Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1886-06-30

her so, her silk gownd would "a been
spotted hitherty yender."
ssWhat did he say to that, uncle?"
ooh, he was even with her, ma am.
sI'm the one obleeged, Miss jimmy,
saws he. you know you're every
thing to me- / lost the rest, he spoke
low
eyes, certainly" murmured the
dazed little wife, absently shutting
Uncle Jabez into the shed.
Miss Ebbitt everything to Warren
by Warren's own confession! Could
she trust her ears? Eccentric and
scatter-brained Uncle Jabez might be,
but deaf or prone to mischief he was
not. She could not for q moment
doubt his word. That her husband
should be seeking claudestine inter
views with any lady was scandalous
enough; that the lady thus sought
should be Miss Ebbitt was beyond en-
durance! In her fierce perturbation
Mrs. Gerrish hardly heard the crash OF
the sugar-bowl that slipped from her
hand. Who would heed breaking china
when the very sky was failing? To be
frank, from the time she came to Oak
land q bride, Mrs. Gerrish had suffered
intermittent spasms of jealousy on
account of this same Miss Ebbitt
She had never been able to forget a
testing remark made by one of her first
callers.
"Among our village celebrities we
reckon Miss Ebbitt, our talented or.
ganist," the guest had said. Really
Mrs. Gerrish, must hasten to intro
duce you to your husbands old
fame"
"Old flannel" the coarse words
ranked. One moment the young wife
would resolve to repeat them to hel
husband, the next she would shrink
from abiding to them, feeling that il
he had once loved Miss Ebbitt, she
would rather not be assured of the
fact. She recalled the nervous head.
ache produced by that unpleasant
visit. How devoted Warren had been,
SO grieved by her suffering that for
shame's sake she could not have
limited at it's cause. Dear old fellow,
of course he had loved her tsen, and
of course he loved her now!
Uncle Jabez's distracting gossip
could be easily explained. To think
otherwise was absurd.
"Jehu! / was satisfied | heard
something smash" cried that simple
individual. pushing the door ajar with
his moccasined toe, and shutting in,
his arms full of wood. 'sThere, there,
ma am, I wouldn't take on so about
the clancy. Your husband won't feel
getting you a new sugar dish, bein' he's
in the crockery line"
"It breaks the set, you see," equivo-
Gated the proud little matron, humor-
ing his conceit. Better pass for q
ninny than jealous wife.
eve all have our pesters," philoso-
phized Uncle Jabez, placing the sticks
in the woodbox with fond delibera-
ton. 'Now you know how twas at
my house last spring. My wife was
sick, and | had narrer squeak to get
along: but now my wife's dead, ana
I'm out of debt, and / thank the
Lord! Hullo Here's Lunt's team"
The entering grocer nodded affably
to Mrs. Gerrish as he dropped his par
cells upon the table. "Warm morning,
ma'am. Shower brewing. Mr.. Ger
rish to be gone long?"
"Only till noon. He has run up to
Boston"
"Oh, supposed he was going fur
ther. Noticed he carried a valise and
got checks for New York"
"Guess he was seem to jimmy Eb-
bits traps" volunteered Uncle j abez,
following the grocer out to beg q ride.
"She's started for New York. They're
tinkerin' the meetin' houst, and she's
free to run off,"
"And to stay off for all me-" NUT
tered the little matron, sweeping up
the scattered sawdust with q spiteful
f1irt of her broom. "Wby didn't
Warren tell me she was going? He's
amazingly coy about speaking of his
old love-"
Old love In more senses than one.
Miss Ebbitt was 80 at least, for all
she would persist in dressing as youth
fully as her self, 20 this very day
What ravishing bonnets the coquette
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 aggrieved
Mrs. Gerrish wished that she might be
organist herself. With a. little more
practice in the use of pedals she was
sure she could play as well as Miss
Ebbitt. At all events she could have
played as we'll before she left her faith
er's home and the dear piano. War
rem had praised her execution in those
days. He needn't trouble himself to
praise it again, if Jenny Ebbitt was
everything to him." What else had
he said to Miss Jenny that day
Had she been in Uncle Jabez's place,
Mrs. Gerrish felt sure she should have
heard every word, had ner husband
whispered never so softly. Was he at
the present moment holding Miss Jen.
ny's shawl about her in the cars, as
he had held it in the carriage? Didn't
the woman possess shawl pin?
Ten O'Clock, and the dishes un
washed! The belated little house.
keeper barred her dimpled arms and
made a feint of haste; but the stroke
of eleven found her hands still in the
soapsuds, and her thoughts in Boston
Warren called Miss Ebbitt superior
l ~