Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1907-07-25
The Training Of a Bride


Margaret's wedding day was set.
| One afternoon We went calling. Mrs.
| Hobart came to the door limped and
| detected
I'm nearly dead" she sighed. Il
| was up half the night with Freddie.
| It's always the woman who sits up
| half the night with babies. You can
work yourself sick for man and
wear yourself out bringing up his chill
dren, and that's all the thanks you'll
| get It's all honey till they get you.
| Oh men are all alike!"
Margaret flushed | said something
| foolish, and we cut our call short.
Mrs. Lee opened the door with a
| bang that told of things on edge. The
frown clouded her whole face.
tTake that chair, Margaret. 1t does
my eyes good to look at you. How
fresh and young you are. Look at me,
q faded old woman at twenty-five! II
had it to do over again | wouldn' t
marry the best man living. Men will
turn things topsy-turvy to be nice to
you before you're tied to em, but af-
terward-they're all alike!"
'Do you suppose they are really all
alike?" sighed Margaret, as we left the
house.
Mrs. Jones was ripping up an old
black dress. She brought it into the
parlor that she might continue her
ripping
81 haven't a thing to wear she
complained. 'This is a dress that
had before I was married, when | was
earning my own money and could have
what l wanted. Margaret. if you ever
have to marry, marry money. Don't
take mans word for it, either. Get
your hands on the cash"
I hurried the girl away. This adj
vice from wives was beginning to tell
on her. ran my eyes down the call
ing list and skipped the most unprom-
ising. ''There is Mrs. w. K. V. Yates;
she has mere money than she knows
what to do with. Maybe she'll sing a
different tune"
Mrs. Yates rustled into the room
where we had been stationed
"Dear little girl" she said, as she
took Margaret's hand; then suddenly
she stopped and kissed Margaret's
cheek "Once | had roses like that, "
she sighed, When she lifted her face
there were tears in her eyes.
AS we rose to go our hostess patted
Margarets hand softly with her jew
eled fingers. "Soon some one will be
begging the gift of this little hand"
she said. "Put it off as long as you
can, my dear; marriage at the best
is a lottery"
"Oh!" moaned Margaret as we went
down the marble steps. "These mar
ried women are so unhappy, it makes
me afraid"
I, husbandless and inexperienced,
had done all could. Now, Jane was
my only hope.
Jane, dear old Jane, came to the
door like a ray of sunshine. A fuzzy
headed baby chung to her skirts and a
yellow-haired little girl shone in the
background.
"All dressed up in your BEST" she
laughed, shaking my hand in her firm
and capable one. Something must be
going to happen"
"Someth zig has happened" | grum-
bled. But the money of those other
women began to fade in the presence
of Jane.
what a darling baby!" cried Mar
garet. the color rushing back into her
cheeks.
"He is mothers buster" cried Jane,
catching him up in her arms. Daddy
thinks he is the only boy In the
world" Margaret sank into chair
and took a long breath.
"You are happy, aren't you?" she
cried TREMENDOUSLY.
Happy? Why shouldn't be?
have the best husband in the world
and two children. What more could
woman ask"
"You are as pink and white as you
were at eighteen" l broke out jubi
lantly. You are. l remember"
81 eat well, sleep we'll, and I'm
happy"
''And you don't wish you were sin
|
"Why, ney dear child, l have quite
forgotten how it feels to be single. II
must feel terribly lonely. But why dc
you ask?"
And because she was Jane Of thirty
five, with heart and color Of eigh
teen, Margaret told her sweet love Sc
cret.
Then Jane, because she was Jane
and wife and the right kind of
wife, put two strong hands on Mar
garet's shoulders and looked dowI
deep into her eyes and said softly ant
earnestly:
81 am so glad for you, my dear, sc
glad Don't keep him waiting, and
God bless you both! "-Cynthia Grey
In Louisville Herald.
| Ouaen Aiexandra'e Treasures.