The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-08-13

to Mr.. Gerrish as he dropped tho par
cells upon the table.
| Warm morning, ma am. Shower
brewing. Mr.. GerTish to begone long?"
NO, opty till noon. He has run up
| to Boston.
"Oh, / supposed he was going fur.
ther, Inoticed he carried valise and
got checks for New York"
"Guess he was seeing to jimmy Eb-
bits traps" volunteered Uncle Ja
bez, following the grocer out to beg a
ride. She's started for New York.
They're tinkerin' the meetin' house,
and she's free to run Off
"And to stay of, for all mel" NUT
tered the little matron, sweeping up
the scattered sawdust with a spiteiul
fiirt of her broom. "Why didn't War
rem tell me she was going? He's amaz-
ingly coy about speaking of his old
love-"
Old love in more senses than one.
Miss Ebbitt was thirty at theleast, for
all she would persist in dressing as
youthfully as herself-1e this very day
What ravishing bonnets the ccquette
did wear, and what airs she put on in
the choir, where she always sat next
Mr.. Gerrish! Often whispering to him,
too. Was it necessary for organist
and chorister everlastingly to confer
with each other? In that case
agggrieved Mrs. Gerrish wished that
she might be the organist herself With
q little more practice in the use of
pedals, she was sure she could play as
we'll as Miss Ebbitt. At all events she
could have played as well before she
left her fathers home and the dear
piano. Warren had praised her exc
cntion in those days. He needn't
trouble himself to praise it again, if
Jennie Ebbitt was Everything to
him" What else had he said to Miss
Jenny that day? Had she been In
Uncle Jabez' place. Mrs. Gerrish felt
sure she should have heard every
word, had her husband whispered
ever so softly Was he at the present
moment holding Miss Jennie's shawl
about her i'll the cars, as he held it in
the carriage? Did not the woman
possess shawipin?
Ten o'clock, and the dishes lnwashed!
The belated little housekeeper barred
her dimpled arms and made q feint OF
haste; but the stroke of II found her
hands still in soapsuds. md her
thoughts in Boston. Warren called
Miss Ebbit a superior woman. Pity
he hadn't married her! A lovely life
they might have led discussing proto-
plasm and the correlation of forces.
II she, the gay girl wife, had not stepped
IN between them. Once she had told
Warren as much, and been sienced by
a kiss. Yet last Wednesday week,
when she gotvexed Mt chess and threw
the queen across the room, he had
called her silly child, and soon after
had taken his hat and gone out.
1t was evident enough now what he
went for. de went to invite Jennie
Ebbitt to accompany him the next
day to Boston. Uncle Jabez had wit.
messed their return. In PLAN English,
Warren had become weary OF his
foolish little wife, and preferred the
society OF q reasonable woman.
Twelve o'clock! Well, by this time
he had doubtless seen Miss Jenny off
to New York, and he must be on the
train for home. She would put the
pudding in to bake.
Att, the usual hour of dining, the
pudding was dough and the lamb not
half roasted. What allied the oven?
For once in his life her husband would
have to wait Tor his dinner Mrs
Gerrlsh said to herself that she didn't
care. He had been partaking an in
tellectual feast with Miss Jenny, he
must make that do.
But when at 2 O'Clock the dinner
was smoking in the warming oven,
she chafed at his non-appearance
Why should he delay on this OF all
days, while the heavens bewailed
furious tempest? He knew her dread
OF lightning. He had never before neg
slected her so cruelty. Whatif-absurd
fancy!-what if he had really gone on
journey as the grocer had sup
posed? Gliding herselffor the thought
she rushed up stairs to prove its ial.
lacy. Through gathering gloom she
giided straight to her husband s closet,
suggestively open. Where was the va
lise that had stood in one corner2
Where indeed9 The space ithad filled
Knocked her with it's blankness. A new
suit fresh from the tailor's had also
vanished and the bank book!
In PHYS name, why had her husband
needed that? Had he gone on to New
York with Miss Ebbitt?
Transfixed with horror at the sus-
picion, the-miserable young wife glared
at the dismaptled wardrobe till reused
to physical fear by a terrific thunder
bolt. Then, half frenzied, she lighted
a lamp, drew the shutters and flung
herself on the bed.
In the grasp ofthat memorable tenn
pest the cottage trembled like a living
thing, and the ground shook as with
an earthquake. Older and drawer
women than Mrs. Ge"rish shuddered
that day, and she, poor fasting soul,
was alone, and battling with her
first anguish. Oh, the cruelty OF
it! Gradually the storm subsided.
She grew calmer. Spent with excite
ment she may even have drowsed.
Suddenly she started up in panic.
The clock WAS striking 5. The Sep
tember night was shutting down upon
her. She could not confront it unat-
tended; but, on the other hand, how
could she proclaim her desertion to
the neighbors? Could she ever tellliv-
ing mortal OF the tress of hair hidden
among her husbands old letters-a
snaky curl just the shade OF Miss Eb-
bits? Shrouded in misery, little Mrs.
Gerrish buried herself again among
the pillows.
From this premature interment
somebody exhumed her five minutes
later-somebody with broad should
ers and beard slightly frosted with
gray-her own husband in fact.
Frightened, Mabei?" cried he, blink.
ing at the lamp light. "Why, my
blessed girl, the shower is quite over.
See how bright it is!
He threw back the shutters and let