Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1907-11-14

| len into the habit so many married
couples do-the habit Of Wrangling,
! and showing our worst side to each
: other. Charity's new self CALLED me
more than if [ had known Of it before.
[ could not quite get used to this indie
| pendent woman, and was at times &C
tually homesick for my Charity, whose
every look and tone had been of wor-
ship.
l was going away for a week to at
tend a ministerial convention. At the
last I was interrupted, hurried and
worried until I quite lost my head.
Of course / was cross and unreason-
able with my wife, most unjustIy so;
but she answered almost nothing, and
1 noticed she was crying when at last
I grabbed my bag, flung myself out of
the door and was fairly off without a
word of goodby. Of course I was
brute / have not word Of anything
but censure for myself, but, o, L paid
for it; l am bound to believe that if
only l could have seen my wife in the
abandonment of her grief, after was
gone, it would have made a difference;
| would have humbled myself. AS it
was, however, | went off secretly cen
sciOus that I was all wrong with COD
and my wife, but too stubborn and
self conceited to own it. l returned to
my home one week later, returned to
find my wife gone. Every thing was
as usual, but beside my plate was a
note and this is what I read. I know
it all for every word was burned into
my soul. Good-by; 7 am going home
to fathers / have left you forever.
You are tired OF me because I can not
be gay while my heart is breaking,
am glad that in heaven there is
neither marrying nor giving in mar
riage E.-Charity.
Did I follow her and coax her
back? No, God forgive me, l did not!
At first was torn by contending emo
tons; crushed by remorse one mo
ment, furious the next; but this
said: Though I die Charity Ray
mond I will never humble myself to
call you back"
20, Mrs Illusion, if the evil one
ever tempts you as he tempted me
then, flee from him! From the store,
house of my womanhood experience,
let me exhort you to never let foolish
pride and seIfIove cruelty the angel of
the hearthstonel And remember that
there is no canker so eating as resent
ment cherished against those we love
! best.
| I announced that, my wife had gone
away for her health, resigned my pas
torate packed the goods (Charity had
taken nothing but her clothing and the
! life size portraits of our two children.)
and went forth a wandereT.
! For fifteen years l died daily, as it
we're, I tried all kinds of business and
! all kinds of pleasure. but each new day
found the weight on my heart not one
whit lightened: found my stubborn
will not one whit broken my head and
nay heart might suffer but my pride
and my will must be sustained
| Among all the Raymonds to my know
| ledge there had never been anything
! like this: no husband and wife had
parted; no scandal had ever attacked
our time honored name.
/ SOMETHING'S when the heart hunger
grew uncomfortable. I had to recount al
his to myself pretty often to keep VI
ny pride but it usually had the de
sired effect untiI-well. it was the day
before Thanksgiving years
| since I returned to my deserted home
was doing real estate busipess and
boarding in private family. Somewa!
lis year their festal preparation:
allied me more than usual. recalled
ividly the last one that our little cir
as with us. I could see Charity, in al
er sweet beauty, as she stood before
la. with the little one, dressed to re
1--WE our guests, for we entertained
elderly people of the church tina
| -ening | said it was the day befor,
anksgiving I was sitting modify il
Y room. having closed my offic,
Wv with a roll of business paper
fore me. but was not needing them
Presently | heard the patter O
ildren feet outside and a knock OF
| Y door.