Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-07-16

She had stared at him, uncompre.
hending "What?" she had STAN.
mered.
"You have not realized my ideal.
love you. You are my wife, and no
one can ever creep closer into my
heart than you. But the things
dreamed of haven't come to pass. l
am a practical man, Abbie, but before
7 married you / had a dream OF a
home and a woman in it who was like
the fire on the hearth, vivid, spark
ling presence. I thought Of tho nights
when I would come back to a COM
forting sympathy. thought OF shin
ing cleanliness, of books road to-
gether beneath the lamplight. OF tho
| little excursions to tho homS or our
neighbors. with you contentcdly and
serenely making the way for us So
cially, bringing into our circle the
guests which were to be tled 10 US
by our hospitality and thus become
our lifelong friends. Instead OF that'
he drew long breath and looked
away from her. instead OF that, you
have taken no interest in your home.
I have worked hard, no woman who
has not bent all day over desk
knows how hard, and you are blam-
ing me because I am not willing to
have you play the butterfly. Well.
am not willing. l wanted money
bee in my homeland tell you
frankly that am disappointed;
have no home; I have no hearth
stone-I have only wife who blames
me because I can't give her an auto
mobile and trip abroad"
After that Abbie had wept, and her
husband had soothed her, but he had
not apologized, and this morning Alb
bic was facing the truth Of what he
had said
outside the snow was blowing. in
side Abbie's incompetent maid was
doing the ineffective mornings work
which made the house sort OF dreary
stopping place. :,
"Oh, dear said Abbie, and buried
her face in the pillow. :
She was reused by the arrival OF
her maid with the mail =
The first letter that she read was
from her mother. Dearest child" 1t
said 81 am so worried about your
husband. Everybody up here Is talk
ing of how badly he looks They say
he is working too hard. Can't you
make him take a holiday. and both
Of YOU come up here and rest? 1t
would do you good, and give Charlie
the change he needs. Let me know
right away, and don't fail to come"
Abbie Chester sat up straight, the
color all gone from her face. Char
lie is looking badly" and she had
been driving him. She shuddered
and covered under the covers,. and
presently she cried, shaking her bed
with sobs.
But when she emerged at last from
her woe. there was a look OF deter
mination on her face. She slipped out
of bed and dressed quickly.
The maid of all work was surprised
to see her indolent mistress in the
kitchen before lunch.
whats for dinner, Janie?" said
Mrs Chester, brightly. Lets have
something good. Something Mr..
Chester likes"
"There's the rest Of the lamb stew"
suggested jamie, vaguely. Il might
warm 1T up"
| Abbie knew her husband hated lamb
stew. But she had taken little in
terest in his likes, and what she saved
on her table she had ben able to spend
for her own pleasures. She realized
suddenly that she did not even know
her husbands preferences What DO
you think he'd like, Janie?" she de-
handed.
STEAKS so high" said the girl,
obviously.
sLet's have ham and eggs cried
Abbie I remember We had supper
once, after sleigh ride, and he said
when the ham was good and the eggs
fresh there was nothing like them
with baked potatoes and hot biscuits.
and some Of that jelly mother sent
u.s."
"Yes'm," said jamie, wondering at
the enthusiasm her mistress was de-
veloping over commonplace.
That afternoon Abbie baked cake.
She cut all the geranium blooms from
her window box. She built up a fire
in the CRATE. She busted the furni-
ture and polished it; took a nap and
a bath and put on her prettiest gown;
lighted lamp, laid Charles favorite
book beside it, and sat down in all
the glow and warmth, with the fra
GRANGE of the savory dinner prevail
ing the air, and waited for her nus
band to come.
But he did not come.
At eight o'clock she had a message
from him-a note brought by mes
senger boy. 1t was written from the
railroad station.
81 have decided to go up and stay
with your mother for week or two. y
it said. 81 am tired out, and can't
go home tonight and have another
scene. Don't think that l. don't love
you, Abbie. I do. But I'm simply all
in, and I'm afraid you're not in a mood
to be sympathetic. You can come IL
you want to- But fancy you'd bet
ter stay away
Suddenly Abbie saw her husband as
he really was, martyr to her selfish
ness. She had not shared his bur
dens. She had expected to continue
her gay life. but she had taken from
him all his boyhood. She remembered
how enthusiastic he had been in the
DAYS of their engagement, how his