Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1888-02-23
A HUSBANDS LESSON.
I vonder whv he stsys 50 late?i

window to watch and listen for her
husbands coming, had faded into
darkness, and still she pressed her soft
cheek to the easement and peered into
the shadows with clear. blue eyes.
She was very beautiful and very
young. But for the wedding ring
upon her hand you would have called
her girl. and have believed her to be
waiting for lovers and not q hus-
bands coming. Yet she had. been
married three long years, and he, to
whom she had given all her heart
when she stood beside him at the
altar, already neglected her. and left
her to watch evening after evening,
night after night, for his tardy foot
step which, in the old day Of court
ship, had been the very echo of her
own.
Something akin to regret was in
her heart tonight as she remembered
as only q neglected wife can, the love
and tenderness of those past hours.
How be used to gaze into her eyes.
and sing to her, and bring her flowers
and books and music.
Why had be qhangedi Was it her
fault? The tears would come to her
blue eyes now, and she was wioing
them away when the light ofa lamp
fell upon the ceiling through the half
open door, and In another moment a
tall, broad .shouldered woman, SER
want, evidently, entered the room.
In the dark again, she mutterd,
and crying, too. It's ashame-that's
what it is-a burning shame! Such a
pretty young critter, and be used to
make an idol Of herP And then, sett-
ing down the lamp she added aloud:
Come ma'am, come to dinner. You
know as well as | do that Mr.. Powell
won't be here for hours and hours,
and it's wrong of you to iniure your
health in this way. Do come down.
The young wife rose, in obedience
to the summons of the old servant
for Heosiba had been her nurse when
she was child, and was privileged
person, and not without some influence
and followed her conductress to the
dining room, where the snowy cloth
was spread with every tempting
delicacy of the season, and where
everything, from the oval mirror be-
tween the windows to the ample coal
scuttle standing near the FIRE glittered
like polished silver.
1T is not because his home is cheer
less,' she said again, and the thought
gave her little comfort.
She sat down, and as she ate she
listened to every sound in the street
without. The wind was rising, and
now and then some area gate, or some
unfasted shutter was flung to with a
violent clang. But through all she
soon heard light quick step upon the
pavement
'Ah, nurse, you were wrong, she
said, with bright smile. Here he
is
Nurse shook her head and choked
down the words, The first time in
three months, which she felt compell-
ed to utter.
The door opened and handsome,
we'll built man, with soft, brown
whiskers and hair that had q golden
CLEAN upon it when it caught the
light, came into the dining room.
1'm so sorry did not wait for
you, Harry began his wife, but
nothing is cold yet, hope, and
'Oh, it's all right. I'm glad you
didn't wait, said the husband in a
careless, off-hand manner, which was
peculiarly his own, and which had a
singular charm about it. Go on with
your dinner, Rose. I'll help myself
And SO he did, eating with a hearty
appetite, and talking all the while
more merrily than he had done for a
long time.
It was like old times, Rose thought,
and her sparkled, and her cheeks
caught soft glow in the freight as
she caught her husband looking at her
tenderly and admiringly.
He loves me still, she said to her.
self. Oh, l am sure Of it! Dear
Harry! he loves me still.
And so, when they were in the
parlor, alone together, she put her
hand upon his arm as he stood before
the FIRE, and said to him softly:
Harry, you'll not be angry with me
if say something to you something
that was in my heart IS | sat waiting
for you by that window an hour ago?
Angry with you, Rosep he answer.
ed. 'Oh, NOT
And he passed his arm about her
! waist and drew her closely to him.
4 thought, she went on, Il thought,
Harry, while / sat there, of our old
lovers walks, and of the winter even.
ings we spent together, when neither
for moment were weary of each
other; and then-for | was lonely and
little tired II thought you did not
care to be with me as you did then,
y and that you had grown tired Of me,
and I had made up my mind to ask
4 YOU if it was 50, and II ii we're, whyi
Oh. Harry! if there are snv faults or