Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1905-12-13
Observation-Disclosures
Mrs. Perry's Grievance
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pound grievance: Alfred chose to
come to this lonely. out-of-the-way
place, where was sure there was no
society. did not like the town itself,
and l did not like this nelghborhood
nor the house, and made up my
mind that | should not like the peo-
pie. They called on me very soon
after l got settled, and was Just as
horrid as l could be to them. told
them how lonesome and homesick |
was and how l disliked the country,
and Dragged about my life in the city
and of all the advantages had there.
After my callers went 1 4old Alfred
how countrytied and boorish thought
them, and l declared that l never
would return their calls. Poor Alfred,
what he had to endure! thought
the country was good place to wear
out my old clothes, so l wore old
gowns that had seen better DAYS. and
looked like fright, especially as
| neglected my hair and wore shabby
old slippers.
The doctor came out to see AL
fred and he looked puzzled and shook
his head. II don't see why he doesn't
gain more" he said, and he looked at
me sharply and with a CLEAN of sus-
picion in his eyes.
"I don't like to think of that time.
The neighbors did not call second
time, of course, and was really yery
lonely, though did not admit it. and
kept saying how glad l was not to be
bothered by them. could see All.
fred was getting worse instead of bet.
ter, and / knew the doctor thought /
was somehow to blame for 1t. never
was so wretched in my life. l began
to be really alarmed about my hus.
band, and it was when got nv
mind off myself that the revelation
came.
"It was one night after one OF
Alfred's very worst days that Law
awake worrying about him. At last
fell asleep, and had az dream, OF
a vision, don't know which to call
it. seemed to be in graveyard,
and there was one stone that l seem
ed to be drawn toward. expected to
see my husbands name on it, and /
trembled with fear, but drew nearer
and looked. l saw my own name, and
below it read these words: my Lady ).
Disdain. No one loved her in life nor
mourned her in death. and no one
was ever made happy by her."
~ awoke with start, and there
was no more sleep for me that night.
looked at myself as If l had been
some one else, and saw that If l
kept on as l had begun my epitaph
would be true one. ThenI realized
what was the trouble with Alfred.
My gloomy, fault-finding, depressing
atmosphere was having its effect OIL
him. AS soon as it was light looked
at his sleeping face, and was terri
fled, lie looked so worn and pale anG
unhappy. was sick with fear. Had
l learned my lesson too late?
lit was hard TO appear cheerful
and hopeful when there was such n
fear at my heart, but somehow
strength was given me to do it, and
you don't know how thankful was
that first day when | made Alfred
understanding he had not done for
weeks. played to him and read tc
him, and in the afternoon when he
took his nap went out and called on
one of the neighbOrs, and every day
when | could returned one of the calls
had received. 1t was hard for me
to do IT, remembering how disdainful
and rude had been, but they were
all so kind and forgiving and did not
seem to remember the first impress
sion.
Soon the neighbors began ia
drop in often, and this helped to
cheer Alfred up, and the next time
the doctor came he was, surprised at
the Improvement in his patient. Ho
looked me over from top to toe-I
had changed my appearance great
deal-and then he nodded his head
approvingly and muttered, 81 though;
So" did not ask him what he meant
because l knew. a
THAT dream has made such diff
ference in my life, Aunt Asenatll-
yes, and in the lives of others, too
shudder to think what | would have
been by this time if l had not had
that experience
Don't waste any shudders GA
that l says. Something else would
have put you on the right track, bus
OF course the vision you had made &
quicker cure. You are one Of the
kind that can take hint Now, lot.
of folks can't, and in your place they
would have kept right OIL as you be
gun, and then would have blamed ev.
erybody under the sun but themselves
for their misery
We'll, she says, I'm glad founS
the guilty person. And what do you
think, Aunt Asenath? have got so
like the town and the neighborhood
and the house and the people-yes, the
people most of all. Besides all that,
I'm going to like the country pretty
soon, too-in about another month, l
think and she laughed.
1.-The difference is all in YOURSELF
says. Most generally when folks
hate everything and everybody in
sight, the troubles all with them
selves. If they'd only see it and hate
themselves for awhile it would make
all the difference in the world to 'em,
and to everybody else that has to live
with 'em or see EN- Rural New
Yorker.