Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1892-10-19
WIFE.

twilight, after working hard all day,
tired and anxious as to the result of an
important operation performed that
morning. The mud spattered up from
the street as he rolled along, and the
chilling November drizzle gave to the
familiar trees a forlorn, almost CHASTITY,
aspect. His heart warmed as he pict-
ured to himself wife watching for him,
with welcome smile. from their cosy
parlor, dinner ready, and long, restful
evening before them.
But, as he drew near home, no cheer
full light streamed from the door or
window. All seemed as dark and de-
serted as the dripping street. He threw
the reins to the boy whose duty was to
hold the horse on his professional
rounds and flung open the front door
with an lrritated, injured feeling.
No tender smile; no sympathetic
voice; no freight; no dinner, appar-
emily.
"Elinorp he called.
No answer.
'tElinor !"
This time voice spoke out of the
darkness tired voice
''Do be more quiet, John; the baby is
just going to sleep"
"Confound it /! Why isn't there a
light here? And why isn't the baby
asleep before this time of night?"
"He has been fretful all day with his
teeth. and 1 have not had a chance to
cnange my dress"
A wailing cry from the nursery sent
the voice hurrying thither, and the doc
| tor, with some inaudible words, pro-
ceeded to light the gas and take off his
wet OvercOat. The house was cold; the
parlOr had evidently been arranged by
Hiberian hands; an odor of something
burning stole in from the kitchen. A
pleasant reception FOR man after long
| days work.
He ran upstairs with no gentle foor-
step. His wife sat bv the nursery fire
her face wore a weary expression, and
she had on the same blue gown which
she had donned for breakfast. The
baby at length slept in her arms. She
held up warming finger as her hus-
band came laundering in; but already
| baby's light slumber had been dis
turbed, and the process of soothing and
singing had to be repeated for the ff-
| teenth time.
1t seemed to the young mother as if
her patience could hold out no longer.
1t was provoking to have the little one
startled from his uneasy dreams again.
She knew Bridget would spoil the din
ner. She had been trying all day to get
down stairs to make the house pleasant
with magic touch here and there.
She longed to get into fresh gown and
brush her hair, but there had been no
time for her to do one of these things.
Nurse was away with a sick sister, and
| babies always demanded more from
their mother then from anyone else.
They are tyrannical and know and seize
every opportunity to prove their power
over the anxious, half-ignorant young
mothers, who are happy, after all, to be
| their slaves.
When at last the dinner bell rang Mrs.
! Ford laid the baby in his crib, sound
asleep this time, warm and lovely in his
utter repose. She gave a hurried dab
at her wavy hair, caught up a fresh
handkerchief and ran down to join her
husband, who sat at the table with de-
cidedly cross look on his face. He
barely tasted the soup, then pushed it
away in disgust.
Burned ?'' asked his wife.
cot course. Can't you smell it all over
the house? Why don't you look after
Bridget little ?''
"Why, John, I have hardly been
downstairs to-day"
| Nv here's Hannah ?'
"She went to her sisters last night"
ooh, yes; I forgot. What's this +?
Gold corned beef! Really, Elinor, have
you nothing else to offer?"
would you like an Omelet ?"
"No."
"What then? ?"
"a beefsteak, If there is one."
| Mrs. Ford rose and went to the kitch-
en-. The girl, of course, had just filled
up the range with fresh coal, so there
was nothing to be done but make the
best of the cold meat, potatoes and
macaronl, followed by dessert of
apple pudding and cheese.
DR.. Ford found fault with the pota-
oni, the bread was dry and the butter
not perfect. AS to the pudding:
"My mother always had mince pies
at this season" said he.
This was the last straw, ana his wife,
unusually sensitive to straw tonight,
could bear no more.
''It is pity you ever left your
mother"
II think so, too" he responded, push
ing his chair back.
his wife hesltated moment whether
to run around the table and burst into
tears upon her husband 8 shoulder or to
rush up stairs and have good cry by
baby;s side. She decided upon the lat
ter course, and, with quivering lip, left
the room and shut herself up in the
nursery, where the fire was dying on
the hearth and the baby breathing
softly, in strange contrast to her over
wrought condition.
"Well, it is provoking. Women al
ways must cry and fly into passion a about
tribes"
But her husband, even as he thought
these words, began to feel repentant,
He remembered the teething baby and
the long day at home alone. In an
other moment he would have followed
his wife upstairs and apologized for the
pain he had given her. But the door
| bell rang and summons to visit sick