Iron County register., 1888-05-31
MIDDLETON'S WIFE.
The Story of a Plucky California
Woman.

unate women whose surplus physical en-
erg1es distinguish them from others of
their sex. As child, she was known as
tomboy." and prim mothers held her up
as an awful warning to their little daugh-
ters, while in her own home the question
OF now to subdue her buoyant spirits was
Wrestied over with true maternal solicit
tude. When she grew up, society frowned
upon her as a ''hoyden," and her way was
beser with thorns.
AT eighteen she could row, and swim,
and ride, and play lawn tennis like boy.
She was great walker, and upon one oc-
caslon had walked to Mt. Diablo AID back
IN two days, with her brother and a couple
OF friends, feat which alone would have
sufhced to place her under ban in San
Francisco's best society. That she sang
like bird. danced like a sylph, and was.
altogether, very amiable, pure minded
girl, was small offset for the sum of her
1n1quities, and although she was exceed
1ngiy popular among a set of young and
irresponsible boys, conservative circles
frowned upon her, and it was generally
understood that she was a young person of
most radical and dangerous tendencies.
1t was, therefore, a matter of polite re-
gret when the announcement of her ap-
preaching nuptials with one of this same
conservative circle was received. Tom
Middleton was a promising young lawyer,
of excellent family and irreproachable
manners. 1t had been generally UNDER
stood that Toms ideal was of q very
different type, and more after the pattern
of the elegant society women with whom
he had been accustomed to associate. His
intimate friend and boon companion,
Jack Spencer, who had always disap-
proved of Kate, undertook to pose as the
mouth-piece of society, and echoed its
sentiments in Toms unwilling ear. Tom
stood stanclly by his cOlors, but his
friends words sank deep into his soul,
nevertheless. He secretly resolved that,
for his sake and her own, Kate must be
stoned down"
He succeeded evenbeyond his hopes. Nine
years after her marriage, few would have
recognized in the quiet repressed woman,
the gay and spirited girl of former days.
Kate was fond of her husband, and the
alchemy of love had wrought the change;
but it is a dangerous thing to neddle with
spiritual chemistry as we'll as the forces
of the material world, and if Tom had
known what pent-up longings and rebel
ious inclinations ragged beneath his
wife's quiet exterior, he might have re-
pented his success. But he went on
callously and blindiy, as men will when
dealing with delicate forces which they can
not understand, and Kate kept her griev-
ances to herself. Two children came-the
elder girl, fiery, untamed little Great
ure, who made the mothers heart ache, as
she saw in the child reflex Of herself; the
other, boy, sturdy, deliberate, like his
father. When the children grew larger,
and needed room for exercise and out
door air. which their city horne would not
afford. they took up their residence in a
little country home, not so far away but
that Tom could travel back and forth
daily and attend to his business, and 1t Is
here that our story finds them.
One gray, December day, Kate stood at
her window, gazing out upon the land
scape. 1t had been a dull, tiresome week.
Several days before, Tom had started on
ON a Iong-promised vacation, which was
tn be dedicated to hunt in the mount
aims, in company with party OF friends.
She was thinking, with envy, OF this mer-
nv hunting party, and wondering haH-
bitterly, why amusements tnat were con
ceded TO be proper and healthful for men
sbonld not be healthful and proper for
women. How she would have enjoyed the
LONG tramps over the hills, the excitement
of the hunt. the joy of holding good gun
mon her shoulder, and knowing that she
could sight and shoot with the best OF
them, She felt wicked solace as she
Thought of the showers that had 1ailen III
tho valley and the clouds that had hung
constantly over the mountains. Sne was
lonely. dull and cross, and chafed agains'
her hedged-in life, with its narrow pouh-
daries, its senseless restraints.
There was q rush of feet through tne
house. the door of her room opened, ano
the children burst in.
.sMamma, the creek is up! Take us
down to see it'll"
The childish longing for novelty and ex-
element found an instant echo In mel
heart. They had run in from outdoor
NAV. and were bouneted and cioakeo,
with rubber overshoes to protect their fee'
from the damp earth. AS for her, IL was
refreshing to evade Brldgets vig1lant eye
and to steal out of the front door IN mel
loose house dress, bare-headed, and w1th
worsted slippers on her feet. Iney Ioi'
lowed q garden path for a l1ttie ois'anoe'
and then entered narrow lane ieaolne 10 !
place where they were accustomed 10 1olo
in the summer time, but over wnicn NO"
swept a seething, tempestuous nooo.
AS they looked and listened, Aase Ieai.
,zed that this was no ordinary ifesne'' y. Du'
the nroduct of heavy rainiaii over Me
uboIe vast water shed, wnlcn nao .coe
mulated its forces in the tnousenus ~ W
tiny riyulets, and, joining issue WIN .ne
mountain stream, plunged down lss na,
row channel, mighty ana HfesiS'"'As
power. avail a,
- .,,ddenly rear up above and come
80" tcvard them like miniature uoa
wave. -.t.r com.
wavi