Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1897-03-15


my hands
Surely it was desperate situation.
engaged trained nurse to wait Oh
the sick, hut I could net expect her to
look after me too. The little comforts
to which { had been accustomed dropped
away one By one.
If Only my wife was herel'
My wife!
Yes, I had been married-in fact, I
was still married. Ard this, too, is a
strange story.
My wife was an only child, spoiled
by rich and indulgent parents. When ]
tcck her to my modest home, I discov-
cred that she had many little faults
all women have-and thought could
wean her away from them. The big
faults, of course, [ was willing to con-
done, for they were part OF the bargain.
My wife was a bit gay, a bit frivolous,
bit stubborn and a bit too fond of
dress But I loved her with all my
heart, and she loved me- And because l
loved her I endeavored to cure her of
these little impe1fections.
It 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 a long letter, expressing re-
greet that my wife could not live with
me and advising that we had better
separate
I might have applied for a divorce,
but could not bring myself to Go it, and
the other side took no steps for a legal
separation.
My life became dreary and sad, andI
believe I was on the short road to hypo-
chondria
Mouse came just in tie 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 I said more than
once, what have you done?'
There were days when I dreaded to
go home-two sickbeds, nothing to eat
for myself; forsooth, cherries, lonely
home
When I sat down by Jchanna'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-
ed my way hoIneward. [ thought of
Mouse, CT Johanna of the trained nurse
and was in the worst possible humor.
Opening the door with my latchkey, !
hung my CyercCat on the rack and made
more noise than was necessary in tax
ing off my rubber shoes went into the
dining rCcln, and
Had johanna Ecen proving 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 enc side; Oh the other, my EOX Of CT
gars, the ash tray and the matches.
Just as johanna was went to arrange
things in the seed old days, before hap
less Mouse intcrfered.
I went into the next room, where
Mouse was kept. The lamplight was
muf1led, hut in the semida1kpcss l rec
ognizcd the form Of the trained nurse
bending over the baby's crib.
1.-THE trained nursel Was [ dream
ing? Encw that head, with the dain-
thy nodded check, tie rich blond hair,
gracefully arranged at the back.
l had kissed it many times. A step,
and I was near her. 'sAnnaF' I cried.
My vife!'
I caught her in my arms. She pressed
her head TO my trcast and whispered:
Richard, forgive me!''
It was ret dream Il was sweet re-
ality. Again the lovely woman in my
arms whispers:
"Can yCu scrgive me, Richard?"
II aS11 w lie l,c1s
and listen to the story Of her coming.
Johanna had written her III what
plight I was She had told her about
the coming Of Mouse, the child's illness
and Ler own, ard my helpless condition
i'll the face CT all this trouble And then
Johanna had lcctared her about the
great virtue Of forbearance ard other
wholesome truths with regard to the
married life CT two people who i'll reali-
ty loved each other.
The old woman S words went straight
to Annals heart. She came, and I held
her in my arms and begged her to stay
forever.
By this time Mouse had been aroused
from his peaceful slu1nber. When he
saw me, he stretched cut his little arms,
and | tcok him and laid him into those
of my wife.
''Will you be mother to him?'
asked
81 will love him as you de- 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 Mcuse.-Frcm the German
For st. Louis Republic.
Cur Forefathers' Rocks.