The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1903-10-30
ONE TOUCH
OF
NATURE.


before We we're married. ! knew quite
we'll thai II would not last long The
house lis not big enough to hold your
mother and me, and one OF MS has got
20 find other quarters She's your
mother and / haven't word to say
aBninst her, but we don't get on to-
gether. and that's the whole truth Of
the matter"
John Ferguson looked down at his
gife with a little furrow of perplexity
on bis sunburnt forehead
lyon might have told me so before,
Eellie.~ he said THE Pearl sails to-
night, as you know we'll enough and
there's no chance for me TO do any
thing My mother is a good woman,
and as easy to live with as most people,
take IL"
9Oh, Of course it's all my fault"
Il don't say whose fault it is, but
don't know what you expect me to do
I can't turn the poor old soul out into
the street at a minutes notice. She
dOesn't deserve that sort of treatment
from me"
@eAnd I'm not asking it, John. I'm
not unreasonable. If you we're at home
always things would be different per-
haps. bnt you'll be away for six
months certain, and maybe longer, and
we shall quarrel all the time. l can't
stand it, indeed But l don't wish her
TO he turned out I'll go myself Steph-
en- WIN be very glad to have me back
again for the time you are away"
Your brother has his housekeeper
-ss'
Yes. but she does not make him
comfortable. and he told me yesterday
Tnat he only wished for his own sake,
though not for mine, that I had re-
Eua1ned single said I would go and
keep house for him again, and he was
ever Sd glad about it"
@.And the baby-will he care to be
bothered with a young child?"
On he won't mind! Why should
Heg"
Captain Ferguson considered for a
moment
Mother will be very lonely" he said
at Inst-
'-Oh, no. She never minded it before
YOU were married" said his wife, has
lily
Perhaps not, but she is three years
older since then. Well, you can do as
you like, Nell. / shall not prevent you.
lust please yourself"
And you are not angry?"
@.Angry? On. mol"
~ vexed?"
He smiled a little bitterly.
I'm not exactly gratifed," he said
at isn't likely | should be- But that
makes no difference, of course. l will
tell mother, and put things straight
with her. She is very fond of little
Nellie. and will miss the child a good
deal, hut that can't be helped. Poor
Old uT1tl1er."
Il shall come and see her sometimes,
of course. John"
ooh. you viii? Well, that is some
thing
Il sam softly you are vexed, John"
~0hs never mind, my dear! l never
did IlFofess to understand women, but
it's a1 right"
Bxt MIS- Ferguson was not alto
gEther satisfied with her interview, with
her husband. She was very fond Of
him, and she could not help seeing that
he WIS deeply hurt and grieved He
WquId set out on his long voyage with
a sore heart, and it might even be that
he wuuld not return. She almost
wished that she had made up her mind
to bear with her mother-in-laws little
pecullaxities for Johns sake, but it
-waa ESQ late now; her pride would not
let her turn back.
~Ees all settled, Nell, said the cap
tain coming back to the little parlor
a Few minutes later You will do
fIEst what suits you, and my mother
VIII not interfere. And now l must be
going. my dear This is the longest
goodbye we nave said since our mar
rage. isn't it? There! Don't cry! III
be- hgaek by midsummer at the latest, SO
look ont for me when the roses are IN
bloom Goodbye, sweetheart"
Ell you'd rather I stayed, John"
BDbbed Nell, clinging to her husband in
q. last long embrace.
mo, I'd rather leave you happy, my
dear girl, and mother says she can
manage alone. Now, no more tears II
Won love me! Once more, good-byel'
he WAS gone and his wife. sobbing
r-e r,..e ~.-. Tho r1a bo,.ao- D. t.. ,,f,r-