The National tribune., 1894-06-21
A TRANSFORMATION.
Remarkable Change that Took Place In One
Household.

Household.
We looked at one another in Mortified
amazement when Madame made her cold
clear-cut announcement: Miss Varney, who
recently left the school, wishes me to invite
you all to be presen. at her wedding, Tues
day noon, in the Lutheran Church. pre-
sumo many of you know that she is TO
marry the Rev. Mr.. Van HempensteiD.
Glasses will be suspended from IL until 3
to give you a chance to attend your class
mates nuptialsn
Poor little Stella Varney! We whispered
about it all the afternoon. Not even the
great and unexpected joy of a halfholiday
and wedding could keep us from plying
her. Stella was more timid and shrinking
| even than the rest of us. She had not at
tanned even schoolgirl forwardness and self
possession, but with her soft, pretty hair
and appealing eyes, she was the most
| shrinking of us all.
And then there was Mr.. Van Hempenstein !
| The Rev. Mr.. Van Hempenstein! Of all
the precise, obstinate little men that ever
pounded pulpit, he was the most precise
and obstinate. He held the views of st.
| Panl on women with tenacity which
would have surprised that saint Nat
urally we trembled for our pretty little
| class-mate.
| IDey were married IN uu6 IOFm, SB6Ua
| looking more flower-like and lovely than
ever as she foated up the aisle. Mr.. Van
| Hempenstein looked very important and
trotted down after the ceremony with an
air of magisterial and ministerial dignity
which somehow argued ill for Stella's future
| happiness. Indeed, there were those who
said that they overheard him whisper to
her: Now, Stella, can't you stop that silly
| blushing?n
| The first call we made on the newly
| married pair after their return from their
| wedding trip, which took the cheerful form
of visit to his relatives, confirmed our
worst suspicious. The little home was
| charming. Out of the parlor opened the
reverend gentleman's study. The rooms
! were full of bridal gifts, arranged with
Stella's charming taste and, we thought,
| with some of Mr.. Van Hempenstein's severe
| orderliness She took pretty pride in her
| domain, and had just settled down for q
pleasant talk when her husbands voice
came through the PORTER:
Stella" it said sternly, did you dust
my study table this morning."
Yes, Wolfgang," answered Stella duti-
| fully.
My gloves were lying on top of Porter's
| Evidences on the left hand side. What did
you do with them ?"
Il put them in your oyercoat pocket,
| which is hanging in the study closet" re-
| piled Stella
And what did you do with my pocket
| Bible?" went On the gentleman, who
seemed to be preparing for round of paro-
1 chial calls.
"It is on the second shelf of the book
case" said the long suffering Stella.
| There was silence for few minutes, dur
Il
| the irasc BILE voice broke in:
Stella, where are my glasses not nay
reading glasses, ny other glasses 2"
don't know, Wolfgang, but I'll come
and help you look" answered Wolfgang's
unfortunate wife, making her excuses to us.
We waited while Stella patiently hunted
| for the glasses, and Mr.. Van Hempenstein
| grumbled audibly. She found them, and
returned to us, only to be summoned by the
voice of her lord and master again.
Stella,o he said this time, will you
kindly prepare my medicine for me before
/ go out? And bring me clean pocket
handkerchief from my top bureau drawer,
front, right-hand corner The one with the
polka dotted border want"
When at last he was prepared to go out,
he passed pompously through the parlor,
and crushed us poor seminary girls with a
stern:
Good afternoon, young ladies' I hope
see you we'll"
But he didn't stop to gather any informa-
ton concerning our health. Poor Stella
was flushed and uncomfortable after the
performance of her valet duties, and some
how all the little air of matronly pride she
had at first had disappeared, and she was
only a nervous, embarrassed woman, who
would have given worlds to cry had she
dared. Young and dull as we were we saw
that and made our visit brief.
4
1t was quite three years before we saw
Stella again. We had been at another
boardng-school, and in the Summer vaca-
tions there was no time to visit her. We
went with some doleful forebodings. We
said to one another that Of course the abom-
Unable Mr.. Van Hempenstein had grown
worse with time, and that we should un-
doubtedly find Stella a crushed, weak
minded, tired looking woman, who didn't
dare to speak above whisper
We rang and neat maid ushered us in.
The room back Of the parlor was no longer
study, but a sort of combination music
and tea-room. We waited for Stella. She
entered bright, cheerful, more assertive and
delightful than she had ever been before in
her life.
Gretchen" she said to her maid, "tell
Mr.. Van Hempenstein that my school friends
are here and that he may look in on us in
half an honr-no sooner. We have so much
to talk about.
We gasped. By and by at the appointed
time the happy husband entered.
"Ah, Wolfgang" said his wife, pleasantly.
You're just in time for cup of tea with
us. Oh, dear! There's no alcohol here.
Would you mind getting me some out of
the dining-room closet? And, Wolfgang,
while you are out there, will you ask Gret-
chen to bring in the tea-tray?"
WOlfgang trotted obediently off. We
looked at one another in round-eyed amaze
ment. Then he came back with the alcohol.
He passed the tea and made conversation.
We asked if this room had not once been his
study.
"Yes, it was" he said, half regretfully.
" But my wife needed it, and SO my study's
upstairs nOw."
Then we looked at one another again.
And when we went away, we asked what
on earth had brought about the change.
But no one has solved the problem. The
history of the turning of the worm and it's
subsequent rise to power remains shrouded
in mystery.
\
A"Drawero Poker Anecdote.
[By some strange turn of Fortunes wheel. the