Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1905-07-01
n 6esf Of
Disposition
IOriginal.1

met Miss Caroline Kennedy in the
country during the summer and was
thrown with her for one week only,
but since every hour was spent in
dreaming the happy hours away" the
seven days counted for a good deal.
We lived in the sunshine, walking
through fields teeming with chirping
insects, through woods alive with sing
ing birds, drove over hill and dale and
foated on water that now sparkled
in the sun, now flowed languidly under
overhanging trees
When we parted / had asked Miss
Kennedy to be my life companion, and
she had consented conditionally. ''This
is not the humdrum of life," she said.
Here all is rose colored. wish to
see il you, having arisen on gloomy
winter morning, dressed in cold
room, gone to business in a piercing
wind laden with snowfiakes, been har-
assed by business details during the
day, will be cheerful and companiona-
BILE during the evening"
There was so much good sense in all
this that I acquiesced at once and
asked her for her plan.
You shall take up your residence in
our house in the city for one month.
During that time we will live under
the same roof, and our dispositions will
be laid bare to each other"
To this l agreed and after a dozen or
more kisses left her, not to see her
again till the middle of November,
when was to spend the trial month at
her house.
/ am an amiable man when nothing
occurs to irritate me, rather impatient
and irascible for the moment, though
cloud is followed by sunshine in quick
succession. During the month I spent
III Miss Kennedy's home l confess l
was always on my guard. / made it a
point to come down to breakfast in a
happy mood, and on returning in the
evening from business, no matter what
had been the annoyances Of the day, l
was in an excellent humor. 1t occurred
to me that the test was a farce be-
cause was always prepared. The
feminine stupidity of my ladylove in
considering it Of value was very charm
ing to me.
On the evening before the month was
up I came home from business after
dark to find the house unusually cold
and cherries. The lights had not
been lighted and some one had left a
window up in the drawing room, for
could feel the raw air pouring in. I
went into the room and started to 60
across the floor to put down the win
dow. On the way I ran my instep-a
very tender spot-against the rocker of
q chair.
I am not habitually used to swearing,
but the pain on this occasion drew
forth an oath. was terror stricken
at remembering that some one might
have heard me- 1 listened, but could
not hear a sound in the house.
"All out shopping, suppose" I NUT
tered. "But why they wanted to leave
such an uncomfortable house for man
10 come nome TO can see.
I pushed forward, struck table and
heard the cracking Of broken glass on
the floor. l knew that had knocked
over lamp globe of considerable value
and well, swore.
Stepping on the broken glass that
cracked again under my feet, went
on toward the window and struck one
Of those delicate stands used for bric-a-
brac. I cursed that idiosyncrasy of
women which leads them to put such
fragile articles in mems way, and by
this time 1t seemed impossible for me
to find words lurid enough to express
my dissatisfaction. rrsr g
/ made up my mind to- first close the
window, then strike light, then clear
away the rubbish. Suddenly remem-
bering that l was still on trial, 1
braced myself to be ready when the
ladies came in, with smile at my dis
comfiture and a quiet, well mo1ulated
reference as to what would do to
make good the loss. Unfortunately,
before the window, a south exposure,
were number of plants perched on
rests especially fitted to be knocked
over, and, reaching for the sack, up
set flowerpot, which broke to pieces
and, knew, covered the floor with
earth.
Since there was no one to hear me,
showed my wrath, closed the window
and started away from it to strike my
nose on the edge of an open door. The
pain I suffered brought forth more ex.
pletives. Feeling faint, felt my way
along the wall to the sofa and was
about to throw myself upon it when
put my hand against a soft, warm
cheek.
''Is that you, dear? asked Miss Ken
nedy, as If awakened from slumber.
stammered a reply, wondering If
she had been sleeping during the exhi-
bition Of my disposition" and hoping
she had been.
why, it's dark" she said. Having
headache, went to sleep under the
afghan, with the window up for fresh
air. l must have slept more than an
hour"