summer days, with the
hay making and all that sort Of thing. We
should never be able to endure it now.
l said no more. The long, bright, burn
ing days wore on, and baby's little breath
seemed to grow weaker and weaker and
poor Jack himself began to look dreadful; :;
| i'll and worn. And one afternoon he was
sent home in carriage quite unconscious,
stricken down by sudden fever.
| put my pride aside then, and wrote a
letter to Jack s father.
''Jack and baby are both ill.," 1 said,
| ''and we are tired of this life. Pray oigive
us and let us come home."
| The very next day he dear old gentleman,
arrived, but the bailiffs and officers of the
law were before him. The rumOr that we
intended to leave town got out, and our
creditors rushed in, anxious to secure the
lions share of our effects The Brussels
carpet and the handsoma furniture, and
costly bric-a brac all went under the ham,
mer at disastrously low fignres
'.Never mind,' said my father in-l law,
not a shadow Of reprOach on his kind old
face; ''let them squabble over all if they
will. We must get our sick ones home" "
So we got Jack into the carriage, and
with his poor hot head upon my knee, and
baby in my arms, turned my back upon
the scene of my short-lived triumph.
"We are going back to Cherry Hill, }"
said the old gentleman, as in the dusk #
the goldon day We drove through the dewv
stiffness of the mountain ravine. ''The old
home has been waiting for you all these
months. l was pretty sure you'd want to
come back"
could not utter one word in answer.
A great full moon was rising above the
mountain peaks as we reached the house.
Not the smallest thing was changed The
great red rosos bloomed on the terrace,
the bees droned in their hives, and the cat
tie bells tinkled in the barn yard.
The doors stood wide open. We carried
Jack in and laid him down in the broad
breezy room that had been our bridal cham
| ber.
| He opened his eyes, and drew deep,
quivering breath, as the mountain breezes
touched his throbbing head.
Nell, where are you ?' he said.-"Sure-
ly this must be home ?'
81 am here, jack" I answered, through
my tears; land this is home, dear old Cher
ry Hill"
"Thank Gnd, he murmured, and fell back
on his pillow, and saw great tears trickling
slowly from beneath his eyelids.
Beyond the open window, in the silver
glory of the rising moon, the old grandfath-
er sat with baby at his feet, half hidden in the
rank, cool grass, and even at that late hour
the pigeons fattered around her as of old,
| and She screamed with rapture as she clutch
ed at them with her thin little hands.
Irose softly and fell on my knees beside
Jacks pill ow.
sob, jack l sobbed, 81 have been so
wicked. Forgive me, Jack, forgive me.
am so glad to be at home again"
And then and there, claspe to my hus-
bands heart, in the safe, sweet shelter of
Cne nome ne lOVeu, unleTStoOu dill Iuo pdSG.
fYou dldn't mean it, jack" whispered.
'You only pretended to enjoy it all to
please me-"
He smiled at me with his grave, fond
eye.
And oh, Jack, our money is all gone,
and--''
He sienced me with kiss.
''No matter. little woman, the lesson we
have learned has been cheaply bought.
We shall not care to le4ve the Safe old
mountain nest in search of fashionable So
clety again.
/ could not answer. I heard my baby
cooing TO the pigeons in the grass, and Sat
there clasped in Jacks arms, the happiest
woman the round world held.
A Texas doctor gives the Medical Bulle-
tin an account of the ease with which doc.
tors are made in that State He took six
hour ride Wi h Texan villager, who asked
him great many questions about the RENE
dies used for certain diseases then prevail
ing in that locality. On the following week
he had occasion to visit neighboring vii
lage, where he found his recent companion
| with his shinple out as full fl ICED ductOr