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

from the hfgosy.
Mr.. and Mrs. Dobbs lived at Clap
ham. They werea very worthy coup.
lie, their friends said. That is about
the best people will say of an elderly
pair if they are not intellectual or
troublesome. Mr.. and Mrs. Dobbs
were neither. Mr.. Dobbs was stout
and commonplace in appearance, and
didnot llrt with his neIghbor's wife, or
gamble in stocks, or live beyond his
income. He was hall-marked among
upright men, and was trustee
for half his friends chill.
dren. No doubt he was q triie
heavy and prosy at times, but these
are drawbacks frequently attendant
upon men OF probity. He certainly
was neves sempted by impulses or in
SEPARATIONS of any sort either to do
wrong or to become witty or original.
Mrs. Dobbs was reputed q respect
able and virtuous matron for other
reasons Imprimis, she had no taste
in dress; neither did she paint her face
or excite the envy and spite of her
femalefriends by beautifying her house.
She was fond Of q good dinner Of
a solid English sort, and always
wore black silk or satin gowns.
Her caps were preposterous erections
of lace, with gilt or steel ornaments
attached; and when she went to the
theater she #ore a red bernouse. Tru-
ly this couple were left behind in the
c OF extravaganza, frivolity and &C.
:centricity. Fashionable folks would
have nothing to say to them; those
who did consider them worth cultivat-
Ing explained their status as good,
worthy people" with a compassion
ate shrug or smile.
Mr.. Dobbs was Something In the
city, and his big Office and
many clerks brought in some
thing more than q comfortable in
come. Yet he made no parade OF
wealth and kept household accounts
strictly. Every evening he returned
home punctually by the o'clock train
from Waterloo, carrying his fish bas-
ket with hum. Fish was cheaper and
better in the city than at Glapham,
and Mrs. DoEbs was particularly fond
Of fish. The worthy Josiah would
not have spoiled her dinner for the
world, She must have her salmon in
season, and her red mullet and white
bait, all in due turn, OF the best. BY
this you will understand that
Mr.. Dobbs was devoted and
domestic. Yet there were thorns
amid the roses of his conjugal
paradise. Mrs. Dohbs was now and
again beseJ by spirits Of unrest and
discomfort, and her whims ct inter
walls caused dear, steady-going Josiah
much inconvenience. There we're no
children at Clarence Villa; and per.
haps for this reason Mrs. Dobbs had
more leisure for complaint. She prac-
ticed the art OF murmu-ing with as
steady a persistence as aprima donna
her scales. Josiah suffered her dis
contents with more than the ordinary
patTenca of an exemplary husband.
JAS years went on Josiah philosophi-
calIy gave up wishing for an heir,
seeing his Dorothy had grown
portiy and middle aged. He
subscribed largely to the vari-
ous charities not having a legitimate
outlet for his human kindness. A
uhiloprogenitive organ impelled him
toward children's hospitals. Why,
said he, should not his generation
benefit instead Of they that were to
come after2
Mrs. Dobbs did not however, view
such matters with equanimity See
Inc the undue and unwelcome number
Of olive branches round about other
peoples tables, she resented natures
cruelty to herself. She, therefore,
frowned persistently on Josiah's
bhilanthropic schemes for other
PEOPLES children. His benevolence
toward orphans, foundlings and waits
and straVs was q ne~ver-ceasine
cause OF argument and modification
"a her. She did not suffer any loss,
personally, from these charitabls
deeds. Not q wish remained migrant.
"a. and checks were forthcoming with
cheerful readiness when required. She
had her carriage, her servants, her
W. AN az
milliners as she listed. Josiah erected
8 miniature Crystal Palace IN his gar
der because she wished to have bana-
naa GROWING. He took her to Egypt
one Winter, and nearly died Of sea,
sickness by the WY, because she bad
been reading Eastern rcmances and
! vearned for Oriental glitter. Nothine
that meney could obtain was denied
her-oniy she had no children
For d long time Mrs. Dobbs had
displayed no extraordinary caprice
1osiah was salllngaio woEdersuily
amoo1h Instrumental waters. But
TIE lady's frequent abssnce Of Ealnd
and contemplative msin might have
convinced a more sophisticated man
that mischief was brewing. In truth
Mrs. Dobbs was slowly Matching q
scheme which she gelt sure would rpr
counter to Josiah's wishes. This lent
an additional zest TO her plane Sht
considered II aretributiye scheme She
would fight Josiahon his own ground
with his iavorite weapon Of penev.
otence.
HPm going to adopt q child, Josiah
Nnu lt,a no use your contradiction