The Sunday herald., 1886-11-21
MRS. DOBBs's wHIM.


They we're q very worthy couple, theii
friends said. That is about the best people
will say Of an elderly pair, II they are moi
intellectual or troublesome. Mr.. and Mrs
Dobbs were neither. Mr.. Dobbs was stou
and commonplace in appearance, and he did
not flirt with his neighbours wife, or gamble
in stocks, or live beyond his income. Hs
was hall.marksd emong upright men, and
was trustee for half his friends children
No doubt he was little heavy and prosy al
times, but these are drawbacks frequently
attendant on men of probity. lie certainly
was never tempted by impulses or inspira
tions of any sort either to do wrong or "a
become witty and original.
Mrs. Dobbs was reputed respectable and
virtuous matron for other reasons. Impri.
mis-, she had no taste in dress; neither did
she paint her face, or excite the envy and
spite Of her female friends by identifying
her house. She was fond of good dinner OF
solid English sort, and always wore black
silk or satin gowns. Her caps were prepos-
ferrous erections Of lace with gilt or steel
ornaments attached; and when she went Ia
the theatre she wore red bernous. Truly
this couple were left behind In the race Of
extravaganza, frivolity, and eccentricity.
Fashionable folks would have nothing to
say to them; those who did consider them
worth cultivating explained their status as
"good, worthy people," with compassion.
ate shrug or smile.
Mr.. Dobbs was something In the city,"
and his big Office and many clerks brought
in something more than comfortable in.
come. Yet he made no parade of wealth
and kept household accounts strictly. Every
evening he returned punotually by the g.
o'clock train from Waterloo, carrying his
fish basket with him. Fish was better and
cheaper in the city than at Clspham, and
Mrs. Dobbs was particularly fond of fish.
The worthy Josiah would not have spoilt
her dinner for the world. She must have
her salmon in season, and her red mullen
and whitebait, all in due turn, of the very
best.
BY this you will understand that Mr..
Dobbs was devoted and domestic. Yet there
were thorns amid the roses of his coniugal
Paradise. Mrs. Dobbs was now and again
beset by spirits Of unrest and discomfort,
and her whims at intervals caused dear
steady going Josiah much inconvenience.
There were no children at Clarence Villa;
and perhaps for this reason Mrs. Dobbs had
more leisure for complaint. She practiced
the art Of murmuring with as steady per.
sistence as a prima donna her scales. 10.
siah suffered her discontents with more than
the ordinary patience of an exemplary hus
band.
As years went on Josiah philosophically
gave up wishing for an heir, seeing his Dor.
othy had grown portly and middle.aged
He subscribed largely to various charities
not having legitimate outlet for his human
kindness. A philoprogenitivs organ i'm.
PEELED him toward children's hospitals.
Why. said he, should not his generation
benefit by his benevolence instead of they
that were to come after
Mrs. Dobbs did not, however, view such
matters with equanimity. Seeing the undue
and unwelcome number OF olive branches
round about other peoples tables, she re.
sented Natures cruelty to herself. She
therefore frowned persistently on Josiah's
philanthropic schemes for other peoples chill
dren. His benevolence toward orphans,
foundlings. and waits and strays, was a
never ceasing cause of argument and morti-
fication to her. Yet she did not suffer any
loss personally from these charitable deeds.
Not wish remained ungranted, and cheques
we're forthcoming with cheerful rsadi.
ness when required. She had her carriage,
her servants, her milliners, and her pleas.
ures as she listed. Josiah erected minia.
turs Crystal Palace In his garden, because
she wished to have bananas growing. He
took her to Egypt one winter, and nearly
died Of sea sickness by the way, because sht
had been reading Eastern romances and
yearned for Oriental glitter. Nothing that
money could obtain was denied her. Only
she had no children.
For long time now Mrs. Dobbs had dis
played no extraordinary caprice. Josiah
was sailing along in wonderfully smoott
matrimonial waters. But the lady's fre-
quent absence of mind and contemplativt
| misn might have convinced more sophisti
Gated man that mischief was brewing. II
truth, Mrs. Dobbs was slowly Matching g
scheme which she felt sure would run coun
ter to Josiah's wishes. This lent an addi
tional zsst to her plan. She considered It ,
retributive scheme. She would fight Josiah
on his own ground with his own favorit,
weapon of benevOlence.
"I'm going to adopt child, Josiah
Now, it's no use contradicting me, because
won't listen," said the lady one evening
over dessert.
She spoke sggressively, cracking the shel
OF walnut with decision. She had psa
vishly found fault with the fish and the salad
and had slapped her pug for no earthly rea
son. II Josiah had been rather less slow h
would have opinsd that storm was brew
ing. There was silence for minute afts
Mrs. Dobbs had opened fire.
"Arsn't yon going to speaks" she said a
length.
"a child ?" remarked Josiah, dropping
his tat chin into his shirt. "My love, tina
is surely project requiring very serious con
sidarati0u."
Mrs. Dobbs tossed her head ominously
Every inch Of lace In her cap seemed sud
denly to have acquired starch, while tn
L oil ont tod 40 IL,
"Whsn say q thing mean 1t, as yol
know, Josiah. have considered that yo
indulge your hobbies without restraint.
Is high time my bsnevolsnoe found somsthin
to occupy it,"
Josiah drank up his wine slowly. Whe
he spoke again It was In a subiusd tone.
"Dorothy, my dear, how often have re
minded you in the past three years that you
poor sistsr-left child. As have said be
fore, It is your clear duty to-"
"Mr. Dobbsl" The lady rose, and swep
her black satin skirts to the door. Here all
paused to add: ~ repeat, ! remember no sis
ter. A disgraceful marriage severed all cor
nection of birth. beg that you will nevs
allude to that shameful matter again."
Perhaps the episode alluded to was we
remembered OF Josiah, for no sighed sewers
times In his after.dinner solitude.
knew lhe mancAp Rlrl no han sheltefeu IL
many years beneath his roof was dead, bu
hs knew, too. that her child lived. and h
would fain have cherished II for the mother
sake.
In the course of the evening Mrs. Dobl
resumed the question OF adoption. Josia
was q paaosabls man, and he loved his VIII,
but this last whim was serious one, an
would inevitably entangle her in difficulties
"l'm going to advertise at once" sh
said.
Mr.. DObbs looked very blank.
~ should advise you to try some 9th,
plan that would give less publicity to IL
matter" he said mildly. "TLat woul
briug any amount OF beggars and impostol
about you"
Mrs. Dobbs looked oyer her crswel work
an injured way.
"There you are again, JosiahS alwsJ
trying to oppose me and make my life mis-
cradle. declare You contradict me ever
morning aud evening about something
Haven't told you before what a lonely III
| lsadf It's all very well for you. who 4
away to the city every day and enjoy your
self making money. You are Just like a
men--you are selhsh TO the core" WAT
this anal female platitude, Mrs. Dobbs b
gan to whimper. Mr.. Dobbs felt guilty