Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-04-10

came severer even than Mouse illness.
My old faithful servant had caught the
infection and had to take to her bed.
There was, a helpless man, with an
ill woman and a convalescent babe on
my hands.
Surely it was desperate situation.
I engaged trained nurse to wait on
the sick, but could not expect her to
look after ne too. The little comforts
to which had been accustomed dropped
away one by one.
IF only my wife was herep'
My wifel
Yes, had been married-in fact, l
was still married. And this, too, is a
strange story.
My wife was an only child, spoiled
by rich and indulgent parents. When l
took her to my modest home, l discov-
cred that she had many little faults
all women have-and thought I could
wean her away from them. The big
faults, of course, I was willing to con-
done, for they were part of the bargain.
My wife was a bit gay, a bit frivolous,
bit stubborn and bit too fond of
dress. But loved her with all my
heart, and she loved me. And because I
loved her I endeavored to cure her of
these little imperfections.
1t was difficult piece of work. Sharp
words were spoken on one side, tears
shed on the other, and the upshot of the
matter was that one day my wife left
me and returned to her parents. They
wrote me long letter, expressing re-
greet that my wife could not live with
me and advising that we had, better
separate.
1 might have applied for a divorce,
but could not bring myself to do it, and
the other side took no steps for legal
separation.
My life became dreary and sad, and
believe l was ON the short road to hypo-
chondria.
Mouse came just in the nick Of time
and saved me from that fate. I gave
him all my love, and he was all the
world to me.
But my present dilemma was due to
the coming of the little castaway.
Mouse, Mouse" / said more than
once, what have you done?"
There were days when 1 dreaded to
60 home-two sickbeds, nothing to eat
for myself; forsooth, cherries, lonely
home.
When sat down by Johanna's bed,
she tried to console me as best she could,
but her cheerful words fell upon deaf
ears.
One evening in March again wend-
cd my way homeward. I thought of
Mouse, Of Johanna, of the trained nurse,
and was in the worst possible humor.
Opening the door with my latchkey, I
hung my overcoat on the rack and made
more noise than was necessary in TAX
ing off my rubber shoes. Iwent into the
dining room, and
Had Johanna been prowling about in
spite of the doctors express orders to
remain in bed? The tea steamed over
the alcohol lamp. There were fresh bread
and golden butter, ham, cold roast beef;
the evening papers We're nicely stacked
on one side; Oh the other, my box Of ci
gars, the ash tray and the matches.
Just as Johanna was wont to arrange
things in the good old days, before hap
less Mouse interfered.
I went into the next room, where
Mouse was kept. The lamplight was
muffled, but in the semidarkness I rec
ognized the form Of the trained nurse
bending over the baby's crib.
The trained nurse! Was I dream
ing? knew that head, with the dain-
tily nodded cheek, the rich blond hair,
gracefully arranged at the back.
I had kissed it many times A step,
and I was near her. "Anna" I cried
"My wifep'
I caught her in my arms. She pressed
her head to my breast and whispered:
Richard, forgive metz
1t was not a dream. 1t was sweet re-
ality. Again the lovely woman in my
arms whispers:
"Can you forgive me, Richard?"
I can only kiss her again and again
and listen to the story of her coming.
Johanna had written her i'll what
plight was. She had told her about
the coming of Mouse, the child's illness
and her own, and my helpless condition
in the face Of all this trouble. And then
Johanna had lectured her about the
great virtue Of forbearance and other
wholesome truths with regard to the
married life Of two people who in reali-
ty loved each other.
The old woman s words went straight
to Annals heart. She came, and l held
her i'll my arms and begged her to stay
forever.
By this time Mouse had been aroused
from his peaceful slumber. When he
saw me, he stretched out his little arms
and I took him and laid him into those
Of my wife.
"Will you be a mother to him?' I
asked.
II will love him as you do" an
swered the sweet woman by my side.
And thus peace has once more come in
to my house.
And the cause Of it all was-Mouse.
Blessed Mouse! From the German
For st. Louis Republic.
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