Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1893-10-12
71s REUNITED. srs

The stick Of hindlng Mrs. Goble wa
trying hard TO split with "A dnll batche'
flew up and Lit her on the cheek bone, just
below the eye. "Oh" exclaimed Mrs
hatchet vindietively from her, and rising u
her feet she danced about in a vivaciou.
manner without time or tune, with both
hands held TO her bruised and dishgured
face. When the first pain and smart had
absted little, she made her way into tn.
house and sat down in a rocking chair the
very picture of Z ,consolate woe. Aftei
awhile she SUNNI ned up courage TO 20 u
the cupboard and hunt for her bottle OF
arnica and opeae eldoc, and when found sht
rubbed the huyt with the lotion. The tear
were running down copiously. Mrs. Goblt
was pitying herself.
1t was certainly very hard that womal
of her age and no stronger than she wa
,hould have everything to do for herself H.
addition 10 the quilts which she quilted at
30 much per spool for other people. And
when she was too tired TO work any longer
and her eyes were too weak and weary u
read, or she fell asleep over the most thrill
ing story, there was nobody at hand u
soothe and cLeer and pet her, To agree with
Mrs. Goble that it was too bad" and o
burning shame for her 10 have TO live q
life like this.
She couldn't take any pride ia her house
work because there was nobody To whom it
would make any difference how many
times over she swept before she busted
nor in her cooking for there wasn't soul
TO eat it and say r. was delicious and ask
he 4 ha p..p ~ M. aa IN. "A
great many little comforts abou. her small
house, for she had the knack Of making
surroundings comfortable but, AS she was
accustomed 10 say, with sigh: Things
can't make home. There must be peo
ple.'
Mrs. Goble continued 10 battle her cheek
and wipe her eyes alternately. Time was
when the kinGling basket was always fun
behind the kitchen stove; when the shed
sheltered pile of dry wood, split and sea
soned that was always repleuished before
1t had time TO disappear, when everything
within and without had been kept in apple
pie order. Don't get up too early, dear,
her husband would say. "lh,re isn't any
occasion for it," Ana tn n, when she came
down stairs after long morning nap, the
kitchen fire was burning brightly, the tea
kettle singing and delicious aroma OF
boiling coffee pcrtumed the air. Oftenei
than otherwise the table was all set, and
In summer time there was bunch Of flow
ers in IA pretty vase ia the middle of IL.
Then, when breakfast was Overland il
never took much trouble 10 please jerry
he made a great frolic of wipng the dishes
after they were sCalded and drained before
kissing her tender goOdby and going of
brightly To his mornings work.
Jerry, Of course, was not altogether
par igon Of perfection. The gods love those
who are and they die young He had a
temper, and 20 had she IL took his long
time TO become aroused, but when it final
ly woke up it was like a cyclone and dev
astated all that stood in the way of it
AS for her, she was querulous, and sht
"nagged' him more aud more as the years
went by. Then the children came and as
they grew older quarrels that related &c
them grew frequent and increased in fury.
What the last quarrel had started about
Mrs. Gohle tried in vain TO remember. II
ended in divorce. She had been given tht
children One of them had since died, the
other had run away and gone TO sea. She
was lonesome; she was losing her good
looks; she was growing old. And only yes
terday she bad seen that gay young hussy,
= Lucia Myers. making eyes at Jerry as he
drove past in his buggy. Making eyes at
her Well, he wasn't her husband ex
actly, but he shouldn't be anybody's else,
And Mrs. Goble bristled up Indignantly at
the bare idea
When they had parted, Jerry had paid
her quite "A little sum rs alimony, but q
woman who has been shielded from care
doesn't always know the best way to man
age money. She tied TO be o'ouomical,
but somehow the money seeL d To ~.
From the time of their divorce 10 that Of
Cora's sickness ard death they had met
only as strangers-for five long years. AT
this time, however, he came every day and
helped TO nurse the little girl. When she
died, he had seemed almos: hoartbroken
After that he fell into way of calling oc
casionally-just in a friendly way. They
never talked about the divorce, but some
times they reminisced over old times until
they found themselves getting up on dan
gerous ground.
1t had been II ars since they had gon.
their separate IS. Jerry had prospered.
He now had l. Jusiness of his own and a
smart little house where he lived alone with
only man to cook for him and take care
Of his horse IF il were woman"
thought Mrs. Goble, IL think I'd throw
vitrol in her eyes" And her own eye
snapped wickedly. Not that / care tn,
snap Of my finger for Jerry Goble himself
only suspect the inside Of that house is
a sight 70 see"
There came sudden rap at the door, and
Mrs. Goble opened it with her handkerchief
at her eye. When Jerry walked in, she felt
ths need of svIn pathY and broke out CRYING