The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1886-06-17
MRS.. GERRIsH's GRIEF.
The Clouds and Sunshine Of a
Stormy Day.


Gerrish, archly, 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 a Dakota blizzard.
''Where's my bank book? Seen it, Ma
belp"
There, Warren, l forgot to tell you.
] thought it would be safer behind the
clock
..Safer behind the iddlesticks," cogi-
tated the annoyed husband, as he
tipped over the time-piece in laying
hold of the missing property; but being
q gentleman, he merely remarked i'm
pressiveIy that ten to he should lose
the train.
..It's only eight, Warren. You've
half an hour"
.sBut Twelve something to attend
to before going t o the station" he
stammered, obviously embarrassed.
..Ohr' Mrs. Gerrish dropped her
questioning brown eyes, flushing holly.
Why did her husband reject her prof
fered company? And what was this
mysterious errand that he would not
tell of.
ssGood-by, wifekin. Take care of
yourself till / see you," ne added, in a
friendlier tone, as he jumped into his
carriage.
ssWell, / must sayr' calculated the
little lady, frowning after the ~retreating
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 meddling with his handbook, but he
need not have been SO cross. What did
he want of the book, any wayP. Had
he not only yesterday told her that he
didn't owe a cent in the worldp And
why-this was a vital query-why had
he gone off withouther. too ~preoccupied
tossnatch a 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 afterward 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
limited a word about it. Mrs. Gerrish
secretly hoped the rumor wasn't true,
but it 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 a fiat refusall The stroke of nine
surprised her just this side of tears.
Was it possible she had idled away
a whole hour in arranging the
writing-desk, and Bridget gone for the
weekP
Hurrying into the kitchen to wash
the breakfast dishes, her eyes rested on
q quaint-looking nan in the doorway.
"Mornin', Mis- Gerrish," said he doff:
ing his hat for GOODNESS rather than
courtesy.
"Good morning, Uncle Jabez," re.
sponded she, kindly. Have you come
to split me some kindlingsP"
.'Sartin, ma'am. I suspicioned you
must be about out" said the village fac.
totum, wiping his bald knob of a crown
which rose above his encircling rec
fringe like the s~eed-vessel of a poppy
above its coralla.
II knew your husband wasn't here
to do for you," he continued, putting
his hat on again with a screwing motion
a. if 1t were the cover of a fruit jar
: I'D been clearing out the widder Eb
bits pipes, and l was a crawling along
on her ruff, when Mr.. Gerrish drove NJ
for jimmy. He didn't have to wait. Or
the fat of her foot jimmy is. for all hel
fuss and feathers"
ibid they catch the trainp" ~falterec
the young wife, her face averted.
Then her husband did go for Mis-,
Ebbitt! Uncle Jabez should not know
that he was telling her news!
.Yes, ma'am they catched it. l asked
Hiram Blodgett when he fetched you,
horse back to the store" answered
Uncle Jabez, his confiding blue eye
fixed on the sky. I'm jealous of
shower, ma'am. Remember that peale
We had the last time your husband tool
jimmy to Boston,"
"Last Thursday, do you meanp'
queried Mrs. Gerrish, %anxiously. Tha
miserable INT might be true. Sh,
was ready to believe any thing.
1T strikes me twas Thursday. Yes
ma'am twas a week ago to-day, for
was in the wilder Ebbitt's stable mend
in her crib when your husband drov,
in, with jimmy. The water wa
a-streakin' it off o. the heritage, bu
he'd wropped jimmy complete, so't sh
skipped out dry as a grasshopper. Sh
told him she was nc end grateful TO
his care, and faith she'd orter been; TO
if he hadn't held her shawl round he
so, her silk gownd would "a been spot
ted hitherty yender."
"What did he say to that, uncle?"
.sOh, he was even with her, ma'am
I'm the one obleeged, Miss jimmy say
he. You know you're every thing t
me- lost the rest, he spoke so low.
Yes, certainly" murmured tn
dazed little wife, absently shuttin
Uncle Jabez into the shed.
Miss Ebbitt every thing to Warren b
Warren's own confession! Could sh
trust her ears? Eccentric and scatter
Drained Uncle Jabez might be, but dee
OF prone to mischief he was not. Sh
could not for a moment doubt his wore
That her husband should be seekin
clandestine interviews with any lad
was scandalous enough; that the lad
thus sought should be Miss Ebbitt ws
beyond endurance. In her fierce pc
turbation Mrs. Gerrish hardly heard th
crash of the s~ugar-bowl that slippe
from her hand. Who would heed breal
ing china when the very sky was falling
To be frank, from the time she came t
Oakland a bride, Mrs. Gerrish had su
fered intermittent spasms of jealousy @
account of this same Miss Ebbitt. St
had eve been able to forget a iestin
remark made by one of her first caller
.'Among u village celebrities "
reckon Miss Ebbitt, our talented organ
ISL the guest had said. Really, Mr.
Gcrrish. I must hasten to introduce yo
to your husbands old flame"
..Old fame!' the coarse wore
ranked. One moment the young wi
would resolve to repeat them to h'
from abiding 70 them, feeling thai