Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1889-07-31
MR.. CADWALLADER'S WIFE.
BY FRANCIS NJ. LIVINGSTON.


Square one afternoon in May. A COM
pactly built little man of 40 years, with
round smooth face and merry twinkle
in his eye, he looked fully ten years
younger than he was.
els Mrs. Cadwallader at home, Nam
nie?" he inquired of the trim maid serv-
ant in the hail.
mo. sir, she went out about 2
o'clock"
''Are there any letters, Nannie?'
Eyes, sir, in your room on the dress
er, sir"
Mrs. Cadwallader VENT"
''No, sir"
He ran upstairs, whistling an air
from "Barbe Bleu," and took several
letters from tie dresser. Two for
Mrs. Co." he soliloquized: ''Iook like
bills: here are some wedding cards,
is letter from CYNTHIA What import
ant communication, requiring four cents
postage, has she now TO make, | Won
der"
He opened the letter and ran rapidly
through the first of toe closeiv-written
sheets: Prevented from writing late
Iy on account of lumbagO-may go to
the White Mountains this summer
poor Mr.. Pettlto, our rector, In trouble
again-used incense Easter morning
some busybody complained to the
bishop-have been thinking so much
lately of poor dear Helen" (Here Mr..
Cadwalader knit his brows.) II can
hardly believe that it is fifteen years
since-h'm-h'm-do you remember
that little sole leather trunk of my
e. x-hioh Hnlon bod offnr cho
married you? I came across It in the
attic yesterday, where it is stored with
many other relics of by-gone happy
days"
ooh, I thought so,'' g1oaned Mr..
Cadwallader. "Why is she forever
harping on these old relics of by-gone
days? Why can't people let such
things pass away with the by-gone days?
Bah =;
He flung the letter impatiently from
him, and began walking up and down.
Miss Cynthia Olds was the sister Of
the first Mrs. Cadwallader. Mr.. Cad
wallader was model husband during
his first wife's lie time, and when she
died he mourned her sincerely for two
years, and then consoled himself with
second vile. He never knew what
became of the effects of the first Mrs.
Cadwallader, and, without the slightest
disrespect to her memory, he never
had taken the trouble to inquire. He
simply thought nothing about the mat
ter.
Mr.. Cadwallader took up the letter
again and put it in his pocket. The
rest Of this will keep until i another Is s,r
as folded bit of paper lying on the
dresser caught his eye. He opened it
and saw few lines written in pencil:
DEAREST HIRAM:
l am not feeling quite well to-day and Mrs.
Brown has persuaded me that little trip into
the country would do me good. She is going to
take me with her TO Short Hills for the day She
has aunt, Mrs NidgeOn, living there and we
will stay to dinner. Could you come Tor me
dred kisses YOUR LOVING WIFE.
P s.-Mrs Widgeon lives in a large house
near the station, and Mrs. Brown says anybody
can direct you.
"What does she mean by galloping off
to Jersey, / wonder, when the last thing
she said to me was not to forget Wheat
leighs' reception tonight Not feeling
well!' She was the picture of health
this morning. And who is Mrs.
Brown? There's something behind
those hundred kisses: she is not ordi-
narily SO lavish I'm glad to see she is
paying some attention at last to what |
said to her about her handwriting, and
has dropped that monstrous angular
scrawl Yes, she is evidently making
one effort to please me. / wonder what
it is she wants. III have to go, of
course" (Mr. CadwalIader stood lit
tie bit in awe Of his handsome wife
"Pll Just dress now and go and dine at
the club"
About 8 o'clock a snug little man, in a
dress suit and light oyercoat, alighted at
the station IN Short Hills. He ap-
preached an old man who stood on the
platform with lantern, and asked to
be directed to the house OF Mrs.
Widgeon.
What Mrs. Widgeon. sir?"
81 do not know. This lady lives in q
large house near the station, | am told. :"
There never was but one Mrs.
Widgeon in Short Hills that | ever
heard Of, sir. That was old Wilder
Widgeon, who's been dead nigh on to
enough, that big one just beyond the
bend In the road. Her married daugk-
ter lives there now. There's nobody
else OF that name here. unless It's some
OF tie summer boarders and it's a bit
airly for them"
That's queer" murmure0 the little
man. "Well, that must, be the house.
Thanks, said he, starting Oft down the
road.
Ten minutes later a lady. heavily
yelled, emerged from the gloom at the
other end of the platform and APP
preached the same old man.
s.Can you direct me to the residence
of Mrs. Widgeon ?" she asked in a
mysterious voice.
What, another one % cbuckled the
old station master. "The wilder seems
to be in demand tonight"
"Do you know, or do you not?" asked
the lady sharply.
well, ma am, [ reckon I know as
we'll as anybody else around these
parts. Many days work I've done
for the Widder WidgeoD."
at is large house near the station,
lis it not? Which way am | to go ?"