Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1895-03-22

luNC w tAhS SeSA ~
OF them for the rest of their lives. Ac-
cording to public opinion, Laura was
a giddy, idle, fun-loving girl, who
knew nothing Of taking care OF a
house, or husband either; and Har-
low--well, he hadn't wit enough to
earn his salt, much less porridge for
two. Pretty housekeeping there
would be with such pair at the head!
Besides Laura was spendthrift, just
as her father had been before her.
Look how she had squandered the
little he had left. in fine gowns to get
married in, instead of investing it in
something useful, or putting it out At
interest. And then the dear pub
lie. washed its hands of the young
couple altogether, and took up some
thing else for charitable comment.
nished up little cottage and went
to housekeeping. Their wedding.
presents made avery pretty show in
the little parlor and the brio a brac
filed the bay window. 1t WASH Y
style, of course, but these were just
pair OF real human people who had
started out to picnic through life and
were not bothered about style and
conventionalities.
Laura's dear friends were right.
She was no housekeeper, ard poor
Harlow sat down to many an lll-
cooked meal while she was learning
the chemical process by which the
raw material was to be converted
into delicious and nourishing food.
He could not blame her mother. for
she had died when Laura was a baby,
anyone. They had agreed to picnic
through life, and a picnic it was. Be
sides, he made errors in the counting
room where he was employed that
nearly cost him his situation, and
they were both learning. Laura set
before him one day plate of biscuits.
made them all out of my own
lead, and had enough wood left to
make another batch, y she said 1nerrily.
y stone, you mean. sweetheart.
They are just like the biscuits mother
& used to make" answered Harlow.
Laura threw one at him, and he re-
marked, facetiously, that it was the
same one that Mrs. Noah saved from
the ark.
There were more failures, and
laura sometimes shed few tears of
<exation in secret. and then there
were more attempts, and at last sue
cess came to stay. The cooking was
conquered, and Laura had won a
fraduates laurels. She invited her
friends to dinners and teas, which
were highly praised, and old house
keepers asked for her recipes.
Now, strange as it may be, there is
nothing so insipid as the dead level
calm of happiness. Pain is healthful
compared to the monotony of con-
slant calm and sunshine, and Laura
was beginning to yawn little and
feel bored now that everything was
adjusted, and she was mistress of the
situation.
But nothing disturbed the two.
married lovers, until one day
Harlow went home and told Laura
he felt queer.
Not going to be i'll, hope, she
asked anxiously.
''No, but my head is dizzy"
'iBeen riding in the elevator?"
Not more than usual But notice
nat when / am at the books the fig
tres swim before my eyes.
"A determination of arithmetic to
the brain"
Perhaps. It's queer.and disagree
able, though"
This was all the preparation she
mad when week later Harlow came
in, cropping his way.
Laura! My God, I'm blind!'
He nearly fell into her extended
arms. She led him to a chair, and
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