River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1891-07-02

hands with EN-, Martha said, after
ward.
II know IT,"
"What do you s'pose they'll think?"
'Dunno what"
IF Mafs the way you're goin' TO
act ev'ry time anybody calls here, I'd
thank you to keep out o. sight al
together"
Il reckon I want to see folks as much
"a YOU do"
I've a notion to go and have ev'ry
room in the house papered," she said,
holly.
Then I'll take up my abode in the
tavern, he replied. calmly.
The Drewes always was stubborn
set but | yum didn't s'pose Jared cOaId
be so pig-headed." she said when he
had left the room.
She had many callers during the
next few weeks. The fame of her
gorgeous parlor brought all her friends
and acquaintance to behold its splen-
doris.
Jared sat at the door on the old
wooden chair during nearly all of these
calls He was careful not to let even
the toe of his boot enter the despised
room
The sharp eyes of some of Mrs.
Drewe's callers soon noticed Jarcd's pc
culiar conduct; their keen noses scented
domestic discord.
What's the matter of Jared?" asked
Sarae May. Mrs Drew's sister, few
weeks after the papering and furnish
ing of the parlor.
Nothing that I know of, replied
Martha What makes you ask?"
Didn't he want you to buy your par
lor things?"
He didn't care. Whatever pu. that
idee into your head, Saily?"
They say he won't set in one of the
parlor cheers, nor even step into the
room"
''Who says so?'
''Oh. its common talk. I've been
asked about it more'n once"
Mrs. Drew went home greatly dis
tressed and Inundated She was a
sensitive little woman. notwithstand-
ing her ~grit. ami She could not endure
the thought of havin her domestic af-
fairs made "A subject of common gossip.
She was rigidlv truthful, too, and was
forced To admit to her sister that she
and her husband had had a disagree
ment. She felt holly rebellious toward
Jared as She entered the pretty little
new hous,. in which she had expected
To be 50 happy. Jared was lying on
the lounge in his shirt sleeves and
stockinred feet, reading the weekly
paper.
well" said Martha, while untying
her bonnet strings, Its got out"
What's got out?"
Bout YOU sayin' you'd never set
foot in the parlor."
II can't help it ii it has, he said, i'm
perturbably-
Cant help it," she cried, holly;
won caH help it any minnit, Jared
Drewe,'
'.How?-
why, by simply giving up your null
ishnesS and coming into the parlor
the next time we have company"
..Humph,'' said Jared, and resumed
the reading of his paper. Martha ragged
inwardly.
so many of her plans were thwarted
by Jared's ''mulishness."
She had the deserved reputation of
being very ''socIable" woman, and
she had planned to have IA sight of
compny" in the new house. She had
often pictured To herself the tea parties
and dinner parties she should give.
- l..
warming, with a supper that SHOULD
surpass anything of the kind ever given
in that neighborhood 1t was hard To
have all these fair dreams coming to
naught.
For | can't invite comp'ny with
Jared actin 50. He'd hare to be in the
parlOr some. ~" she said To herself; often
with hot tears in her eyes
The summer days waned into those
Of autumn. and the autumn days gave
place To the winds and SHOWS of late
November. and still the fee, of Jared
Drewe had never crossed the threshold
Of his own parlor. and Martha had suf-
fered untold modification on this ac-
count
They We're sitting alone in rather
gloomy silence at the close of dark
and stormy day in late November
Martha had not been well for several
days She had never been confined To
her bed dav i'm her life and a slight
indispo>ition usually made her irrit-
able. She felt that IL would be i'm some
degree a disgrace for her to- be i'll. IL
was with a. much pride a gratitude
that she remembered that neither she
nor Jared had ever needed the services
of a physician
But she looked i'll enough To need
one now There were great black hol-
lows under her dull eyes. her checks
We're flushed. her lips dry. aud she
crcpt about slowly and languidly.
Better let me 90 for the doctor.
Marthy. Jared had said several times
Il b'lieve you're siclSer n you reckon
YOU air"
I've an idee I'll he better in the
morning. I'm goin' 10 take a dose of
them bitters that helped ne 50 when I
was kind ~ run down in the summer
Wish you'd get EN- for me"
Where arc they2r he asked, rising
nun AAAN AAaA-As tfsANA AZ AA--Nt INNAA
reading sill in his hand
'-Oh. they're in the-the- Set
down, Jared. I'll get mp and get EN-
myself
She was Wing on the lounge at The
time and sac sat mp painfully and
slowly, while he fastened u say:
NO. no. Marthy; lay still; III get
en- Where are thev?"
They're in that little corner closet
in the parlor. Jared
lie stared b'ankly at her for mo
ment, his face crimSoning: he took a
step forward aad then dropped back
heavily into his chair and held the pa
per up before his face in silence.
His wife arose without a word and
feebly walked across the floor. breath
ing heavily and keeping herself from
falling by leaning on the table and
chairs. Jared watched her furtively
while pretending 20 read. There was