into every
place; but no Lil. Finally, I got to Detroit, and I went into every one
of those places where I feared she _might_ be; but no Lil. Do you know
where I found her?"

Mr. Bangs told him he did, and how.

"Well, sir," continued Hosford, "I was utterly discouraged, 'n was goin'
to go back and sell the place, and get away from the country altogether;
but when I saw her all so rosy, fixed up so gay, and got to be such a
grand sort of a woman, I just caved in altogether and wanted her for
myself more 'n ever. I thought she had a good heart, and that I loved
her enough to always be kind to her--as God knows I was--and thought
_that_ might keep her right. I never asked her a question, 'n wouldn't
let the old folks. Everybody makes mistakes, ye know, and it kind of
makes people wild to let 'em know _you_ know it, and to badger 'em with
questions. Well, she had lots of good sense, and took off her finery
before we got to the old folks', who were 'most crazy with joy that we
had come back together as man and wife. We stayed at Nettleton's a few
days, then went direct to Terre Haute. I don't believe a man ever had a
better wife 'n she was to me while we lived there. We never mentioned
the old times, and were very happy, as the children kept comin' along.
The silks and jewels she got at Detroit were all put away, 'n I never
saw 'em, till one day I come home unexpected and found the children shut
out in the yard, and my wife afore the lookin'-glass, all rigged out in
her old finery, an' lookin' herself over and over, while countin' a big
pile of money that I had never seen before. I got a good look at her,
but went whistlin' about the house for a long time, so as to let on that
I didn't see her, and to give her time to get her old clothes on agin.

"It seemed as if right there and then the clouds begun hangin' over the
house. I didn't say a word about it, and made everything as cheery as I
could; but begun tryin' to think what had set her goin', and after a few
days found that she had been attendin' some of those Spiritual meetings
down to town, and one of the Doctors come up to our place and stayed a
few days, representin' himself as a good Methodist.

"I knew it wouldn't do to stay there any longer, an' so we moved to
Wisconsin, I makin' her think it was healthier 'n where they had no
ager. Well, sir, after we got there everything was pleasant and happy
agi'n till the Spiritualists begun overrunnin' that country too, a