Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1886-09-08
MRS. GERRISH'S GRIEF.
The Clouds and Sunshine OF a
Stormy Day.

"Maybc I'd go to Boston with you,
Warren, if urged" said young Mrs.
Gerrish, achly, 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 Dakota blizzard.
where's my bank book? Seen it, Ma.
bel?"
There, Warren, / forgot to tell you.
] thought Il would be safer behind the
clock.
Safer behind the iiddlcsticks," cogi-
tated the annoyed husband, rs he
tipped over the timc-piccc in laying
hold of the missing property; but being
a gentleman, he merely remarked inn
prcSsivcly that ten to one he should lose
the train.
Its only eight, Warren. You've
half an hour"
"But Pvc-I'vc something to attend
to before going to the station" he
stammcrcd, obviously embarrassed.
OH Mrs. Gcrrish dropped her
questioning brown eyes, flushing hotly.
why did her husband reject her prof
fcred company? And what was this
mysterious GRAND that he would not
tell of.
"Good-by, wifckin. Take care of
yourself till ] STE you," he added, in
fricrdicr tone, as he jumped into his
carriage.
well, must sayr calculated the
little lady, frowning after the rctreating
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 mcddling with his handbook, but he
need not have been so cross. What did
he want of the book, any way? Had
he not only Yesterday told her that he
why-this was vital qucry-why had
he gone off without her, too preoccupicd
TO snatch n goodbye kiss? Last week
he had left her behind in the same way.
She wouldn't have minded the neglect
so much if it had not aftcrward 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
hintcd word about it. Mrs. Gerrish
secretly hoped the rumor wasn't true,
but il 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 Hat refusal! The stroke of nine
her just this side of tears.
Was il possible she had idlcd away
n whole hour in arranging the
and Bridget gone for the
week?
llurrying into the kitchen to wash
the breakfast dishes, her eyes rested on
n quaint-look'ng man in the doorway.
'Mornin', Mis- Gcrrish," said he doff-
inc his hat for GOODNESS rather than
courtesy.
Coed morning, Uncle Jabcz," re-
spondcd she, kindly. Have you come
to split me some kindlinSs?n
''Sartin, ma'am. ! suspicioncd you
must he about out, " said the village fac
toium, wiping his bald knob of crown,
which rose above his cncircling rcd
fringe like the sccd-ycsscl of n poppy
above its coralla.
Il knew your husband wasn't here
to do for YOU" he continued, putting
his hat on again with screwing motion
as if it were the cover of fruit Jar.
I'D been clearing out the wilder Eb-
bits pipes, and | was a crawling along
OH her ruff, when Mr.. Gerrish drove up
for jimmy. He didn't have to wait On
the fiat of her foot Jimmy is, for oil her
fuss and feathers"
did they catch the trainp" faltcrcd
the young wife, her face avertcd.
Then her husband did 90 for Miss
Ebbitt! Uncle Jabcz should not know
that he was telling her news!
YES, ma'am they catched il. / asked
Hiram Blodgctt when he fetched your
horse back to the store" answered
Uncle Jabcz, his confiding blue eyes
fixed on the sky. I'm jealous OF
shower, ma'am. Remember that pealer
we had the last time your husband took
jimmy to BostonP"
'Last Thursday, do YOU meanp"
qucricd Mrs. Gerrish, anxiously. That
rumor might be true. She
was ready to believe any thing.
ut strikes me twas Thursday. Yes.
ma am twas week ago to-day, for /
was in the wilder Ebbitt's stable mend
in her crib when your husband drove
in, with jimmy. The water was
it of o. the Heritage, 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 ortcr been; for
If he hadn't held her shawl round her
SO, her silk gov'nd would "a been spot
ted hithcrty yender."
"What did he say to that, uncleP''
''Oh, he was even with her, ma am.
I'm the one oblcegcd, Miss jimmy, saws
he. You know you're every thing to
me- / lost the rest, he spoke so low"
"Yes, certainly" murmurcd the
dazcd little wife, absently shutting
Uncle Jabez into the shed.
Miss Ebbitt every thing to Warren by
Warrcn'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 a moment doubt his word.
That her husband should be seeking
clandcstinc 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 fallingp
To be frank, from the time she came to
Oakland bride, Mrs. Gerrish had suf-
fcred 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 VIC
reckon Miss Ebbitt, our talented organ
list" the guest had said. REALLY, Mrs.
Gerrish, must hasten to introduce you
10 your husbands old flame"
"Old flannel" the coarse words
ranked. One moment the young wife
would resolve TO repeat them to her