The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1888-06-21
ID MRS. D0BBS' "WHIAl.r
From the Argosy.

From the Argosy. r
Mr.. and Mrs. Dobbs lived at Clan.
ham. They were a very worthy coup.
lie, their friends said: That is about
the best people will say Of an elderly
pair IT they are not intellectual or
troublesome. Mr.. and Mrs. Dobbs
were neither: atr. Dobbs was stout
and Commonplace in appearance, aud
did nyt f1irt with his nelghbor'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 a trifle
heavy and prosy at times, but these
are drawbacks frequently attendant
upon .::eh OF probity. He certainly
was never tempted 10y impulses or in
SEPARATIONS Of any sort either Is do
wrong or to become witty or original.
Mrs. Hcbbs was reputcd respect
'ablc and virtuous matron for other
reasons. 1mprimis, she had no taste
in dress; neither did she paint her face
or excite the envy and spite of her
tema'efriends BY beautifying her house.
She was fond OF q good dinner OF
a solid English sort, and always
wore black silk or satin gowns.
Aer caps were preposterous erections
OF lace, with gilt or steel ornaments
attached; and when she went to the
theatet she wore a red bernouso. Tru-
'y this couple were left behind in the
race OF extravaganza, frivolity and &C.
ccntricity. Fashionable folks would
have nothing to say to them; those
who did consider them worth cultivat~
ing explained their status Us good,
worthy people," with a compassion-
ate shrug or smile.
Mr.. Dobbs was "somethin9 in the
city," and his big Office and
many clerks brought in some.
thing more than d comfortable in
come, Yet he made no parade of
wealth and kept household accounts
strictly. Every evening he returned
home punctually by thcG o clock train
from Waterloo, carrying his fish bas-
ket with HIM. Fish was cheaper and
better in the city than at Chaplain,
and Mrs. Dobbs 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. Dobbs was now and
again beset by spirits of unrest and
discomfort, and her whims at inter.
walls caused dear, steaaygoing Josiah
much Inconvenience. There were no
children at Clarence Villa; and per-
haps for this reason Mrs. Dobbs had
more leisure for complaint. She prac-
tlced the art OF murmuring with as
steady u persistence as y prima donna
her scales. Josiah suffered her dis
contents with more than the ordinary
patience OF an exemplary husband.
AS years went on JOSIAH philosophi-
cally gave up wishing for an heir,
seeing his Dorothy had grown
portly and middle aged. He
subscribed largely to the vari-
Gus charitiss not having a legitimate
outlet for'his human kindness. A
philoprogenitive organ impelled him
toward children's hospitals. Why,
said he, should not his generation
benefit instead OF they that were to
come after?
Mrs. Dobbs did not however, View
such matters with equanimity See.
ing 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
philanthropic schemes for other
peoples children. His benevolence
toward orphans, foundlings and waits
and strays was never-ceasine
cause OF argument and modification
to her. She did not suffer any loss,
personally, from these charitable
deeds. Not q wish remained ungrant-
ed, and checks were Forthcoming with
cheerful readiness when required. She
had her carriage, her servants, her
millihers as-she listed. Josiah erected
a miniature Cry stall Palace in his gar
den because she wished to have bana-
nos growing. He took her to Egypt
Que Winter, and nearly died OF sea-
sickness by the way, because she had
been reading Eastern romances and
yearned for Oriental glitter. Nothing
that money could obtain was denied
her-oniy she had no children.
FOR 4 long time Mrs. Dobbs had
displayed no extraordinary caprice.
josiah was sailing along IN wonderfully
smooth matrimonial waters. But
the lady's frequent absence of mind
and contemplative mein might have
convinced more sophisticated man
that mischief was brewing. In truth
Mrs. Dobbs was slowly Matching q
scheme which she felt sure would run
counter to ,Iosiah's wishes. This lent
an additional zcst to her plan. She
considered it retributive scheme. She
would fight Josiah on his own ground
with his favorite weapon OF benev-
o!encc.
"l'm going to adopt q child, josiah.
Now it's no use your contradicting
me, because won't ilsJen,'. salO the
lady one evening over dessert. She
spoke aggressively, cracking the shell
of d walnut with decision. She peevish-
ly 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 minute after Mrs. Dobbs had
opened FIRE.
"Aren't you going to speak?" she
said at length.
"a child" remarked Josiah, drop.
ping his fat chin into his shirt. my
love, that is surely q project requiring
very serious reconsideration"
| Mrs. Dobbs tossed her head omln-
ously. Every inch OF lace in her cap
seemed suddenly to have acquired
starch, while the gilt ornaments there
on scintillated fierccly.
"When say a thing I mean it, as
you know, Josiah. have considered
that Won INDULGE vour hobbies with