Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-03-14

his own grim amusement, Hannah!
delight, and the children's astonish
ment, he did his best to take up all hi:
wife's forsaken duties. She had no
exaggerated when she said that hel
house was full, and that she had no-
time TO think of herself. & thoUsan,
and n little tasks sprung up on every
side. Homework seemed TO him :
many-headed hydra. and one being
knocked off. another instantly ap.
peared in its place to distract and be.
wilder. Late in the afternoon. as he
sat down for a moment 70 rest, seeing
a spare quarter of an hour before il
was time to lay the table for supper,
a loud cutlery o below stairs. and
the twins appeared. bearing poor little
Mabel between them, a damp. dOleful
object. covered from head to foot with
mud. The children talked all to-
gether, at the top of their lungs, try
ing to explain how Harry had play
fully poked his sister, and how she had
lost her balance and had fallen head
foremost into the gutter, in the very
gutterest place, papa" and the poor
man tore his few remaining locks As
he bore his daughter off to the bath
room for a complete change of clothes.
involving the intricacies of buttons,
strings and pins all over again.
At $50 Mrs. Fenton returned. A
day spent principally in the open air
had proved a veritable tonic, and she
was a pleasant sight to see, with a
becoming color in her cheeks and eyes
unwontedly bright, as she tripped up
stairs lightly, in spite of her 40 years;
bursting into the nursery in such a
hustle and stir of good spirits that it
grated upon the nerves of her hus-
hand, PROSTATE upon the sofa after
the e~XhauSting program of mis- house
keeping.
The fun died out of her voice. though
not from her glance as she bent over
him, saying softly: poor, lear James!
Still in your morning dress? What
does this mean? / am afraid you are
getting into untidy ways"
Mr.. Fenton groaned by way of re-
ply.
''Mary," he murmured, feebly, after
"a moment. "Will you accept an hum
bled mans apology? | never dreamed
before what a never-ending round of
work a woman's life could be. I'm a
perfect wreck-but [ speak for myself.
You will never hear another word of
criticism from me if you look like a
rag bag"
Mary dropped a kiss on his fevered
brow. 1t was the seal of her forgive
ness. A quick look about the room
showed her its disorder, but she kept
her amusement to herself.
81 have had a busy day, too,' she
pursued, brightly, taking off her bon
net. First, your bills. The people
who owed them were so astonished
when a WOma walked in to collect
that they handed Over the money with
out a word. and before II o'clock my
pocketboOk was full. That was the
end of my duty. Business IS rather
amusing, James, [ think, and not too
! exciting, for it left me a good many
hours, you see. before it was time to
come home. so | went to Cousin Liz
, zie's."
James gave a start. Cousin Lizzie
was a butterfly of fashion, for whom
Mary's tongue was usually a lash of
scorn.
eyes, Cousin Lizzie. And l said,
Lizzie, 1 am not we'll dressed That's
no news says Lizzie. No, but |
want to be- says L. That's good
news says Lizzie. Put on your
q +hin0c , Co rc T GonI +,1-o J1n 70 ro,1r
tailor SO she did, and I've ordered
Il very smart gown, my dear, which is
quite equal to anything of any neigh
boris. a new bonnet and a cape. gloves
and boots and so on. And : have had
some corsets sent home from Mrs.
Van Dusen's own woman. You shall
never have occasion to complain of
me again, James. 'Well-groomed.' I
thank thee, Jim, for teaching me that
word"
AS she went into the closet to put
away her wraps, she stole a glance at
her husband. It found him in a state
of collapse, and in the remote depths
of that closet she broke into a little
furry of laughter Jnly to be heard
by the moth balls among the furs.
Just then the supper bell tinkled.
"Come!" called Mrs. Fenton, gayly.
pulling her husband up from the sofa.
They went and by tacit consent the
days doing dropped out of the con-
~versation.
James Fenton slept the sleep of a
penitent sinner that night, and the
morrow restored the old regime. But
the seed sown had dropped into good
ground, and the next Sunday morning
the head of the housekeeping depart
ment was mysteriously long over her
toilet. When she emerged at length
she was a vision of gored skirt, huge
sleeves, smart cape, wide bowed bon
net, new boots and gloves. Her hair
shone like satin and as for her figure
it was as trim and trIg as a fashion
plate. Mr., Fenton opened his mouth
But the children Shrieked with delight,
and pirouetted around the dazzling
apparition and curiosity.
= II say, isn't amm a daisy?' cried
Tommy, tossing his hat into the air.
Mabel crept up timidly, fingered the
folds of the 1aring skirt and looking
up into her mother vivid face, she
said, basitatingly:
care you pretty, mamma?"
mo, dear" answered Mary Fenton
demurely, "but 1 am Well groomed and
[ possess a very great charm