Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-10-31
TEE OBEDIRNT HUSBAND.
TcoxrINuED PROM THIRD PAGE

fruit still lyIng IN their leaIy Deu
81 followed the crowd, but only made a
pretended exit. ] had left my hat in a
corner IN the supper-room, in order to have
an excuse for going back after 1t. 1t was
a silk hat. and had given me considerable
trouble in properly disposing of 1t during
the evening. As ! was intimate at the
house, the servants paid no attention to my
movements. Besides, at that moment they
were busy in taking the dishes and silver
to the kitchen. In an instant / had made
my way to the buffet, on which the coveted
fruit had now been placed. No one was in
the room, and there was no time to lose.
"After furtively glancing to the right
and left, ! suddenly seized two of the
peaches and placed them carefully in my
hat, first wrapping them in my handker-
chief. Then very calmly and with much
dignity, although my heart was beating
frightfully, left the upper room, pressing
my hat against my breast and holding 1t
there by my right hand skillfully thrust
in the bosom of my vest, which attitude
gave me a somewhat heroic, not to say
Napoleonie, aspect.
" NY intention was to cross the ball
room quickly and then suddenly disappear.
Once outside could carry the two peaches
tied in my hat VIGOROUSLY home.
"This little scheme seemed not to be so
easy to carry out as | had imagined, as
dancing had Just commenced again. All
round the room was double row of black
coats and wall flowers surrounding a second
circle formed by The empty chairs
of the dancers. Then came large empty
space in the middle, where the latter were
enjoying themselves. 1t was this space
had to cross in order to reach the door OF
the waiting-room.
Il tinidly wended my way between the
groups and glided adroitly among the
chairs with the suppleness OF an adder
trembled with anxiety lest some awkward
elbow should displace my head covering
and cause the coveted fruit to tumble onto
the floor. | could hear them rolling
around, and / turned red up to the very
roots Of my hair. a'ssss si-9s,
"At last, after much tribulation and
several false alarms, | made my way out
into the open space just as a new figure
was being arranged. In this latter one OF
the ladies stands in the middle of circle
of dancers, who, joining hands, pass around
with their backs towards her. While this
is being done, she places hat she holds in
her hand on the head of the gentleman
she wishes for partner in the quadrille.
On this occasion it was my hosts daughter
who was to perform the hat trick, and |
had hardly taken two steps on my way to
the waiting-room when she called out
"' A hat | must have hatp
"Then she caught sight of me with nv
stovepipe glued to my breast. / saw that
/ was recognized, and could feel ali the
blood in my body rush into my face, while
my heart seemed to stand still in a spasm
of alarm.
"'Ahp she said, you come just in time,
NJ. Herbelot. Your hat, please
" Before | could stammer out word OF
protest she had seized that useful article OF
my attire, and so suddenly, that the peaches
were thrown some distance in one direc-
ton, while my handkerchief and the vine
leaves flew in another.
"You can imagine the scene. The dane
ers laughed in their sleeves at the disclos-
ure of my theft, and my utter discontinue.
My host frowned and looked annoyed,
while the stayed wall-howers eyed me
askance. l felt my limbs giving away IN
der me- How | wished that there had
been q trap in the floor that might have
disappeared from public view.
"The young girl bit her lips to keep
from laughing as she politely returned me
my hat.
M Herbelot,' she said in a slightly
nonicai tone, had you not better pick up
your peaches%
This was the signal for an outburst OF
laughter from all parts Of the room. Even
the servants had great difficulty in re-
straining themselves from joining in the
general mirth. As for me, pale, haggard
and trembling, ! fed from the ROOM !
was so upset that it was some moments
before could find the outside door, and
when | finally reached the open air lost
no time in returning home to pour my sor-
rows into my wife's sympathizing ears.
"The next day the story was all over
town. When l went to the officemy fellow
clerks saluted me with:
90 Herbelot, pick up your peaches
" 1t made me blush again. / could not
walk a step in the street without hearing
some one behind me say:
"' That's the gentleman with the
peaches
"The situation became intolerable, and
week later | sent in my resignation.
" An uncle of my wife's had an estate in
the neighborhood of my native town. |
asked him to take me as an assistant; he
consented, and we removed to Chauter-
aine. What more is there to tell? | went
resolutely to work, rising at dawn and not
Sinking any necessary labor. / found out
that ! had a greater talent for agriculture
than for drawing up official documents, for
in q short time | became a real farmer
The estate throye SO well under my man.
agement that our uncle left it to us at his
death. Since then l have brought it to
the high state Of cultivation in which you
now find it."
We had reached Chauteraine, passing
through an orchard where the trees were
laden with fruit, the limbs hanging SO
heavy with their luscious burden of apples
and pears that they touched the ground.
After leaving the orchard, and going
through a vegetable garden we could see
the white front of the homestead, whence
run fine show of peaches ripening in the
sun.
"You see" said Vita Herbelot, in con-
clusion, that | worship peaches. owe
my happiness to them. But for the anus
ing incident / have related should still
be slender official, trembling at the Pre-
fect's frown, swelling the crowd of under
paid subordinates, who find the utmost diff
fculty in making both ends meet, and
fearing lest / should be blessed with a
large familyEfrom an inability to raise and
provide for my offspring; while now l am
my own master, raise my own wheat and
am not afraid of whole houseful of chill
dren."
At that moment my ears we're assailed
by the joyous shouts of boys and girls is
suing from the interior of the dwelling
And at the window of the ground floor,
framed in by the peach-coyered trellis.
work, appeared Nine. Herbelot, plump
and handsome yet, although approaching
forty, herself resembling ripe peach gilded
by the warm light of the setting SUM-
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