The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1888-06-22

" 6sAN
spoke aggressively, cracking the shell
OF a walnut with decision. She peevish-
~ found fault with the fish and the
salad, and had slapped her pug for no
earthly reason. II Josiah had been
less slow he would have opined that a
storm was brewing There was silence
for a minute after Mrs. Dobbs had
opened fire.
Aren't you going to speak2" she
said at length.
"a child,'' remarked Josiah, drop.
ping his fat chin into his shirt. "My
love, that is surely a project requiring
very serious consideration"
Mrs. Dobbs tossed her head omIn-
ously. Every inch of lace in her cap
seemed suddenly to have acquired
starch, while the gilt ornaments there
on scintillated iercely.
"When / say a thing l mean it, as
you know, Josiah. Ihave considered
that you indulge your hobbies with
out restraint. 1t is high time my
benevolence found something to oc-
cupy it,"
Josiah drank up his wine slowly.
When he spoke again it was in a sub
dued tone.
Dorothy, my dear, how often have
I reminded you in the past three
years that your poor sister-left q
child. As | have said before, it is
your clear duty"
"Mr. Dobbsl" The lady roso, and
swept her black satin skirts to the
door. Here she paused to add: II
repeat, / remember no sister. A dis
graceful marriage severed all connec-
tion of birth. / beg that you will
never allude to that shameful matter
again."
Perhaps the episode alluded to was
we'll remembered by Josiah, for he
sighed several times in his after-din-
ner solitude. He knew the mad.cap
girl he had sheltered for many years
beneath his roof was dead, but he
knew, too, that her child lived, and he
would fain have cherished it for the
mothers sake.
In the course OF the evening Mrs.
Dobbs resumed the question Of adop-
ton. Josiah was a peaceable man,
and he loved his wife; but this last
whim was a serious one, and would
inevitably entangle her in difficulties.
"Tm going to advertise at once
she said.
MI. Dobbs looked very blank.
az should advise you to try some
other plan that would give less pub
licity to the matter" he said mildly
'HThat would bring any amount o
beggars and inpostors about you"
Mrs. Dobbs looked over her crewe
work in an injured way.
tThere you are again, Josiah; always
trying to oppose me and make my
life miserable. / declare you contra
dict me every morning and e~veniH!
about something. Haven't l tolc
you before what a lonely life | lead
It's all very well for you, who 60 away
to the city every day to max,
money, You are just like all men
you are selfish to the core" Witt
this final female platitude, Mrs. DobbI
began to whimper. Mr. Dobbs fell
guilty of heinous cruelty.
"a companion might--he began
The lady lifted herself from the sofa
cushion and Josiah quailed.
"a companionl" with witherinI
sarcasm, ito make love to you, M
doubt, Josiah. | know their schem
ing ways. Didn't | have enough o
Miss Griggs ard her maneuverini
tricks, working you braces, the hussy
and sending you Christmas cards
How dare you mention a person Q
that sort after all my sufferings witt
them2"
of course in the end the lady pre-
vailed, and Josiah p~assiyely counte
nanced the adoption. Matters wer
soon set in order for the fulfllment o
the latest whim. Yet verify her hear
failed her during the week follow
ing her advertisement. HI rlonely con
ditioa had never been so apparent t
her Il fore as when she was beset by
crew of parents and guardians bearin
some puny or blighted infant for he
adoption. All sorts and condi
tions Of men craved her pity for thei
wretched children. She was bewilderel
by the offensive bearing of holder az
plicants. More than once Mrs. Dobb
had to ring in her respectable butte
to get rid of some insistant paren
who endeayored to intimidate her IL
to an immediate purchase. The r.
suit of all this vas a cessation of tn
daily advertisement. Mr.. Dobbs, 9
course, was not informed infinitely c
ell that went on, though an interyiel
with his butler one evening threw
little light on things that had occurred
~ wish TO give q months warninf
sir, said this gentleman in privac
TO his master.
"Why, now, Tinker, what is til
matter I'm sure you We a very CON
Portable place, with q boy to do a
your dirty work
Tinker coughed and stammered
few words before coming to the point
"WelL, now, sir, to speak plain it
along ofthat wildcrowd ofvagabond;
as Mrs. Dobbs she's seeing Of ever
day. Babies by the score, they'r
brought By impident rascals such as
amt been accustomed to. One of lex
she wouldn't 90 0uC oil the gate till
called the police! 1t amt respectabI
in agentleman's house, / do assul
you, sir"
Somehow or other Mr.. Dobbs mar
aged to soothSthe outraged feelings (
his man servant, and prevailed upo
him to put up awhile longer with I'll
inconvenisnce Of the situation. III
~