Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1899-04-20
in the sunshine of our love and was

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 an
other blow came severer even than
Mouse's illness. Ny old faithful SER
want had caught the infection and had
to take to her bed.
There I was, helpless man, with
an ill woman and convalescent babe
on my hands.
Surely it was a desperate situation.
L engaged q trained nurse to wait
on the sick, but [ could not expect
her to look after me too. The little
comforts to which 1 had been accus-
toned dropped away one by one.
eff only my wife was here!'
My wife!
Yes, had been married-in fact, I
was still married. And this, too, is a
strange story.
My wife was an only child, spoiled
by rich and indulgent parents. When
I took her to my modest home I dis
covered that she had many little faults
all women have-and I thought |
could wean her away from them. The
big faults, of course, was willing to
condone, for they were part of the
bargain.
My wife was a bit gay, bit frivol-
Gus, bit stubborn and bit too fond
of dress. But [ loved her with all my
heart, and she loved me. And be-
cause [ loved her I endeavored to cure
her of these little imperfections.
1t was q difficult piece of work.
Sharp words were spoken on one side,
tears shed on the other, and the up
shot of the matter was that one day
my wife left me and returned to her
parents. They wrote me a long letter
expressing regret that my wife could
not live with me.
Ny life became dreary and sad,
and [ believe I was on the short road
to hypochondria.
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" 1 said
more than once, ''what have you
done?"
There were days when I dreaded to
go home-tvo sickbeds, nothing TO cat
for myself; forsooth, a cherries,
lonely home.
When SAT down by Johanna's bed,
she tried to console ne ao best she
could, but her cheerful words fell
upon deaf ears.
One evening in March again wendell
nay 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, hung my overcoat on the
rack and made more noise than was
necessary in taking off my rubber
shoes. I 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; on
the other, my box of cigars, the ash
tray and the matches. Just as Johanna
was wont to arrange things in the good
old days, before Mouse interfered.
went into the next room where
Mouse was kept The lamplight was
mutied, but in the semi darkdess I
recognized the form of the trained
nurse bending over the baby's crib.
"The trained nursel Was I dream
ing? L knew that head, with the
dainty nodded cheek, the rich blond
hair, gracefully arranged at the back. 4"
I had kissed it many times. A step,
and was near her.
"Anna" I cried. "My wife!'
Icaught her inany arms. She pressed
her head to my breast and whis-
pered--
Richard, forgive mel"
1t was not dream. 1t was sweet
reality. 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 in what a
plight was. She had told her about
the coming of Mouse, the child's ILL
ness 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 re-
gard to the married life of two people
who in reality loved each other.
The''old woman's words went straight
to Annals heart. She came, and held
her in 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 took him and laid him
into those of my wife.
"Will you be a mother to him?" I
asked.
81 will love him as you do" an.
swered the sweet woman by my side.
And thus peace has once more come
into my house.
And +ho oo,ao 80 - I'll -,,aa NJ.