Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-01-25

Donald, in smoking jacket and slip
pers, was enjoying a cigar in an easy
chair by the fire,
why, how comfortable you look!
she exclaimed, brightly, surprised into
betraying her pleasure. When had Don
aid cared to spend Sunday afternoon
at home before? And what glorious
fire you have made!" standing before the
fire upon pretense of warming her slim
white hands, little innocent vanity in
her pretty tea gown. Donald had once
been quick to notice when she looked
especially nice.
"Have not?" complacently surveying
his work Give me the blaze of good
soft coal on day like this; just to look
at it is luxury" his eyes fixed upon the
slim figure in the trailing old rose gown,
us if he found IL certain luxury in re-
garding that. He reached out and drew
nearer a willow rocker, saying socially.
sit down and enjoy it"
Donald Bartels could not have will
ingly endured for long to live at odds
with cat. He had happy faculty for
adjusting unpleasantnesses within him.
self, of frightening with the sunniness
of his own temperament the darkest cir
cumstance, of compromising with fate
in all philosophical good will. The sud-
den change in his wife had been to him
a crushing blow, for time seeming
fairly to change his nature. Without
sign of warning, seeming the more cruel
for its unexpectedness, he had been
rudely shaken from his dream Of placid
content to look down into the grave in
which all the JOY of his life seemed laid.
He was almost beside himself, fairly
maddened with the poignant pain, the
burning anger toward this cold, silent
woman, who had won him with tender
witcheries but to bring such disappoint-
ment and humiliation upon him. But
even over the ground torn up for the
dead the merciful flowers and grasses
will hurry to spread their fair covering;
and Donald was not one who would keep
the soil of his sorrows forever plowed up
afresh. Ever in the background of his
life that grave must gloomily hold its
place; and often in the twilight-those
sweet hours of idleness that had so long
been given to Anita, in which the
thought of her was inextricably fixed
he must perforce look back with tear
blurred eyes, passionate regret wringing
his heart But what then? Could his
| luSL We DC LdlSCu I1OL44 UAC uOdu "Abb
cries or paltry curses? And was love-
less life SO rare thing that he could
esteem himself as more unfortunate than
the majority of his fellows?
|, Little by little his first fierce anger
burned itself out, and at last he was
ready, in his healthy, wholesouled way,
to look up and take account of the good
that was left him. If Anita loved hel
of tina she was still bravely trying te
do her wifely duty by him. That she
was not hapTS he could not but know
and the time was when seeing it he ha6
i been filled with sharp resentment; but
now, in a way, he had come to pity her
approaching the more the patient effor
of her exquisite housekeeping No hus
band was better cared for than he in al
Il material things, and he valued the com
= forts of his home at their worth, and
was grateful. Because he had had hi
cake and eaten it, was he to find no ap
petite for bread and cheese? Though thu
sweet, foolish love of the honeymoon
might be gone, there was no reason, h
Il told himself, why they should not still
; be friends
), "There is going to be splendid bee
of Goals presently" Anita idly remarked
settling back comfortably in the Low
0 chair. I'VE might pop some corn"
He looked up, boyishly pleased at tn
simple suggestion. 1t seemed that, afte
: all, she might be willing to meet hin
= half way in the effort to bring the hom
u life to friendlier footing. Eve Nigh
n and we WILL" he cordially agreed, il
10 relevantly adding, 'That is an awful
It pretty dress, Nita."
y 81 think it is rather success myself,
smiling up at him we'll pleased. VIII
y could they not be always like this, S
. sociable and friendly? All, we'll, he wa
i spending this afternoon with her Of hi
own accord; this was something.
d. "Ihave just heard rather good thing,
IL she began, drawing toward him in
lS cozy, confidential way. Katie has
friend visiting her in the kitchen, an
Ill they We're trying their luck with a wish
Is bone From the china closet happene
&c to overhear their remarks at the close O
'o the contest. Now, Annie, tell me whs
you wished said Katie. Well, wishe
| might &C TO heaven. And what di
you wish? Well, Annie'-with her col
ne vulsive little giggle-did you ever Sc
ls anybody giggle as that girl does, DOM
ne Never But what was her wish p
of "'Well, said she, 4 wished l migl
IL be the first to get married. Annier viii
I'd Annie capped the climax by retortini
1p Well, if that amt just like you, Kat
IS Rice! I'll risk you to always wish IL
best for yourself
y, Donald laughed long and loud at tn
O. joke. He was in mood to make th
le most of the smallest pleasantly ma
10 each get her wishl' he piously CALCULATED
IN "And so they agreed that marriage
a, rather better than heaven on tt
IS. whole?'
be "Oh, decidedly better, it would seem
N turning to him bright, mirthful fac
Il -.