Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1886-06-25
MRS. GERRISH'S GRIEF.
The Clouds and Sunshine of q
Stormy Day.

"Maybe I'd 60 to Boston with you,
Warren, if urged" said young Mrs.
Gerrish, archly, standing on tiptoe TO
smooth down her husbands nodding
scalp lock.
"It's too late to think of it-too late
altogether" cried Mr.. Gerrish, in his
haste, rushing TO his desk and scatter
ing the papers like a Dakota blizzard.
"Whcre's my bank book? Seen it, Ma
belP"
"Therc, Warren, forgot to tell you.
l thought would be safer behind the
clock
SAFER behind the fiddlcsticks," cogi-
tated the annoyed husband, as he
tipped over the timc-pece in laying
hold of the missing property; but being
a gentleman, he merely remarked i'm
pressively that ten to one he should lose
the train.
"It's only eight, Warren. You've
half an hour"
"But Pve-I've something to attend
TO before going to the station" he
stammcrcd, obviously embarrassed.
"Ohr' Mrs Gerrish dropped her
questioning brown eyes, flushing hotly.
WHY did her husband reject her prof
fered companyp And what was this
mysterious orrand that he would not
tell of.
"Good-by, wifckin. Take care of
Yourself till see you," he added, in n
friendlier tone, as he jumped into his
carriage.
well, must say!' calculated the
little lady, frowning after the rctrcating
vehicle. But she did not say it. In
stead, she set the clock on its legs again,
and fell to musing.
She was sorry she had veXed Warren
by meddling with his handbook, but he
need not have been so cross. What did
he want Of the book, any wayP Had
he not only yesterday told her that he
didn't owe n cent in the world? And
why-ihis was a vital query-why had
he gone off without her. too preoccupicd
to snatch goodbye kissP Last week
he had left her behind in the same way
She wouldn't have minded the neglect
so much if it had not afterward come to
her ears that he had gone straight from
her to Miss Ebbitt, and escorted that |
young lady to the city. He never had
hinted a word about it. Mrs. Gerrish |
secretly hoped the rumor wasn't true,
but it was shocking to have the neigh
bors talking. And now to think that,
after humbling herself to ask her hus-
band to take her, she should have met
with fiat refusal! The stroke of nine
surprised her Just this side of tears.
Was it possible she had idled away
n whole hour in arranging the
writing-desk, and Bridget gone for the
weekP
Hurrying into the kitchen to wash
the breakfast dishes, her eyes rested on
n quaint-looking man in the doorway.
''Mornin', Mis- Gerrish," +" said he doff-
ing his hat for GOODNESS rather than
courtesy.
Good morning, Uncle Jabez," re-
sponded she, kindly. .Have you come
TO split me some kindlingsPn
"Sartin, ma'am. | suspicioned you
must be about out, said the village fac
totum, wiping his bald knob of crown,
which rose above his encircling red
fringe like the sced-vessel of poppy
above its coralla.
II knew your husband wasn't here
TO do for you" he continued, putting
his hat on again with screwing motion
rs if it were the cover of fruit lar
I'D been clearing out the widder Eb-
bits pipes, and was crawling along
on her ruff, when Mr.. Gcrrish drove up
for jimmy. He didn't have to wait. On
the flat of her foot jimmy is, for all her
fuss and feathers. "
"Did they catch the train?" faltered
the young wife, her face averted.
Then her husband did go for Miss
Ebbitt! Uncle Jabez should not know
that he was telling her news
"Ycs, ma'am they catched it. asked
Hiram Blodgett when he fetched your
horse back to the store" answered
Uncle Jabcz, his conliding blue eyes
fixed on the sky. I'm jealous of a
shower, ma am. Remember that pealer
VIC had the last time your husband took
jimmy to Boston?n
'.Last Thursday, do you meanp"
quered Mrs. Gerrish, anxiously. That
miserable rumor might be true. She
was ready to believe any thing.
''lt strikes me twas Thursday. Yes.
ma'am twas week ago to-day, for
was in the widder Ebbitt's stable mend
in her crib when your husband drove
in, with jimmy. The water was
a-streakin' il of O. the kerriage, but
he'd wropped jimmy complete, soft she
skipped out dry as grasshopper. She
told him she was no end grateful for
his care, and faith she'd orter been; for
if he hadn't held her shawl round her
so, her silk gow'nd would a been spot
ted hitherty yender."
"What did he say to that, uncepn
''Oh, he was even with her, ma am.
I'm the one obleeged, Miss jimmy, says
he. You know you're every thing to
me- lost the rest, he spoke so low"
"Yes, certainly" murmured the
dazed little wife, absently shutting
Uncle Jabez into the shed.
Miss Ebbitt every thing to Warren by
Warren's own confession! Could she
trust her earsP Eccentric and scatter
Drained Uncle Jabez might be, but deaf
or prone to mischief he was not. She
could not for moment doubt his word.
That her husband should be seeking
clandestine interviews with any lady
was scandalous enough; that the lady
thus sought should be Miss Ebbitt was
beyond endurance. In her fierce per-
turbation Mrs. Gerrish hardly heard the
crash OF the sugar-bowl that slipped
from her hand. Who would heed break
ing china when the very sky was falling?
To be frank, from the time she came to
Oakland bride, Mrs. Gerrish had suf-
fered intermittent spasms of jealousy on
account of this same Miss Ebbitt. She
had never been able to forget iesting
remark made by one of her first callers.
'Among our village celebrities we
reckon Miss Ebbitt, our talented organ
ist," the guest had said. Greatly, Mrs.
Gerrish, must hasten TO introduce you
10 your husbands old fame"
"Old flame!' the coarse words
rankled. One moment the young wife
would resolve to repeat them to her
husband, the next she would shrink
from anuding to them, feeling that if