The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-07-30
STRANGE CASE OF JOHN SMITH.
Farmer, Who Having Forgotten
His Wife. Al Inst Remembers Her.

John Smith, sitting in the shade of the
big maple, leaned back comfortably and
opened the Messenger He had Just re-
turned from town and now, as he waited
for q supper, he would read his paper.
The lowing of the COWS and the answer
ing call Of the calves as the hired man
drove them up from the pasture, came
family on the breeze and mingled with
the rafting of the dishes as his wife
prepared the table. The farmer glanced
approvingly about HIM. then turned TO
his paper.
Among other things be read of the man
who had driven home and forgotten his
wife, leaving her behind, and with 1T the
comments made on the item. Was it
true that men were so forgetful? Would
IT be possible for him to go on living and
know that Anna, his dear. loving, patient
wife, was not only gone, but was for
gotten2 He remembered the fate of his
own dear mother who had died when he
was but y years of age, and how soon
1 his father had married again, married q
woman who, though kind and pleasant,
could never take his mothers place IN his
childish heart, no matter though she
seemed to fiji his fathers heart and life
and crowd out all memory of that first
love. He could never so forget his wife.
The memory of Anna would keep sacred
the place she had occupied in his heart
and life; there would never be room for
another.
Just then Anna came out at the door
of the kitchen anG he noticed with a
form had grown. There was not FAINT
resemblance of the rosy checked bright
eyed girl he had brought so proudly to
the farm ten years ago. She was drifting
away from him, and the cares of life,
borne along without sympathy, were
leaving their marks on her face. He had
not noticed it until now.
She went swiftly past him and called
the hired man TO supper, and as they sat
around the table John did not speak, but
watched her furtively as she sat at the
heaG of the table and poured the tea and
waited on the two younger children. II
she ate a monthful he did not see her.
although she drank her tea as if very
thirsty. John was not an unkind man,
and early in married life had insisted that
she too, must have hired help; but when
she assured him that TO teach them to
do the work as she wanted IL done, would
be lust as hard and require just as much
time, he had assented and thought no
more about the matter. He now remem-
bered with his aroused attention, that
time after time he had awakened in the
, night to find her % and striving to quiet
Y the fretful baby, but he had been so
tired that he soon went to Sleep and for
got her. Yes, he too, had forgotten his
wife. He had been so tired he had not
noticed that she came down the next
morning, pale and languid, or IL he did
notice il he attributed it to the warm
weather Smith was not a demonstra tive
man but never had his wife seemed
more dear 10 him than now. The loss of
all earthly goods seemed TO be nothing
compared with losing her he would 90
better and be more thoughtful. Thank
God. it was not yet too late to let her
know that he yet loved her and had not
forgotten her.
After supper the hired man went on to
the barnyard to begin milking. 1t had
been her custom to help with this work,
but tonight John took her pail and gently
said: Sit down, love, and rest until we
set the milking done and then I'll help
you; you look tired" And he stopped
and kissed Minneapolis Messenger.