Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1893-09-07
HIS WIFE'S ALARM.
It Was Caused by the Lies Of a
Rascally JanitOr.

|
Rascally Janitor.
"I-tell you, boys" said, ''if was
not married man, i should go to the
races on Monday and put all Tin worth
on Razzle Dazzle
"Why don't your asked Tom MUIR
ply.
''Why?' said I. 'Oh, I'm married
man, and my wife has horror of the
races. I've promised her to keep away
from them. A promise is a promise"
"And good enough you've made it,
sir, . said our old porter. Honest Jim
we called him. Many man has gone
down to ruin and degradation on ac-
count of them races The lady is wise.
She is wise. I'm telling you what
name. Obey the lady, and you'll never
see yourself in difficulties"
Honest Jim was fond of giving adj
vice, and he broke up our chat with
these words. Murphy and Virgins
went away to get a glass of beer before
they parted, and took the train home
A brooding storm broke just as /
reached my cottage, and glad enough
was to escape it. We had supper to-
gether and went into the parlor as
usual. What night it was, to be sure!
A wild night, bitter night, night
when there seemed to be strange voices
in the wind, and those within the house
were likely to fancy knocks upon their
doors and unbar and unbOlt them and
cry: "Who is there?" when it was only
the blast that had caused them to rat
tie. Yet it was on this night that my
wife, my little, delicate, beau tiful wife
Fleda arose from the freside and tell
left the room.
To leave the room was nothing, but
when l heard her leave the house
could scarcely believe my senses. She,
who was so timid-she who Why,
no, it could not he. went about the
house calling her. grew alarmed, and,
fearing to find her lying in u swoon
somewhere, carried the lamp low and
looked in the garnet, the cellar, the lit
tie kitchen where cooking was done in
summer-everywher in fact.
She was gone, and so was the cloak,
that usually hung in a certain place,
and a hood she wore about the grounds
on cold days. What could have taken
her out? Had she heard our pony
fdgeting in his stall or the peep of some
stray chicken? Was she anxious about
the day-old calf? We had all these
rural belongings in the small boundary
of our little summer-home.
If so, why did she not mention it to
me? 1t was, no doubt, that cold of
mine, which had made too much fuss
about. She went herself rather than
to expose me. l tossed on my water
proof coat, pulled an old hat over my
ears and went out upon the porch.
The lantern was gone.
''Fleda!' l cried, lifting my voice.
''Fleda, say! Where are you, Eleda?'
1 heard no sound, but shortly, fal
along the road I spied ayellow blur
waving near the ground, and knew
when I had watched it for some time,
that it was lantern carried by some
one to light her steps along the irregu
lar foot-path. I say s'her,'' because
shortly I could see the drapery of a
womans dress. 1t was my wife, re
turning home. I was certain of that
now, and l called to her at once:
! 'sFleda, why on earth are You strag
Cling about in the storm? Why didn',
you send me to do what you wanted
done? The wind is strong enough tc
carry you ver the hills. I've been wilG
about YOU
I She came up to me as uttered these
words. Her long, light hair, usually
as smooth as piece of satin, tossed
about her face and shoulders, her hood
hanging down her back, her cloak
twisted about her slender figure. She
turned to speak, but could not; hel
breath failed her. put my arm about
her and helped her to the house and sc
far as the sofa in our little parlor, on
which she dropped, gasping.
l cali this l said, for some chicken
with the pip, SUPPOSE
81 did not know the wind was SC
strong
And l asked no more questions. My
anxiety for Fleda swallowed up every
other thought. However, she was per-
fectly well next day, though curiously
depressed and distracted.
l have not yet introduced myself
am Henry Darlington. My business
was that of cashier with the Dayton
Brothers. My wife and lived simply
in a tiny out-of-town cottage in sum.
mer; in TIMER fat in winter. / had
never been extravagant, and my only
great folly had been to risk a certain
sum of money, left me as a legacy, at
the races. backed the favorite and
lost every dollar. Fleda was very
much distressed when told her the
news.
Not at the loss of the money,
Henry" she said, ''but that you should
risk it at the 1Gces. My uncle once EN-.
ployed a young man who became dis
honest and was finally arrested because
of going to the races and betting and
all that. Pray, pray, be careful"
4 / laughed at her, and told her that
had had sufficient warning and punish.
ment in losing the snug nest egg had
Gus summer. Now the races were going
on again. They were, own, my great.
est earthly temptation.
The week passed quietly. Pay night
came again. It often happens that the
same night is stormy for several sue
ceeding weeks. This night, however,
was not as bad as the one on which my
story opens. However, it was much
more comfortable indoors than out.
And yet, just as was in the middle OF
Re paragraph ] was reading to her from
4. the evening paper, looked up and saw
that Fleda had vanished. Again ]
searched the house Again found
that she had left it. Again the yellow
light OF the lantern told me of her re-
turn. She was not out of breath this
time, but she was pale and trembled
. little. She shook her head when !
asked her where she had been. and said:
s Nowhere. The house felt close. l
wanted . little air. That is all. g