Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1897-04-03

his crib, and l bent over him with
breaking heart. Long nights of anxious
watching followed. At last care and
tender nursing drove death from the
door, and the doctor told me that the
danger was passed. But another blow
came severer even than Mouse's illness.
My old faithful servant had caught the
infection and had to take to her bed.
There I was, a helpless man, with an
ill woman and convalescent babe on
my hands.
Surely it was desperate situation.
[ engaged trained nurse to wait on
the sick, but could not expect her to
to which had been accustomed dropped
away one by one
{" If only my wife was here!'
My wife!
Yes, | had been married-in fact,
was still married. And this, too, is q
strange story.
My wife was al only child, spoiled
by rich and indulgent parents. When
took her to my modest home, I discov-
cred that she had many little faults
all women have-and thought could
Nean her away from them. The big
faults, of course, was willing to con-
done, for they were part OF the bargain.
My wife was bit gay, bit frivolous,
q bit stubborn and bit too fond of
dress. But I loved her with all my
heart, and she loved me. And because I
loved her endeavored to cure her of
these little imperfections
1t was difficult piece of W ork. Sharp
words We're 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-
gret that my wife could not live with
me and advising that we had better
separate.
might have applied for divorce,
but could not bring myself to do it, and
the other side took no steps for a legal
separation.
My life became dreary and sad, and 1
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 II. resent dilemma was due to
the coming of the little castaway.
Mouse, Mouse" I said more than
once, what have you done?'
There We're days when I dreaded to
,<1-
for myself; forsooth, a cheerless, lonely
home.
When I 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 I again wend-
ed my way homeward. 1 thought of
Mouse, of Johanna, of the trained nurse,
and was in the worst possible humor.
Opening the door with my latchkey, 1
hung my overcoat on the rack and made
more noise than was necessary in tax
ing off my rubber shoes. went 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 were nicely stacked
on one side; Oh the other, my box Of ci-
gars, the ash tray and the .
Just as Johanna was wont to
things in the good old days, befm> -.,p-
less Mouse interfered.
won't into tho povt roo,,, xpboro
Mouse was kept. The lamplight was
mutfied, but in the semidarkness 1 rec
ognized the form of the trained nurse
bending over the baby's crib.
''The trained nurse! Was I dream
ing? l knew that head, with the dain-
tily nodded cheek, the rich blond hair,
gracefully arranged at the back.
had kissed it many times. A step,
and was near her. "Annar' I cried.
"My wifel'
l caught her in my arms. She pressed
her head to my breast and whispered:
Richard, forgive me!''
1t was not dream. 1t was sweet re-
ality. Again the lovely woman in my
arms whispers:
"Can you forgive me, Richard?''
can only kiss her again and again
and listen to the story of her coming.
Johanna had written her in what a
plight was. She had told her about
the coming of Mouse, the child's illness
and her own, and my helpless condition
i'll 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 lifo of two people who in reali-
ty loved each other.
The old woman s words went straight
to Anna heart. She came, and | 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 l took him and laid him into those
of my wife.
"Will you be mother to him?"
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.
Tops are cut from pieces of box, ebony
or other hard wood by turning ma
chine. The machine is automatic and
turns the top complete from the handle