Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1889-09-25
THE BROKERS' WIFE.
She Does a Little Detective W ork
on Her Own Account.

through the one business street Of hand
some victoria drawn by we'll groomed
horses, with correct coachman on the box
Other equipages went by at different hours
on different days; were q little late or lit
tie early for the various trains; but this
particular victoria was punctual as a lover
throughout the season. The wife Of wealthy
New York broker who rode within was not
the cause Of this punctuality any more than
her little son who habitually. rode with her
Indeed, the coachman, who was, thought of
them as two nervous, impatient children,
and, proud Of being as exactly on time as
the train, never encouraged his horses at
their entreaty.
Little Sydney, however, did not waste
breath on him; he found his mother bet
ter subject, and on these drives never
ceased to torment her to reply to him. One
day in their journey from the villa to the
station he reiterated the following:
Are you going to New York tomorrow
Say, mamma, are you going tomorrow
Mamma, mamma, say!"
At frst, his mother, who was lost in rev.
erie, did not hear him. Then she answered
at random: "No, mol don't know. Don't
say word to papa. It's surprise"
With q caress she repeated her recon-
mendation. The child looked at her and
was silent, made serious by some tone in
her voice.
Next moment she had forgotten that he
had spoken, aud was dreaming again. Fiji
teen days before they had come down from
the city to spend the summer on the place
where she was born; and the old farm, I'M
changed except that modern villa had been
erected on the RUNS Of the farmhouse, had
renewed her childhood. 1t was delightful
10 revisit, as wife and mother, the haunts
familiar to her as a girl. She often OK
pressed to her husband her wonder that
they had not come before. 1t was charm
ing, too, to lead Sydney about everywhere
to the poultry-yard, to the stables, to the
dairy-and say, when / was little" or,
''when l was your age" etc.
Yes, IL WAS charming-for O week. But
how quickly faded the first sweet impress
sionl Then came the sadness of being
alone all day-like kind OF widow She
did not know the new people who affected
Isllp, and, besides, she was too much alb
sorbed in her son and husband to care to
make new acquaintances. When she had
acknowledged her loneliness the step was
easy to the question: "Is he lonely alsoi"
What was he doing all dayl In the winter
he was never so busy but that he could spare
her an hour or so in the middle of the day
How did he fill that unoccupied hour in the
her own satisfaction, she decided to go one
day-t0-morrow-to surprise him In New
York
The victoria stopped by the station. The
horses threw back their heads and pointed
their cars at the escaping steam and the
train whistle. Little Sydney on the step
shouted to his father, who was the first of
the travellers to descend. Papa was a tall
nan with fine, smiling fGce, framed in
blonde hair and beard. He got up quickly,
took his wife's nRnd, and, bestowing Sgd
1ey between his knees, told the coachman
70 drive home.
Then came the questions: what did you
do this merningP Where did you lunchl Ar
forwards, where did you gol" He recounted
every thing, item by item, all the details Of
his day, with perfect good-humor, but look
Ing at the dear questioner with q smile, as
II he OWNED, undor the interrogatories, tins
latent jealousy that she would not express
He took her hand and pressed it tenderly
1T is good to return home to be with you
again. The time seems very long when
don't see you all day"
His wife looked at him anxiously. "Are
you sure that you miss me, Sydneyp she
said.
That evening, after dinner, the husband
as was his custom, sat outside in the
garden, and little Sydney hung about nis
papa, preferring that to play. They talked
together like two men, two boon com
panionB, who had many condolences for each
other, sometimes interrupted by great
shouts of laughter. When mamma was
within hearing they were silent. At last
Sydney was carried on 70 bed, and then
husband and wife walked along the sward
among the hower-beds, towards the wlds
gate. That was their usual hour for "real
good" talks. This evening, for some reason,
both were silent for Q time; and then she
began again to interrogate him. BUTT was
no longer "What have you done to-dayl'
but "What will you do tomorrow" This
time she was not mistaken in thinking that
he replied with hesitation. There was in
his words an unwonted embarrassment
Oh, these presentimentst SAs had one
to-day; and now her tine suspicious calmi
nate and her decision is taken. She will &c
20 New York tomorrow
Now came his turn. "And what are your
plans for to-moYrown
She started as IL she feared he could
road her soul, and she could not reply with
out blushing lightly:
II have none. Tomorrow will be like to
day-like the past fortnight"
Ia the morning when the youni
broker was dressed and ready 4
depart, ne approached on tiptoe ant
breathed an Sdiep in the ear of hi
sleeping wife. She murmured in response
almost as IL in her sleep:
'Are you going now-so earlyP
II must "a, he answered; II have o.
engagement At ten o'clock-an importan
business engagement, Goodbye, my dear.
AshO stepped vigorously along the sta
tion, his face showed none Of the regret q
deserving his family that he had declared b
felt the evening before. On the contrary
he was smiling, and now and then brok
into little conquering laugh, or said, ha
aloud: "An important business engagemen
very, very importantly
In the car he Ands himself alone, as non
Of his business friends take this early trail
Throwing away the morning paper he give
himself up TO his thoughts, which contipu
pleasant, TO judge by the expression Of hi
face. He looks at his watch and thinks
'Tll Just have time to manage it nicely"
Arriving at Thirty-fourth street he quicl
ly calls a hack and drives TO q number O
- stores on Broadway, where he buys quar-
tity of delcacies; then TO Klunder's, wher
he alights. and comes out with load o
different flowers, aud one exquisite bouque
composed wholly Of little tea-roses. The
he gives the order to the hickman: "Driv
Fifth avenue, and be quiokp'
WHAT To his own housed Yes, 70 Oh
closed conjugal nest. He has chosen hi
time well; the two servants in charge o
the house have gone out and will not re
turn till afternoon; so. unobseryed an,
without apparent remorse, rather with
mysterious smile on his lips, he introduce
the flowers and contrab and packages Wit
alover's care he disposes on the great tabl
I'm the dining-room a sweet little luncheon
draws up two chairs side by side and a
close together as possible; arranges tn
flowers, and lays the bouquet of tea-rose
in the place OF honor. Atlength all is done
1t is perfectl Contented with his work
the wretchl--he contemplates it for an n
slant, and claps his hands in satisfaction
Then he pulls out his watch. ''Te
O'Clock. She won't be here for an hour