Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-01-22


When went up stairs that evening
found my wife putting her hair to bed
don t know how can better describe an
operation familiar to every married man.
| waited till the last tress was coiled DIP,
and then | spoke
I've talked with Brede." | said, land
/ didn't have to catechize him. He seem
ed to feel that some sort Of an explanation
was looked for, and he was very outspoken.
You were right about the children-that
is, | must have misunderstood him. There
are only two. But the Matterhorn episode
was simple enough. He didn't realize
haw dangerous it was until be had got so
far into it that he coudn back out; and
he didn' t tell her because he'd left her
here, you see, and under the circum-
stances"
Left her here!' cried my wife. eve
een:sitting with her the whole afternoon,
sewing and she told me that he had left
her at Geneva, and came back and took her
to Basic. and the baby was born there
now Pm sure, dear, because | asked her. y
perhaps [ was mistaken when
thought he said she was on this side"
suggested with bitter, biting irony.
"You poor dear, did abuse you?" said
WIG. buU J1u ctbD
said that she didn't know how many Jumps
of sugar he took in his coffee. Now that
seems queer, doesn't it?'
1t did. 1t was queer thing But it
looked queer Very queer.
The next morning, it was clear that war
was declared against the Bredes. They
came down to breakfast somewhat late.
and as soon as they arrived the Biggleses
CmnNpal Tho Lost f-arruoaptS +bo+
manned on their plates, and made stately
Hoogencamp arose and departed, leaving a
whole fsh-ball on her plate. Even as Alta
lanta might have dropped an apple behind
her to tempt her pursuer to check his
speed, SO Miss Hoogencamp left that fish
self and contamination.
We had finished our breakfast, my wife
aud |, before the Bredes appeared. We
tai, ed it over and agreed that we were
glad that we had not been obliged to make
sides upon such insufficient testimony.
After breakfast it was the custom of the
male half of the Jacobus household to go
around the corner of the building and
smoke their pipes and cigars, where they
would not annoy the ladies. We sat I'M
der trelIis covered with a grape vine
that had bore no grapes in the memory of
man. This vine, however, bone leaves,
and these, on that pleasant summer morn.
ing, shielded from US two persons who
were in earnest conversation in the strag
CLING, half-dead flower-garden at the side
of the house.
II don want, " we heard Mr.. Jacobus
say, ''to enter into no mans privacy; but
I Il 10 ly,,n,Y x,,bo ha Iil-o
that have in my house. Now, what
you to take it in no ways personal, is
have you got your marriage license with
you?'
No we heard the voice of Mr.. Brede
reply. 'Have you yours?'
| think it was a chance shot; but it told
all the same. The major (he was widow.
err and Mr.. Bicycles and | looked at each
other; and Mr.. Jacobus, on the other
side of the grape trellis, looked at =
don know what-and was as silent as WE
were.
Where is your marriage license, married
reader? Do you know? Four men, not
including Mr. Brede, stood or sat OF one
side or the other of the trelis and not one
of them knew where his marriage license
wa IIdCIl VI US Ildu OHt-LHC udCl
had three. But where were they Where
pocket; deposited in his desk, or washed
up to pulp in his white waistcoat Git
white waistecoats be the fashion of the
hour) washed out of existence can you tell
where it is? Can you-frame that inter
esting document and hang itup on their
drawing-room walls?
Mr. RraIo'C UoiCo orOco ofIor ov.yf,
stiffness of what seemed to me like about
five minutes and was probably thirty
seconds.
"Mr Jacobus, will you make out your
bill at once and let me pay it. | shall
leave by the six o'clock train. And
will you also send the wagon for my
trurks?"
Il hain't said | wanted to have you
cut him short.
Bring me your bill"
But" demonstrated Jacobus, ''ef ye
amt
Bring me your bill" said Mr.. BreGe
Ny wife and went out for our morn
ing's walk. But it seemed to US, whcn we
looked at ''our view as if we could only
see those invisible villages of which Brede
had told us-that other side of the ridges
and rises of which we catch no glimpse
from lofty hills or from the nights of hut
nan self-esteem. We meant to stay out
until the Bredes had taken their departure;
but we returned Just in time to see Pete,
the Jacobus darby, tn, blacker of boots,
the brusher of coats, the general handy
man of the house, loading the 3rede trunks
on the Jacobus wagon.
And, as we stepped upon the verandah,
down came Mrs. Brede, leaning on Mr..
Rrede's arm. as though she were ill; and
| it was clear that she had been crying.
There were heavy rings about her pretty
black eyes.
NV wife took a step toward her.
Look at that dress, dear, she whisper
ed; "she never thought anything like this
was going to happen where she put that
on.
1t was pretty, delicate, dainty dress, a
graceful, marrow striped affair. Her hat
was trimmed with narrow-striped silk of
the same colorS-Maroon and white-and
in her hand she held parasol that match
ed her dress.
''She's had new dress on twice day"
said my wife, but that's the prettiest
yet. Oh, sOmehOw,-I'm awful sorry
they're going"
But going they were. They moved to.
ward tie steps. Mrs. Brede looked to-
ward by wife, and my wife moved toward
MrS. Brede. But the ostracised woman
as though she felt the deep humiliation Of
her position, turned sharply away and
opened her parasoI to shield her eyes from
the sun, A shower of ric3-a half-pound
shower of rice-fell down over her pretty
hat and her pretty dress, and fell in a
scattering circle on the floor, outlining
ner skirts-and there it lay in 4 broad, un
even hand. bright in tho morning sun.