Johnstown weekly Democrat. (Johnstown, Cambria County, Pa.) 1889-1916, 1889-09-13

s--ssse-S away from nome at
il years of age, it
also occurred TO him that it was incum-
bent upon him to choose a wife for him
self one who should cook his dinners.
iron his shirt bosolns, keep his house in
good order, darn his stockings, and go to
church with him on Sunday. 1t was very
we'll, as he said to himself, for q sailor to
have a sweetheart in every port, but
landsman with property should cultivate
the domestic virtues. Accordingly he
proposed to Esmeralda Archer and was
accepted.
1t was not a love match. Esmeralda
had given up the idea of matrimony years
before, and had settled down as the viii
lage taioress. She could, however, turn
her hand to anything, and coming to
Mrs. Connover's one morning, had helped
her to get breakfast, Lysander Whiting
boarded at Mrs. Connover's, and as he
sat at table he watched Esmeralda going
to and fro with her light, true step and
bright smile. Her face, flushed from the
warmth of the kitchen, out OF its usual
paleness, and that satisfaction in serving
q meal to hungry folk that is as natural
to some women as their love for babies,
giving her pleasant, hCmciike look.
'She'd make good wife" he said to
himself. And the proposal was the re-
suit Of the conviction.
The tailoress said to herself that the
ex-sailor had good-humored face, and
would be kind to her. He had also u
homo to offer her, which she could make
comfortable for him. The domestic al
teotioDs seemed very beautiful TO the
lonely, middle-aged girl, who had no
relatives; and if there was no romance
in either heart, there was no fear of the
future
However, the Widow Bedott was right
when she declared that we ''kant kalcu-
late on nothin' airthly." Before year
had passed over their heads the newly
welded pair began TO find themselves
unhappy. What happened exactly it is
hard to tell. The mans code of morals
and manners was not that of the woman.
She, a Puritan of The Puritans, brought
up in a village, could not understand the
sea-faTing man, with hi nightly glasses
OF grog, his desire 10 throw the parlor
windows wide and let the sun in, his un-
conventional disregard OF neighbors and
his horrible habit Of kissing pretty girls.
She tried in vain 10 force him 10 b0
''genteep and proper. he 5Jrove with
disastrous results to induce her to be
"iolly," or at leastto allow him to be so.
At last he secretly wished that he had
never lett the sea- and she that she were
still a tailoress.
1t was Just about this time that the
old well gave out ii had not been
sweet for q long while, and there could
be no dOuh. .LaU there should nave been
new one long before. EslncraIda was
anxious to send for certain men whose
mission ii was TO dig wells. and have all
done in good and workman-lke man
ner; but LysauGer was resolved that he
would dis Z himself. The two argued
over this, as they argued over every
thing, and could not agree a5 to the site
of the well, or whether it should have
one or th' other of certain improve
ments Of the pump sort attached. And
at last Lysander began his work in utter
Ignorance of all precautions taken by
weu-diggers, III the very worst spot pos
sible.
He dug a great deal, and accomplished
very little ; and Eemerolda indignant at
his want of consideration Tor her COM
fort, and his curelessness OF her appro-
val, never went o inspect his work. In
fact. that we'll seemed to he the straw
that broke the camel's back; the one
reed too mur..
'I'm go'&;, 10 get up early and finish
fhe we'll said Lysander, one morning
at i've O. cock, as he pulled on his shoes.
al II eX.f"gJ breakfast AT Z.
every Nc.l, said Esmera.da, Grossly;
N'II be up II time to get it; but l shall
Gake apOth nap now"
She turned on her side and drew the
over her face. Afterwards
she remembered that he drew down the
shade, and went out OF the room softly,
as with a kindly wish not to disturb her
Such q little kindness comforts
Eefnapo li, 20, n f,,l- k,t
Iher husband might have banged the
door, or been cross about her taking AZ
other nap, and she resolved to get him
very good breakfast; and thinking what
it should be, frlI into q pleasant sleep,
and forgot all about it. Wnen she
awakened with start, the sun was high.
and a tall clock on the mantelpiecr
pointed t. the hour Of 10.
lit couldn't be !" she said to herself
- she jumped out of bed and hurrirdl
dressed herself. She had never ept 20
lar" in all her life; ; and what would Ly-
sander say? He bad right, she thought,
10 hc very angrv this time, and in qule
I. meek spirit She set 10 work at the
kitchen nre, and stirred the batter Tor
i,apiack-, and sliced the bacon. Whle
she was Oing this she watched the door
for Ecr husbands entrance, and listened
iOI uls Slcp upon inc porch DuI no
shadow fell on the clean, white floor, All
no sound was heard except the chIrDiug
of the birds or tho chatter of some SUrid-
hle squirrels. Breakfast was ready stu
Lysmder did not come, and throwing uu
her sun-bonnet she set forth to call nn.
:Skirtinc the house, she came tolhr spot
where The well was dug. Lysunder's
Jacket hung upon branch of an old
lear tree but where was h.
Suddenly ltsmeralda began TO be aware
of the flej that the well hole was not
there; tho arth had Glled ii to overflow
ing; that here had In fact, been a
slide aud that in all probability Ly-
sander Wiz down at the bottom of the
well unC"r ton or so Of earth.
With her heart beating, and her knees
trembling she ran all about the place,
her hushar,!s name Then.