St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-08-12
HOUSEKEEPER TO WIFE.

love; ana, after nVe years, they were
in love still. They had small family
two girls and boy-strong, comedy,
and everything that parents could de-
sire. They were in comfortable cir
cumstanceS. Warmer had an ample
private fortune, and it was more for the
sake of occupation than from the neces-
Slty of working that he continued to
take share in the business of the city
house i'll which he had succeeded his
father. Everything, in short. went well
with him, until he was suddenly over
whelmee by one of those catastrophes
which the gods of old were supposed to
have in store for mOrtalS whose lives
are too serene and bliSSful.
He was driving home one night with
his wife from the railway station at the
pleasant Kentish suburb where they
lived, when his horses bolted at shrek
from an express train which dashed past
as they were starting. AS you leave the
station the road dips Suddenly and awk-
wardly under the railway. Down this
ascent WARMERS horses galloped furi-
ously, and dashed the phaeton to pieces
against heavy wagon at the bottom
Mrs. Warmer was thrown upon her
head into the road. Warmer himself
was shot into hedge. He scrambled
out uninjured to find his wife lying, to
all appearance, lifelesS. After her re-
moval she lay in the same condition
several days. When at length life re-
turned, reason was gone.
The doctors were not without hope.
Acting under their advice, Warmer
took the unfortunate lady abroad, where
they remained for twelve monthS-firSt
nf 10 of ,,.I
at one of the brightest of South German
towns. But though she gained some
thing in animation and memory, the
slight improvement was counterbal-
anced by the fact that, with increase of
mental power, there came liability to
periodical attacks of acute mania, dur
ing which the patient was dangerous
both to herself and to others. When
they returned to England medical
science could give the heart-broken hus-
band no hope that his wife would ever
be better than this.
Those who had the right to advise
him pressed on Warmer strongly that
the kindeSt course for his wife and his
children, not to mention himself, was
for him to place her in an asylum. He
was, however. invincibly opposed to this
step. When he returned from the con-
tinent he had another plan in his mind,
which needed only the cooperation of
one person to enable it at least to be
tried. That person was Miss Maclean.
Mrs. WARMERS younger sister, who
had taken charge of the house and the
children during the long absence of the
husband and wife; and shortly after his
return Warmer opened his mouth to
her.
Garrett has been urging on me
hn caiI sstl T.
ting Constance away. You would not
like to see it done, Ethel. would you?''
Not if it can be avoided, Philip.
Anything rather than that"
81 am glad you say so,'' replied War
riner, because with your help | may
avoid it, and without you do not know
that | can, though l will try anything
rather than resign her to the care of
strangers. What think of doing is to
get rid of this place, the associations of
which have become unbearable to me.
and take larger house far away, where
we shall not be known, and where
Constance can be kept in complete Sc
clusion, and yet be under my own eve.
But before can do that | must have
some one whom L know and can trust
to manage things. Now, Ethel. will
you come and keep house for us?''
Ethel hesitated, as well might any
girl OF y-two-pretty, lively and
observation-disclosures accepting an invita-
ton to immune herself permanently in a
country house, with no other COM
panionship than that of three young
children, a broken-Spirited man and a
lunatlc sister.
81 must think it over" she replied.
ut is not thing to decide upon hastily.
l will see what mamma says"
riner. 'Think of the children, Ethel.
Charley and Ethel will cry themselves
into their graves if they have to leave
you after all this time.'
81 know, know" answered Ethel.
81 will not forget them, Philip; but, in
deed, l can not answer at once. Mamma
is in town. l will go and see her to-
morrow"
Now Mrs. Maclean was worldly
minded lady, who spent her time in
gadding about from one friends house
to another. considered herself much
younger than she was, and had no fancy
for the companiOnShip of her
grown-up daughters. Being such
woman. she offered. as Warmer had an
ticipated, not the slightest opposition to
permanently off her hands. Ethel was
left thus to fight out the question be-
tween her sense of duty and affection
for her sisters children on the one
hand, and the prOmptingS of Self-lnter-
est on the other. That issue was very
soon decided, and she gave her assent
to WARMERS plan. Her answer given,
the other arrangements were soon
made, and before many weeks had
passed the whole family was trans
planted to large mansion near the vii
lage OF Claythorpe, overlooking the
Yorkshire mOors. Here Warmer. Civ
ing up business, pleasure and all that
had hitherto made life worth living, de-
voted himself, assisted only by couple
of experienced attendants, to the care
and management of his unfortunate
wife.
Her decision once taken, Ethel Mac
lean found little cause to regret. The
children grew daily more and more at
tached to her. and with her other house
hold cares, afforded her abundant occu-
patton. She made many friends, too,
among the families in the neighborhood,
and a few among their humber neigh
bors i'll the village, to whom she en-
deared herself by many an act of kind
ness and charity. Her life, therefore,
was neither idle nor dull.
But when two years had slipped away
thus, there came sudden change.
Mrs. Warriner had stroke of paral-
ysis; rallied for a time; then had a
second stroke, and in few weeks
gradually sank and died. Again the
| unhappy Warmer went away and
wandered desolately about the world
for many months, leaving his children,
as before, in charge of his sister-in-law.
When his sorrow was somewhat blunt
ed, he made his way back, hoping to
renew his old life, and to find substi-
tute for the melancholy duty which he
had lost in watching over the growth
i and education of his children.
In that he was destined to be disap-
nAinfnd Tor q firno flinorn