Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1886-11-10

to see to it myself; that will be just as
WE'LL"
Laying this salve on her conscience,
Mrs. Chickerly turned off the gas and
crept drowsily up the stairs.
"Fanny, Fanny, it's past 5 and
cook hasn't come downstairs yet. Are
you sure you spoke to her last
night?
Mrs. Chickerly rubbed her eyes and
looked sleepily around.
go, Frank, I forgot all about speak
ing to her last night" she said, with
conscience. stricken face. "But I'llrun
right up-she can have the breakfast
ready in q very few minutes"
She sprang out of bed, thrust her
feet into a pair of silk-lined slippers
and threw g. shawl over her shoulders.
Mr.. Chickerly bit his lip and checked
her.
''No need, Fanny" said he, q little
bitterly; 81 must leave the house in
fifteen minutes, or miss the only
through train. It's of no use speaking
to COOK now"
"I'm so sorry, Frank"
Mr.. Chickerly did not answer; he
was apparently absorbed in turning
over the various articles in his bureau
drawer, while Fanny sat shivering on
the edge of the bed, cogitating how
hard it was for her husband to start
on long Journey that bitter morning
without any breakfast.
81 can make a. cup of coffee myself
over the furnace fire." she exclaimed,
springing to her feet.
But Mr.. Chickerly again interposed.
"Sit down, Fanny, please. l would
rather haveyou sew this button on the
neck of my shirt. I have packed the
others-those that are fit to wear. I
have shirts enough, but not one in re-
pair"
Fanny crimsoned as she remembered
how often in the course of the last
month or two she had solemnly prom
ised herself to devote g. day to the
much needed renovation of her hus-
her tumble.
81 left it down stairs last night. I'll
get it In a minute"
The housemaid had Just kindled g.
fire in the sitting-room CRATE; it was
blazing and cracking cheerily among
the fresh Goals, and Fanny could not
resist the temptation of pausing a.
moment to warm her chilled fingers
and watch the greenish purple spires
of flame shoot merrily up the chimney,
until she heard her husbands voice
calling her imperatively:
"Fanny, Fanny what are you do
ing?"
go, DEAR" thought the wife, as she
ran up stairs. 81 wish Frank wouldn't
be SO cross. He's always in a. hurry"
Little Mrs. Chickerly stopped to
think that the real reason was that
she, his wife, was never Gin hurry"
The needle threaded, the thin BILE
fitted on, an appropriate button was
next to be selected.
go, dear, Frank, l haven't one the
right size"
''sew on what you have, then; but
be quick"
But Fanny was quite certain there
was just the right button somewhere
IN her work basket and stopped to
search for it..
''There, told you sol" she cried,
triumphantly, holding it up on the
end of her needle
"Well, well. Sew it on, quick" said
Mr.. Chickerly, glancing at his watch
nervously.
''That's just your worrying way,
Frank; asst anybody could sew 81 but
ton on well III q hurry. There! My
needle has come unthreaded."
ooh, Fanny, Fannyl'' sighed her
husband, fairly out of patience at last.
"Why didn't you do it last night, as
begged of you? / shall miss the train,
and what little chance we had OF a
place IN Aunt Elizabeth's will will be
sacrificed to your miserable habit OF
being always oehindhand."
Fanny gave him the shirt and began
to whimper little, but Mr. Chickerly
had neither the time nor the inclina-
ton to pause to soothe her petulant
manifestation of grief. He finished
his dressing, caught up his valise with
q hurriedly spoken goodbye" and
ran down stairs two steps at g. time,
into the street.
''There he goes" murmured Fanny,
land he's gone away cross with me,
and all for nothing but miserable
button. / wish there wasn't such g.
thing as q button in the world I"
"a wish which, We doubt not, many
another wife than Mrs. Chickerly
has echoed, with perhaps better rea,
sony
Mrs. Chickerly was sitting down to
her little dinner, with daintily-
Drowned chicken, a, tumbler of currant
Jelly, a curly bunch of celery ranged
before her, when to her surprise the
door opened and in walked her lord
and husband.
"Why, Frank, where on earth did
you come fron1?" cried the astonished
wife.
"From the Office" very coolly an
swered Mr.. Chiekerly.
but { thought you were off for
Scenersyille in hurry 20
IT found myself just FIVE minutes
too late for the train, after havingrun
all the way to the depot"
80, that was too bad"
Chickerly smiled little as he began
to carve the chicken.