Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1891-10-21

haye my iIeeuotn' VIII iet my hciBn-
bors know"
George" softly called Fanny
through the nursery door, "did tell
you that showed Mrs. Howe through
the house to-day. and she has good as
promised to take it at your own terms
for FIVE years ?"
| groaned soto voce, and l was
glad that Fanny could not see me at
that moment.
"Did you hear, dear?" she insisted.
Eyes, but / am too tired to discuss
anything tonight. Do get the lights
as soon as possible. am completely
worn out" answered fretfully but
with great sincerity.
poor George !" sighed she. "You
need the rest and quiet of the country
as much as l."
So, scarcely knowing how. our
pretty house OH Fourth street was let
furnished and the 1st day Of May
found the Warren family on wheels.
The purchase of the farm had been
accepted Sight unseen," as old-fash-
toned boys used to trade jack-knives.
If l had ever dreamed of occupying
the house l should have paid it
visit, but nothing had been farther
from my mind, and l naturally felt
very anxious as we neared Peachville.
1t was one of Fanny's hobbies that
our boys should be removed from the
town and its vicious influences while
they were yet blissfully unconscious
of evil. Looking at our new home
from that standpoint, it was certainly
a success. Our nearest neighbor was
an old man. as deaf as a post and at
least a mile away. The village was
twice that distance, and the roads so
heavy that there was little danger of
communicating associations from that
quarter. My heart was heavier than
lead as the horses toiled through the
sand between the station and our home,
making the carry-all creak in every
joint.
We found the house prettily en-
powered in vines whose leaves would
no doubt appear in due time. Tidy,
our maid of all work, declared that it
was the dirtiest house she lever set
foot in," but Fanny said that was
what everybody thought who was not
used TO moving into old houses. 1t
was Fanny's nature to make the best
of things, and at the end of month
she and Tidy had contrived to make
our cottage snug and homelike.
And / was not at all unhappy. In
deed, my own indifference caused me
the gravest foreboding at first. l
seemed to be paralyzed. Perhaps my
neighbors had recognized my mental
disorder, and attributed our change
of residence to it. AS time went on,
however, l returned to my old self.
The humdrum life l was forced to
lead grew intolorable. The spell of
longing for my old haunts came upon
me.
Just about this time received a
letter calling me to the city upon a
matter of important business. Fanny
made arrangements for me to 60 by
an early train, so might return that
same evening, for she was timid, and
dreaded the thought of my absence for
a single night. Upon my arrival,
however, 1 found that I,could not do
this. I therefore telegraphed my
wife to that effect, and also that Miss
Jones, whom had invited to visit us,
would 60 in my place. Fanny was
fond of young ladies, and Miss Jones
in particular. So l flattered myself
that l had made such satisfactory
arrangement that need be in no haste
to return.
was hardly able to conceal the
boyish delight with which ! entered
my club that evening. My friends
we're glad to see me in way; but 1
felt that they were less enthusiastic
than the circumstances demanded.
They greeted me with, "Well,
Warren, you begin to look better"
and "Glad to see that farming agrees
with you, George" till I felt like
knocking every man down that met.
The salad was fiat and the wines in
sipid l thought of Fanny's dainty
table with sigh. l even stolea glance
at my watch to see if could catch
a train and get back that night. The
thought of my wife made me uneasy.
She would be lonely SO far from
neighbors. She had owned to me that
even in our pleasant home on Fourth
street, with Tidy in the nursery. she
had sometimes been so nervous in
the long nights when was away that
the beating of her own heart sounded
like knocking at the street door. Or
when the little curly dog pricked up
his ears to listen she dared not guess
what he might hear. wondered that
l had not thought of this before.