Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-07-05

Ho 9ever, she promised Cousin Ellen she
would try her way just to show her that
all she, Maria, could DO wouldn't make
any difference.
At Cousin FIlen's suggestion, she went
to the door to call Stephen to send him
on an errand.
'sWaitr' said Miss Benier, "don't cal!
him while you look like that. There,
now, the wrinkles are gone, now call him
gently and pleasantly"
Stephen looked up from his work with
a start. at the new tone in his mothers
voice, but answered pleasantly in return
''Well, motber?"
"Can you go on an GRAND for me?"
"Can you wait about ten minutes, be-
cause will be done then?"
''Not very well, would little rather
that you should go at once"
"All right" and the nimbIe Stephen
was off as soon as he could arrange mat
ters in d shape to leave.
20, well! that's only once" said Mrs.
| Wilson, in answer to a questioning look
from Miss Renter. che just happened
to be in a good huRor."
"Do you know why? It was because
| yo1 put him in one by addressing him
| pleasantly"
When Stephen returned rather later
than he should have done, he said, IT was
good while, mother, but 1 saw some
wild roses you like so much, and when I
went to get them fell into the brook"
80 dear! and got the silk all wet, I
suppose" began Mrs. Wilson, fretfully
without a word of thanks for the thought
fuIness.
A hard, set look came over Stephens
W q n0f
tence and affection shown.
'It's not worth while for you to get on
one of your sulky fits, young man" began
the mother in a threatening tone.
Throwing the unchanged silk into his
mothers lap, Stephen rushed away, being
careful, however, to slam the door after
him as emphaticalIy as possible.
'You see, Cousin EQen," began Mrs.
| Wilson plaintively, ''it's just as told you;
that boy has vile deposition. I'm sure
he doesn't get it from me.''
NO." thought Aunt Ellen to herself,
sarcastiraliy, II don't believe he does get
1t from you; for you surely have lost
none of yours" This is what she thought,
but aloud she sai5-nothing.
| "What are you thinking about, Cousin
Euen?" asked Mrs. Wilson, after awhile,
uneasy and unoom Portable in the uu-
broken silence.
| Before she had time to reply, James
drove up with a hearty "Come on, Cousin
| Ellen. Get on your duds and drive to
| town with me-"
Off she went, glad of the respite, and
| through the long lanes and by the green
fields her perturbed spirit found rest.
| The discontinued look had not worn off
Mrs. Wilson's face when they returned.
She opened her lips for some remark,
| but her husband anticipated with her:
"Wife, you haven't got that place fixed
in my coat yet. I saw It hanging in the
closet. I'll be bound you'll forget it. I
want it Sunday, too"
Mrs. Wilson was too muoh amazed to
reply, and her husband went off TO the
barn for once, without some fretfuI last
word flung after him.
"There isn't enough sugar in my coffee,
Maria" said he, as he sat at supper. at
is very strange that 1 can't have my
coffee right! There, now, it's too sweet!
l knew it would be So" Mrs. Wilson
again had nothing to say, and Stephen
stared at his father in open-mouthed
establishment.
Mrs. Wilson began to be anxious. Sure
| ly James was going to be sick, she
y
life had she seen him like this. While
poor Stephen thought to himself, that ii
father was going to be like that, too, the
sooner he left for more comfortable
que tiers the better.
Where are my slippers, Maria?" asked
Mr.. Wilson, in the same fretful tone.
"In tie closet"
"Weu should think you might get
I Nhnr Co. L
tired am"
"Here they are, James," answered Mrs.
Wilson, meekly, thoroughly subdced by
| her fear of James prospective illness.
"Those are my best ones, bring me my
old ones; since I've come to think cf it,
I'll take my best ones,' he called after
her, just as she had successfully made the
change and was returning with the old
ones.
| After a weary evening which Mr.. Will
| son spent in fretting; Mrs. Wilson in sub
dued silence; Stephen, in setting out I'M
der the trees in the dark, whistling to
himself in 8 detected manner and won
dered what was 10 be the outcome of it
! all; and Cousin Ellen in sincerely knit,
/ ing, while she put in word here and
| there, not seeming TO notice Mr.. Wilson's
| in-humor. After three or four hours of
this discomfort, the family finally found
| themselves preparing for bed.
Tap, tap, tap, came softly at midnight
on Cousin Ellen's door, accompanied by
a whisper "CousIn Ellen, may come in ?"
! A cordial permission granted, the poor
woman entered and flung herself on
| Cousin Ellen's bed, bursting into food
of tears.
"What shall I DO! What shall 1 dow
she sobbed.
"What is the matter, Maria?" asked
Cousin Ellen, with as much sulicitude as
she could command for the occasion.
80, Ellen, think James is losing his
mind. He has just dropped asleep, and
1 slipped away TO talk to you about it."
| Nonsense! losing his mind! Where
| do you see any evidence of that?"
Didn't you hear the way he talked to-
night?"
"Why, yes, of course 1 did. But what
What did he say that especially indicated
| irsanity?"
"Why, he found fault So"
| "Well, is that an evidence of insanity?"
II should think so. Ho is usually so
easy, and don't mind anything"
81 think you're mistaken there. I think
he minds plenty of thing, but he don't
choose to say so. Do you think that
every time you express disapproval of
anything you are giving evidences Of in
sanity?"
why no! of course not. But then, I'm
differently constituted. 1 feel things so.
| and I aaTtt hHlr, Sn'