The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1891-12-03
TOO LATE.

4 4 81 ss
If Icould only have few flowers
IN the window, and new carpet for
the best room hoor,' sighed Laura
| Dymond.
a soft-voiced, fragile looking little
creature, with big troubled eyes, like
a fawn's, and long lashes that almost
touched her cheeks when she looked
downward, there was something about
the delicate woman that reminded
one OF hot-house blossom. She
should have been tenderly nurtured
and sheltered, as it were, from the
rude winds Of heaven; but we do not
all settle into our proper inches i'll this
world. Heaven grant that it may be
different with some OF us.
"Flowers' echoed Hugh Dymond,
contemptuously. "And new carpet!
Flddle.de-dee! Lolly, what can you
possibly be thinking Of, when we need
anew wing to the barn and new
yoke OF steers so much? But women
are always. gong off on a tangent
after the ornamental!
| Mrs. DymOnd looked round the
| bare-Walled room, with it's floor COW
cred with Worn rag carpet, it's stiff
backed chairs and it's pine table, and
| sighed. Mr.. Dymond went on with his
occupation-that of whiting out a
wooden pin for the door-yard gate.
SWELL" he said, nonchalantly,
what are you grooming about?"
81 wasn't grooming; only, Hugh"
"Well?' a..
II should like to have some few
pretty things about me! .,
"Fu.u-udge!' grumbled the husband.
''As ii this was a world OF outside
show" .. s.... ...f,...
"Oh, I don't mean that; but, after
all, you know, we none Of us have but
a few years to live, and"
Now, come, come" interrupted the
husband, "don't let's have any of this
nonsense" s..-. =.
II don't think you quite understand
me, Hugh, dear What I mean is"
eyes, do too; what you mean is,
that you'd like to sit with your hands
folded, a bouquet opposite, and a fine
velvet carpet under your feet. Pity
you hadn't m arried rich man." "
Little Laura Dynond WINGED slight
ly; but she was used to these sharp
words and stinging retorts on her
husbands part It was the diamond
mated with Thorough fint-the slen-
der-stemmed anemone springing up
beneath the rude Canada thistle.
She told herself many times a day
that she did not mind Hugh's way
she used to it; but the falsehood
was fresh every time; she did mind his
rough way and the never could get
used to some Of those sharp, sudden
words and looks.
She had been district-school
teacher when Hugh Dymond married
her, and all the idea she had Of
the existence of farmer wife, was
roses clustering round picturesque
porch, Strawberries and cream, a cool
dairy with green light coming through
the vine leaves at the easement, and
whip-po or-wills singing on the edge of
the woods at night! Poor Laura! It
might have been a silly deluslon, but
it was a brief one. 10 use Mr.. Dy-
mond's own emphatic expression,
"there wasn't any nonsense about
him. Good pork and potatoes, and
plenty Of 'em; a shingled roof over.
head, and furniture that was good
enough for his mother before him; if a
women wanted more than these, she
must go somewhere else than to the
Dymond farm-house!''
Yes, it was all very solid and sub
Btantial, but Laura could no more
thrive on it than a humming- bird on
O. diet Of beef tea.
81 could draw my own $50 out Of
the savings bank" said she doubtful
ly, "and get a fresh, pretty carpet.
And oh, Hugh, I'm so tired OF the
worn spots in the stripped rag-car-
pet, and we really do need it in the
sitting-room."
"Botherl" responded the uncere-
monlous husband. "Keep your fifty
dollars for something that's going to
be really useful. A clean board floor,
and plenty of soap and sand; that
was all the carpet nv mother ever
asked for.''
ut is such hard work to scrub it
twice g week, Hugh" pleaded the poor
little wife.
"Oh, if you're afraid Of work that's
all have to say" said Mr.. Dymond,
Struggling his shoulders.
:. Unnecessary work, Hugh.
He made no answer, but Laura
knew from the set look about his lips
that her ! innocent appeal had been
made in vain.
The flowers would cost nothing
she went on. 'sMrs. Jenkins would
give me slips, and Lizzie Clouney has
some old pots which,
PshawE" broke out Hugh. eff you
want to garden, 60 out and weed the
onions and cabbages; I'm sure they
need it badly. enough; but as for hav-
ing the windoW-sills cluttered up with
q lot Of green trash, it's what I wont
stand! Sonow YOU We got my opinion,
and / hope youfeel better. 4
B And he rose to his feet and quilted
the room, taking care to shut the door
with q bang that set Laura's nerves
all in q culver. n
She sat down and cried, the poor
little solitary creature, when he was
gone. She had thought so much ofthe
carpet and the flowers; she had got it