Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-10-11

Il can make Il cup of coffee myself
over the furnace fire, " she exclaimed,
springing to her feet.
But MIR. Chickerly again interposed.
'Sit down, Fanny, please. l would
rather you would sew this button on the
neck of my shirt. l have packed the
others-those that are fit to wear.
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 q day to the
much-needed renovation of her hus-
bands shirts. She looked around for
her thimble.
q left it downstairs last night I'll
get it in q minute"
The housemaid had Just kindled a
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 mo-
ment 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 arc you do
ing?"
''Oh, dearr" thought the wife, as she
ran upstairs, 81 wish Frank wouldn't
be so cross. He's always in a hurry"
Little Mrs. Chickerly never stopped to
think that the real reason was that she,
his wife, was never ''ln a hurry"
The needle threaded, the thimble
fitted on, an appropriate button was
next to be selected.
ooh, dear, Frank, l haven't one the
right size!"
Sew on what you have, then; but
be quickw
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 sou she cried,
triumphantly, holding it up on the end
of her needle.
"NVell, well, sew it on quickH said
Mr.. Chickerly, glancing at his watch
uervously.
That's just your worrying way,
Frank; as if anybody could sew but
ton on well in 4 hurry. There! my
my needle has come unthreaded."
''Oh, Fanny, Fannyn sighed her hus-
band, fairly out of patience at last,
"why didn't you do it last night, as l
begged of you? l 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 be-
ing behind-hand. p"
"Ihere he goes, F" murmured Fanny,
land he's gone away cross with me,
and all for nothing but miserable
button! | wish there wasn't such
thing as q button in the world!'
ca wish which we must misdoubt,
many another wife than Mrs. Chickerly
has echoed, with perhaps better reason.)
Mrs Chickerly was sitting down to
her little dinner, with q daintily
Drowned chicken, tumbler Of currart
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 from?' cried the astonished
wife.
From the office" very coolly an
swered Mr.. Chickeriy.
''But l thought you were off for
ScenerSville in such hurry"
81 found myself just five minutes too
late for the train, after having run all
the way to the depot"
''Oh, that was too bad. !"
Chickerly smiled little as he be-
gan to carve the chicken.
Eyes, ] was little annoyed at first;
it did seem rather provoking to be kept
at home by only a shirt button"
''What are you going to doP"
"Why, l shall make second start to-
morrow"
IN see to it that your breakfast is
ready this time, to the second, and all
your wardrobe in trim,n said Fanny,
rather relieved at the prospect of
chance of retrieving her character.
''You need not. | have engaged a
room at hotel near the depot / can't
run any more risks.
He did not speak unkindly, and yet
Fanny felt that he was deeply dis
pleased with her
''But Frank"
1--WE will not discuss the matter any
further, my dear, if you please. have
resolved to say nothing more to you
about reforms. see it is useless, and
only tends to foster an unpleasant state
of feeling between us. Shall | help you
to some more macaroni?"
Fairly silenced, Fanny ate her dinner
with what appetite was left her.
Three days afterward Mr. Chickerly
once more made his entrance, just at
dusk, valise in hand, while Fanny sat
enjoying the ruddy light of the coal fire
and the consciousness of having per-
f1,r,,nnd hon. clr,+r- tI,n ,,,n,, H..