The Press., 1888-04-12
A CLOUDBURST.

My heart told me was wrong but would not draw back. Two years before we were married, Glenn went to Colorado, and all the time he was away wrote ma loving letters full of his home in the country, the glorious climate and scenery, his struggles and his failures. I longed to be with him, the quiet village life grew distasteful, home monotonous and each day so like an other that hated to go to bed at night I dreamed of mountains and plains and, of course, of Glenn. At last the time came when he thought best to come for me, and we were married one August morning. remember he was pale and quiet, only look in his dark eyes that I shall never forget. When I was getting ready to run away from him that look haunted me.
 When I saw my new home my heart went back with great throb of anguish to my fathers house, the trees and flowers and the pretty eastern village. Before me was 8 wide desert, dotted with low huts, so far apart I could not tell even if they were in habited, and close at hand was a three roomed log cabin Not tree, a brook, bit of green grass, only scorched plains with gay cardinal flowers, or miles of sunhowers ~quivering in the hot, dry air The flat dis tance ended in rugged brown foothills, but Glenn said could see the Rockies on clear day.
 laid my pretty gowns aside, donned somber calicoes and a sun bonnet that our hired girl at home had made me for a we'd ding gift. had laughed a little at it then, but now it was my greatest comfort took up the weary life of routine and labor that falls to the ranchers wife in this land of sand and sunshine. was not unhappy, for had Glenn. I put my wedding presents around the cabin, giving it lived in look, but the furniture was very limited, and all my cook S11or1 0fT fOrp& nothing to cook with.
 Glenn and the man worked all day in the fields harvesting with the wild, young horses that had brought me and my finery from the town fifty miles off, and I stayed alone. There was not even dog to speak to, though Glenn had a collie with the sheep herder miles away. He couldn't understand why should want dog to bring in dirt and make me more work, so I never asked again. My hands grew rough and hard in the alkah water, and my face tanned with that deep brown peculiar to Colorado. could under stand what little western girl had said to me in my eastern home when she cried ad- miringly: ''Why, everybody is so white herew
 Still Glenn loved me, he thought me as pretty as ever and our first winter was the haDpiest in my life. The man was gone and wa were all alone. We read aloud evenings, drove to the postoffice twenty miles away for our mail, and took long walks over the plains. He promised should have a saddle in the spring and ride with him, then he would build q porch around the house, and my sister should come out and visit me.
 In the spring the horses were needed for blowing, Glenn was too busy to go to town for the lumber for the porch, and we were too poor to entertain any one Yet l never thought of complaining then. had cast my fate with Clem's and I worked for his
 interest. I never once longed for the old easy days at home. If he said, Eve got the smartest little wife i'll the world," I would
 work myself nearly tc death for a week; but lie seldom talked or petted me; he was too busy with his farm work.
 That second winter a baby came, and the young German widow who stayed with me six months said. it was the prettiest boy she ever saw. l thought it looked like Clem, and of course he thought it was my image. Like all young mothers was easily scared, and think I had some cause, for the doctor was fifty miles off. I may have been over anx- ious, but the first shadow that came between
 Clem and me was his indifference to my
 worries about baby. He would laugh at me
 and go about his work, while carried the
 child all day soothing it's fretting. That
 summer was not strong and may have been,
 as Clem said, "hystericy.'
 Glenn grew broad shouldered and manly,
 bronzed with ruddy health and life, but
 was weakly and dropping, with haggard eyes and hollow cheeks. 1 saw it plain enough, and I had no ambition to alter my shabby gowns to fit me, nor to look neat. grew slatternly and careless WasI to blame?
 had to cook for two men, tend a sickly baby, and wash and iron. All day long the fierce
 sun beat down upon our little home, where
 the kitchen was like an oven and our bed
 room stifling. was on my feet from sun up to sun down. for somehow never learned to get through with work; it was always ahead | of me.
 Then Glenn would say: "You are getting cross, little woman, you so spiritless l Are you sorry that you married me? Your
 life is no harder than any rancher's wife en- dures, it will only last a short time, then we can get better things and some one to help you" That to me- when 1 had never com | plained. He gave all his love words and | betting to baby now, and used to wonder in
 dumb despair, why it was so. Was it that | he had changed or I?
 The third summer Mrs. France came. She was the widow of cattle king who owned | all the land about us but our little home | stead. She had been in Europe but usually 1 spent her summers at her ranch, ten miles from my home. I was washing that morning | on the shady side of the house, when l heard | the sound of horses hoofs, and a handsome
 woman, with bold, black eyes, came dashing
 around the house on fine thoroughbred | mare. noticed her perfectly fitting habit, her exquisite gloves and hat, her beautiful | face. No need to introduce herself; from | Mrs. Bohm's-the German widows descrip- tion-I knew my visitor was Mrs. France. ''I thought I'd find somebody" she said,
 "where's Clemg'
 ''He went over on the range to see after his sheep at daylight" stammered Are you his wifeg'
 'Yes." was possessed then with 8 mad jealousy of her, and I wondered if Glenn knew her well. He had never said word. Just
 then Glenn came galloping up. '.- "Corrigan said you were here," he said
 eagerly, "I sent my man on and came back.
 Are you well9 Of course you are, the picture | of health" She laughed merrily, showing her pretty teeth, while he lifted her off her horse, and 1 there stood with my hands in the suds like | a scrub woman.
 ''This is my wife, Mrs France,n said Clem, then he looked actually ashamed of me. I
 felt it. Luckily, the baby cried, and ran
 into the house:
 Fl heard you were married, Clem," heard her say, "I was talking to your wife" In
 my anger I fancied there was 8 touch of ridicule in her tone. sat and rocked the baby and listened to their talk in she other
 room, and once in while would feel sob rising in my throat. After an hour Glenn
 came out to ask me to cook nice dinner for Mrs France would stay