The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1904-04-22
Obe Wife's Experiment.
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By A. NJ.

well, my dear" said William Stan
ley to his wife. Il think if you will
get out my satchel and fill it, will run
off to town for few days"
"Ah." said Mrs. Stanley, arching
her eyebrows. "On business?"
mo, not particularly" he replied.
like to go occasionally; and | sup
pmed that this week would be quite
as convenient time, all things con-
sidered, as l could choose"
So, with the belief that William
that he did not care to trouble her
about, like the confding, trusting
wife that she was, she packed the
satchel, dropping into it one item
that had not been called fora tear,
shed at the thought of her coming
loneliness.
!, "Silly child that l ami" she said,
hastily wjping her eyes. 1.-TWO wnole
years a wife, and still so childish!
I'll dry my tears, and be no longer
foolish. And yet, would he have gone
away so coOlly year ago for no par
ticular reason, except that he liked
to go occasionally?' Is he firing OF
me-me-who meant to be to MN
the best of wives, and make his home
like no other place on earth, that ne
must leave ne for SO paltry rea-
SOM" And pretty Mrs. Stanley looked
quite detected as she went about her
work and sought to drown unpleasant
re- io hn
duties.
William Stanley took the next train
for town, telling his wife with a good
humored, yet meaning smile, that ne
should "be back again quite as soon
as she would be glad to seee him..
"Gone!" she calculated; "and for
how long a time | know not. HOW
dreary the house seems! And how
Ashall | spend all these weary days!
NV homework is but little, and now
that there is only myself to care for,
will take but a few hours OF the day.
Let me see! I'll take up some OF
my girlish occupations. There is the
ottoman cover, that never was nm
ished; that pencil drawing OF the Old
homestead that | was to complete
and get framed; that handkerchief
.half hemstitched for mother; and then
Those songs that William bought for
me the other day. All, | will finish
these odd jobs. Then they will be
off my mind and l shall be so busy
that | shall not have time to be mis-
cradle What happy thought! Now,
if l were a real heroine, l should lie
on the lounge al day, en- deshabllle,
with not q thought for anything but
myself. thinking, all the time, that
would not if l could, be gay No,
mo; nothing of that kind will do for
sme Away with melancholy! sang
the little lady, as she took the buster
and proceeded to dust the parlor.
Her morning work finished she
went upstairs into the little ante
room, where things long forgotten
were stored. Opening an old trunk
she seated herself on a small trunk
and commenced a review of it's con-
tents. A neat pasteboard box held
/, Ahe cloth and the gay worsteds with
which the ottoman cover was to have
been worked The sight of these re-
newed many youthful days, and she
searched the trunk to the bottom to
see what else it might hold that had
been forgotten since she left her child
hoods home. Here was bundle or
letters from her schoolmates-full OF
demonstrations of lasting friendship
friendship that had not outlived the
goor little notepaper that had testi-
fed TO it's existence. Opening them
she became absorbed in their con-
tents. and hour after hour rolled by.
We'll, well, have had two pleas
ant hours and have lived over some
happy days. said Mrs. Stanley. "Af-
ter dinner | will certainly commence
sthe work have planned"
! All the afternoon her fingers flew
merrily over the canvas, and at eve
ming the task was nearly completed.
"One hour more of work, and there
will he one bit more OF furniture to
surprise William with when he re-
turns When he returns. Let me see
that will probably be in about three
nr four days. oh, dear, wnat long
tin,e, know | shall have the blues
before he gets home. Well, ! will
try and keep them off with employ