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

|
once in his life her husband would have
to wait for his dinner. Mrs. Gerrish
said to herself that she didn't care.
He had been partaking Of an intellect
ual feast with Miss Jenny; he must
make that do. But when at o'clock
the dinner was smoking in the warm
ing oven, she chafed at his non.ap-
pearance. Why should he delay on
this of all days, while the heavens be-
walled a furious tempest? He knew
her dread of lightning He had never
before neglected her so cruelty. What
| if-absurd fancy What If he had real
| ly gone on a Journey as the grocer had
supposed! Gliding herself for the
thought, she rushed upstairs to prove
it's fallacy. Through gathering gloom
she glided straight to her husbands
closet, suggestively open. Where was
the valise that stood in one corner
Where, indeed? Thespace that it had
filled Knocked her with it's darkness.
A new suit fresh from the tailor's had
also vanished, yes, and the bank
book! In PHYS name, why had her
husband needed that? Had he gone
to New York with Miss Ebbitt?
| Trans6xed with horror at tine suspi-
cion, the miserableyou wifeglared at
| the dismantled wardrobe tillroused to
| physical fear by a terrific thunder bolt
Then, half frenzied, she lighted lamp,
drew The shutters and flung herself on
| the bed.
In the grasp of that memorable tenn
pest the cottage trembled like living
| thing, and the ground shook as with
an earthquake. Older and Drawer
women than Mrs. Gerrish shuddered
that day, and she, poor fasting soul,
was all alone, and battling with her
first anguish. Oh, the cruelty of It'll
Gradually The storm subsidized. She
grew calIner. spent with excitement,
she may even have drowsed. Sudden
| ~ she started up in panic The
clock was striking five. The Septem-
Der night was shutting down upon her.
She could not confront it unattended
but, on the other hand, how could she
proclaim her desertion to the neigh
bors? Gould she ever tell living NOR
tai of the tress of hair hidden among
her husbands old letters-a snaky
curl just the shade of Miss Ebbitt's9
Shrouded in misery. little Mrs. Gerrish
buried herself again among the pill
lows.
| From this premature interment
somebody exhumed her five minutes
later, somebody with broad shoulders
and beard slightly frosted with gray
her own husband, in fact.
Frightened, Mabel?" cried he,
blinking at the lamplight. "Why, my
blessed girl, the shower is quite over
See how bright it is ?"
| He threw back the shutters and let
the sun shine full into her fearful eyes
| "What-why-how did you happen
to come back?' gasped she, futtering
from his embrace with the dignity of
an insulted sparrow.
Cordial query, little wife! I came
for my dinner, but it seems was not
expected"
"Dinner!" Mrs. Gerrish choked
with Indignation. To be put off like g.
baby in this manner was too humiliat-
ing.
Her husband regarded her in sur
prise. Glow i'll you lookI" he said,
tenderly. "Strange thunder showers
should PROSTATE you so. Don't try
to come down. I'll forage for myself
in the pantry. Must bolt my dinner
in order to be at the store at two"
cat two 1t chances to be past five
already"
'sPast five My dear Mabel, how in
coherently you are talking! Don't
tell me you've been struck by light
ning!" cried he, in real concern.
''Look at my watch. It's just q
quarter past one"
two three four five six,
disputed the clock below, with lying
impudence.
Mr.. Gerrish threw back his head and
fairly roared with laughter. ooh,
that's the game, is it? So much for
my tipping the thing over, taking time
by the forelock, as you might say
But, dearie, how strange that you
didn't suspect that the clock was
going two hours in one! How absorbed
you must have been this morning."
"More absorbed than you were?"
queried Mrs. Gerrish, viciously.
"Well, no, Pussy, maybe not" re-
sponded her sublimely unconscious
husband, with roughish twinkle
"You see, this is young Mrs. Gerrish's
first birthday, and I've been deeply
engrossed in choosing aworthy gift for
her"
"Warren!"
"We've been engrossed, Ishould say.
Jenny Ebbitt's judgment has been
everything to me. We didn't find
everything satisfactory last week, and
had to wait till to-day for the new lot;
but Jenny declares that we've at last
hit upon the sweetest-toned piano in
| Boston. I'm dreadfully cut up be-
cause you can't have it on your birth
day, but you can try it tomorrow.
Meanwhile, here's the bill fsale, made
out in your name, as you'll perceive.
Mrs. Gerrish, allow me to presentit to
you, with your husbands love-"
warren, Warren, you're lots too
good for me-" sobbed his little wife,
with self-upbraidings as wild as her
grammar.
Nonsense, goosie; no man created
would be that" TESTED he, highly fat
tered. He thought her simply over
wrought by the fierce tempest without.