The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1895-03-06

checked her.
'No need, Fanny" he snid, little
bitterly; 81 must leave the house in If
teen minutes or miss the only through
train. It's of no use speaking to the
cook now."
~ am so sorry, Frank"
Mr.. Chickerly did not answer; he
was apparently absorbed IN turning
over the various articles in his bureau
drawer, while Fanny sat shivering on
the edge OF the bed, cogitating how
hard it was for her husband to start on
n long journey that bitter morning
without any breakfast.
81 can make n cup of coffee myself
over the furnace fire." she exclaimed,
springing TO her feet. But Mr.. Chick
erly again interposed.
''Sit down, Fanny, please. would
rather you would sew this button on
the neck of my shirt. 1 have packed
the others-those that are fit to wear.
I bave shirts enough, but not one in
repair"
Fanny crimsoned as she remembered
how often, in the course of the last
month or two, she had solemnly prom
ised herself to devote day to the
much.needed renovation of the hus-
bands shirts.
She looked round for her thimble.
81 left it down stairs last night.
I'll get il in minute"
The housomaid had Just kindled q
fire in the sitting-room CRATE; il was
blazing and cracking cheerfully
among the fresh Goals, and Fanny
could not resist the temptation Of
pausing moment to warm her chilled
fingers and watch the greenish-purple
spires of flame shoot merrily up the
chimney, until she heard her hus-
bands voice calling her imperatively
Fanny, Fanny, what are you
doing?"
'..Oh, dear" thought the wife, as
she ran up the stairs, 81 wish Frank
wouldn't be SO cross. He's always in
hurry"
Little Mrs. Chickerly never stopped
to think that the real reason was
that she, his wife, was never "in a
hurry"
The needle threaded, the thimble
fitted on, an appropriate button was
next to be selected.
"Oh, dear, Frank, I haven't one the
right sizel"
"Sew on what you have then, but
be quickr'
But Fanny was quite certain there
was 'just the right button" some-
where in her work basket, aud stopped
20 search fer ii.
'"There, told you sol size cried,
triumphantly holding = ~ ca the
point os her needle.
'Weli, well, sew il ca quick" said
Mr.. Chicker.y, glancing OF his wstch
rervously.
"That's JUS. your worrying way,
Frank, as if anybody could sew but
ton on we'll in hurry. There! My
needle has come unthreaded."
''Oh, Fanny, Fanny" sighed her
husband, fairly out of patience at last,
"why didn't you do it last night, as !
begged of youP l shall miss the train
and what little chance we had of
place in Aunt Elizabeth's will will be
sacrificed to your miserable habit OF
being always behindhand."
Fanny gave him the shirt and be-
gan to whimper Il little, but Mr..
Chickerly had neither the time nor
the inclination to pause to soothe her
petulant manifestations of grief. He
finished his dressing, caught up his
valise with hurriedly-spoken good
by, and ran down the stairs two steps
at time into the street.
"There he goes, murmured Fanny,
''and he's gone away cross with me,
and all for nothing but miserable
button! ] wish there wasn't such n
thing as button in the world!" "a
wish which, we much misdoubt, many
another wife than Mrs. Fanny Chick
erly has echoed, with perhaps better
reason.
Mrs. Chickerly was sitting down to
her little dinner a Ia solitaire, with a
daintily Drowned chicken. tum bier
of currant jelly, and curly bunch of
celery ranged before her. when, to
her surprise, the door opened and in
walked her lord and husband.
"Why, Frank. where on earth did
you como from?" cried the astonished
wife.
"From the Office" coolly answered
Mr.. Chickerly.
"But thought you were Off for
Scenersville in such hurry"
81 found myself just five minutes
too late for the train, after having run
all the way to the depot"
"Oh, that was too bad"
Chickerly smiled little as he be.
gan to carve the chicken.
"Yes, was little annoyed at first
it did seem rather provoking to be
kept at home by only button"
"What are you going to do?"
"Why, shall make second start
tomorrow"
"I'll see to it that your breakfast il
ready this time, to the second, and all
your wardrobe in trim," said Fanny
rather relieved at the prospect Of 6
chance Of retrieving her character.
"You need not. have engaged {