Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1893-03-25
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II always thought there was some
connection between wife and but
tons, and not button on this shirt |
bosom, Bess II
We had been married year and
more. And now we had quarreled
about buttons.
/ did not think then what an as
tonishing woman must feel it to be
taken from the pedestal on which
her lover has enshrined her as god
dess and scolded about some house
hold matter. All men do it.
l went to town. My business was
transacted in a moody dream. /
drowned my misery in cigars and
went home as angry as had left it.
No Bess met me at the gate. l found
her in the dining groom, and she look
ed up with a proud, cold face, ex-
pecting an apology perhaps, but
gave her none. Fortunately | had
grievance-the mutton was not
cooked to suit me, and there were
no capers.
1 began once more on the subject
OF wife's duties. BriGe must be
overlooked. A bachelor might leave
the dinner to servant but not a
| married man.
Bess did Lot tell me what knew
air aady-that at Nine Pongee's fin
isbino 80 binary the superintendent
Of . cool woe IT taught, and that
year is not long expe.- renee
She sat quite quiet and Ell.
me SO that before sought my pill
low 1 had said very cruel things and
and she had at last dropped one bit
ter, ranking speech into the momen.
tary silence and had shut herself in
her baby's nursery.
And SO it went on through all that
bitter day of the long week. At last
it was Saturday morning. I gave
her cruel stab-an unjust one, as
knew. When | spoke had my
back turned toward her and was
looking out upon the cloudy sky, so
/ did not see her when she said:
"You have made me hate you.n
/ turned at that. She was stand
ing quite pale, even to the lips, and
/ saw she had drawn her wedding
ring from her finger.
81 hate that" she said, "and /
hate you"
And she flung the ring upon the
carpet and made a gesture as though
she were flinging her love from her
also and left the room without an
other word, though I waited for her
to come back for nearly an hour.
had much to do that day--busi-
uess appointments which should
have been attended to forthwith
but long after / reached my Office in
the city l found myselfsitting wretch
eddy in chair, with my head upon
my hands, thinking over and over
again those words, 81 hate that and
hate YOU"
And my love came back, and
was Robert walking under the trees
with Bessie again, not the stern
married man determined to teach
his wife her duty.
I looked at the clock. / had Just
time to catch the noon train. Who
cared for business-for Jones and
Brown and Thompson /? must go
home and make it up with Bess. /
seized my hat and flew down the
street. / reached the depot. was
in car breathless with exertion and
anxiety. We we're 80 minutes in
reaching P. To me it seemed
80 hours.
At last / was there. Before me
arose our little cottage, with its
slope of velvet green from the door
to the rivers edge.
Usually all was quiet and scarcely
q soul to be seen. To-day group
of women stood by the river. Two
men. one sailor neighbor from the
village, were there also, and among
them bridget raised her shrill voice
They've took to fightin' lately,
and they had it hot and heavy this
blissed mornin'. I shouldn't wond-
her. HoWiy father, there's the mas
ter now, and she fed"
! saw them all looking at me in
awe stricken silence. / saw also my
little rowboat lying wet upon the
sand, the oars not with her.
/ felt my heart stand still and
gasped out:
"What is the matter ~
NY sailor neighbor answered:
"We're afeared there's been an ac-
cident. Tom Bowling took your
boat out this morning, and the boat