Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1904-01-20

It'll all come right in the end, only
get thinking that we've very little
money left, and you can't get work,
and there's nothing but abject poverty
before us, and perhaps, being our we'd
ding day tomorrow, made me feel a
bit sore, for fear it may be the last
one We'll see in a home of our own.
But after ali. things may turn out bet
ter than we think; maybe you'll get
job one of these days soon. Don't
worry, old man, you've done all you
could, and I've no right to be banker
ing after primroses when I've got a
roof, and food, and you-more, far
more, than many another woman has.
See, the fire is dead out; come along,
we'll go to bed
4. But long after his wife slept. John
Renshaw tossed from side to side
sleepless, thinking of all she had said
He had never suspected her hidden
longing for the country and it's flow
ers He had always known she en-
joyed the country life she had lived
for so many years, but never before
had he suspected how the days she
was forced to spend in the dreary room
she now called home tired and tried
her. On one point only was he now
certain He must somehow manage
to get some primroses for Susan on
the anniversary Of her wedding day.
He could not buy them, the sum of
money between him and utter desti-
tuition was so small 1t must be care
fully guarded; but none the less he
must get the flowers. He would jour-
ney to the country tomorrow and see
if he could not get a job and receive
payment for it in primroses. ANY
how" he thought to himself, as he at
last fell asleep, sit won't be for want
of trying if tomorrow night she hasn't
got her priInroses."
So in the early morning light he
whispered to his wife that he was go
ing after job, and started. He walk
ed for a long way before he left the
densely packed buildings behind, but
by degrees the roads grew wider and
the houses farther apart. Then they
began to have little gardens in front
Of them, and here and there were
spaces as yet untouched by the hand
of the builder. In some of the little
gardens he saw primroses, but not
very many, and with his mind full
of the yellow carpet of them in his
own village, he scOrned them. AS he
went on the surroundings became
more and more countrified. Trees, ra-
diant in their new spring attire of
bright green, were on either side, anG
the houses stood quite long way
back from the road.
Suddenly he came to a stop; surely
here was what he sought; here was
the end of his journey. The white
house before which he stood had
Primrose Cottage" painted on it's
gate, and the name was deserved.
Primroses bordered the path up to
the door, primroses filled the boxes in
front of each low, wide window, clus-
ters of primroses filled the beds on
either side of the well-kept lawn, and
their golden heads showed themselves
here and there among the grass.
The old man opened the gate and
entered. He was just going to ring
the bell when lady came out OF
summer house in a corner Of the
garden.
"Do you want anything?" she asked,
kindly.
John touched his hat. eff you
please" he said, humbly, would you
let me do some work for you? | csSl
black boots or clean knives, or weed.
or anything you like. don't want
money, if you will only let me have
bunch of those" He pointed to the
primroses.
The lady stared at him in surprise.
II don't quite understand" she
said.
John opened his mouth to explain,
but no words came. horrible feel
ing of faintness overpowered him. He
forgot what he wanted; he only re-
membered that he had left home early
without any breakfast, and that he had
been walking for hours along hard
and dusty road. He tottered and
would have fallen had not the lady
supported him.
When he knew what was happen
ing again he was sitting in an arm
chair, and by his side was a dish of
soup.
"You were faint" said the lady,
kindly; "you must take this soup be-
fore you tell me anything more"
The warm, strong soup soon revived
him, and then Mrs. Munroe called
her husband, and together they lis
tened to his story
Long before he had finished tears
were raining down her face, for,
helped by her gentle questioning, he
told her everything.
"Of course you >shall have prim-
roses, as many as you like, to take
to vour wife" she said brOkenly