The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-04-30
RED LETTER DAYS.

his overcoat in preparation for his
nightly two-hours' trip to the "post Of
fice,' (three minutes walk from the
door,.
"Well,' said he, for she hesitated,
"What is it now?'
30, nothing, but have you remem-
bered, " paying a little unnecessary at
tention to the clasp of her bracelet,
tomorrow will be our sixth anniver-
sary?"
Lets see-the twenty-frst No. 1
hadn't thought of it, Why?"
why, I've been thinking and wish
ing we might plan some little celebra-
ton, just to recognize the day."
Didn't we celebrate our fifth, last
year3 There's nothing now until the
tenth. Are you getting out of wooden
nutmegs?'
"Oh, l don't mean anything of that
kind'-with little faltering of the
voice, unnoticed by Mr.. Dean, who is
already in the hall-'just little some
thing to make it in some way different
from other days"
why, what ails other days?" he in
quired dryly. 81 don't think we want
to make any fuss. I'll send down an
extra course or two for dinner, and
hope you'll see that they come on all
right, or get cook who can serve a
dinner decently without being watch
ed, and closing the hall door, he join
ed the crowd of comfortable pilgrims.
setting towards the 'post-oifice"
shrine. I"
Mr.. Dean was not unkind at heart;
on the contrary he considered himself q
very remarkable husband indeed: posi-
bly, not in the matter of sentiment
that was an uncommercial commodity
with which Il business man could have
little to do-but of his indulgence there
could be no doubt Had he not estab-
lishcd a model home, well located, fur
nished, and appointed? Did he not
promptly respond to every application
made by his wife for financial aid and
leave the matter of domestic service
wholly to her? Furthermore, was not
his own life well ordered and ire
proachablc? Beyond doubt his wife
was fortunate among women. He had
not much time for home life himself.
lie went every day to his office when
real or fancied emergencies did not call
him out of town; and evenings
evenings there were always errands to
be done. and one must keep the run of
things at the club. and lodge meetings
must not be neglected, and at this sea
son there We're at least local politics OF
interest. Clearly. his evenings were
fully occupied. Carrie had the best of
it. She had the home all to herself.
But to night the highly favored wife
was not in mood to appreciate her
blessings. particularly the crownino
one OF solitude, aor did the prospective
pleasure of the morrow produce grea,
exhilaration of spirits.
Another course or two for dinner
that is, q little more time than usua,
spent in the kitchen.' she sighed
that is only type of what my Red
Letter Days have been, andn sigh
grew hcavier-''what 1 suppose they
will always be.
And then, though the chandelier:
shed soft light on the home, made beau
tiful by the exquisite blending of Orient
al tints, though the last new book con
tested claim with the latest craze in en-
broidcry, though an obtrusive littl,
white-pawed kitten rubbed and purrec
against her bowed head, the lonclines.
of her heart found vent in tears.
"unreasonableH' every strone-mjnd
ed woman will declare. Very; vet tho
return OF a joyful anniversary with tn,
| Joy left out. has been known to wiring
stronger hearts than that of poor Car
rie Dean.
What could have said she oues
toned, ''to make him take some inter
est in the day?' but the white-pawct
kitten. her only auditor, answered not
lie would hardly have regarded pro
position to spend the day, or even tn,
evening, at home, in the light of an en-
tertalnment-they had been six year
wed-and she was deferred from pro
posing any outside expedition, by a pc
culiarity of temperament, none to-
common. She had retained one char
acteristic Of her girlhood, which is com
monty supposed to become extinct wit
marriage-a delicacy which prevente,
her from making ovcrtures. Franl
Dean had counted it one. of her sweet
est graces in the old days. Pcrhap
since marriage his perceptions ha
dimmcd, and he may not have notice
that she had never invited him tc tax
her out, or solicited from him any eff,
unless the occasional laying before hir
of an emptied purse might he held--s
unfathomable is the domestic partner
ship to the uninitiated be 4 solicitin
of aims! AS nature. result of this re
ticence, she was much at home, and tn
charming little belongings that su,
rounded her, were not the gifts of a.
fection, but had for tho most part bee
ordered in much the same matter-o,
fact way as the daily bread. Fran
had often told her that he preferred I
buy what things he needed, and sh
might do the same; and she. who love
gifts, and invitations and surprises. wit
the fresh heartedness of IS child, fe
that somehow all her life was pros,
not the least prosy page being that o
which was just inscribed the pre