The Lamar register., 1891-07-18
KATE's HUSBAND.


five years. They had known each
other but fcw months before they
were married. Carl was prosperous
merchant In thriving western town
nHd there seemed to be no reason for
postponing the day when they should
become one, so thoy wore married and
Kate bade adieu TO parents and friends
10 90 to The house that her husband
had prepared for her in the far coun-
try.
In the second year OF their married
life boy was born to them; golden
haired. brown-eyed fellow. the image
Of his father, and two years later came
girl with the tender blue eyes and
sweet face OF her mother. Carl Har-
| land and his wife, were supremely
/ happy IN the possession OF their home
and their children. Their love for
/ each other increased with the years
and they scomed destined TO pass
through lie under a cloudiess sky.
Ono night, during great storm. the
water came down from the mountains
AMI swept through the valley destroy
Ing many thousands OF dollars worth
Of property. Carl Hnrlaud's place OF
business was wrecked. The property
was not Insured against damage by
whtor and Carl Swoko one morning to
ind himself pennilcss.
This misfortune had n marked effect
upon Kaie's husband. He lost his
chceriuinesS He became irritable
and critical In his manner towards his
wifN who tried to be brave and en-
courage her husband By word and deed
20 renew his efforts to rebuild the
brsiHcss OF which he had been so ruth
lc-siy robbed. The indifference with
which her efforts in this direction
we're received. had az last deadened
the ambition in Hates heart. and she
hni begun 70 cnfold herself in the
skirts oi the gloomy mantle that her
husband had wrapped about himself
She grow de4Pondaut and peeyish.
irritable and careless, and the last
year Of the married life OF Carl Har-
land and his wife. had been marked
by many unpleasant scenes in which
harsh words very frequently prevailed.
It was late In the afternoon when
Carl came home. and he found Kate
lying upon the sofa suffering with n
severe headache
More worry. he thought as he sat
down TO cold lunch alone. well.
think after all. that II she Is bound
to worry. the bcst thing is 10 refrain
from showing her sympathy. II she
thinks she i treating mo and the
children right by acting in this man
ner think shall let her get all the
satisfaction that she possibly can out
OF her headaches
Carl passed the evening in silence
He gave some attention 70 his children,
but he was Indifferent to his wife. The
next morning her head was no better
and she was 50 weak as to be unable
10 leave her bed
Carl did not think that she was
us ill as she said she was but he en-
courarcd her ''whim" and insisted
upon her remaining in bed. II havo
no work to-day" he thought and
this win be a splendid opportunity for
ne TO show Kate how easily the house
work can be done. II person goes
about 1t calmly and takes some inter-
est in It.
He was kind TO Kate that morning.
for he wanted his every act to impress
hor. He dressed the children and set
about preparing breakfast While he
WIS arranging the dishes on the table,
Grace. the youngest child. crept up to
the coal hod aud tipped it over on her
self The coal dust filed her mouth
and eyes, and soiled her clothes.
Carl. glad of an opportunity to show
his wife how calm he could be under
trying circumstances. gathered the
crying child in his arms and talked
conxingly TO her while he bathed her
face and hands and changed her dress.
lie had got the dress partly on when
the oatmeal boiled over. Carl sat the
baby down on the floor and stepped 10
the stove to remove the kettle. Mean
time Grace was frantically trying to
extricate herself from the folds OF the
dress her father had left enveloping
her head. Carl picked her up and said
.'peek-a- boo" when her head popped
from the interior OF the dress, but the
tone in which he said it was not alto
Gether cheerful. and when he buttoned
her dress he drew it together with so
much force that the seam in the shoul-
der was widely ripped. At this Carrs
teeth bore together harder than usual;
that was all.
After breakfast he prepared some
toast and tea for Kate, and accepted her
praise with triumphant smile. After
the dishes were washed and set away,
he began to sweep the carpet. He had
scarcely begun this work when he
found an annoyance in the person of
the baby, who insisted upon gathering
up the dirt in her tiny hands and scat
tering it on the carpet that had just
been swept. After several vain attempts
to get Grace interested in some other
direction, he finally picked her up and
with muttered. There, stay there
will youpn sat the mischievous elf in
her high char with rather more force
than was absolutely necessary. Grace
was not eased with this arrangement
and began kicking and screaming and
rocking TO and fro. She swayed her
body so wildly that she finally went
oTer with u crash. and Carl. dropping
the broom in the midst OF the ROOM
exc. ted himself to quiet the screeching
child. He had succeeded in this when
IL suddenly occurred to him that he
L I-f, LIT ct