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"How did he know I was coming?"

"He had a despatch from Chicago last night, saying you were on the way home."

While at the Post-office, I informed Mr. La Brie, the post-master, of the offer of protection the Granville community had extended to me, and asked him to see to it that my mail was not interfered with, so as not to intercept communication with them.

He promised me it should not be disturbed.

Noticing George in tears, I said:

"What is the matter, my son!"

"Pa said I must come directly home with the mail."

"You may go, then, my child, and I will come by-and-by."

And he left for his home.

My arrival had now become known throughout the village, and friends met in consultation as to what course to advise me to pursue. Mr. Blessing insisted that I should dine at his hotel, and then his team would transport me and my trunk to my house.

They also offered me a body-guard, not only to the house, but to remain with me in it if I chose. I declined both for the same reason I had refused my Granville guard.

Mr. Blessing accordingly landed my trunk upon the portico of our house, and left me to enter in alone. Before removing my trunk from the depot, I took from it my papers and delivered them into the hands of my friend, Mrs. Haslett.

I entered the front door and passed through the reception room and opened the door into the kitchen before seeing any one. Mr. Packard sat about opposite the door near the stove, in his stuffed easy chair, holding Arthur, my babe, in his arms. He simply bowed, without rising, and said:

"Good morning, Mrs. Packard."

I went up to my babe, and taking him from his father's arms commenced caressing him, when George and Elizabeth came in from the back yard. After embracing and kissing each other, I sat down with Arthur upon my lap and told them they were now going to have a mother again -- that I had come to take care of them, and hoped we should be very happy, and never be separated again, adding:

"It is my desire to do you all the good I can, and promote your welfare in every possible way. My daughter, won't it be pleasant to have some one to relieve you of your cares and responsibilities?"

Mr. Packard replied:

"No, you an't wanted here! We get along better without you than with you! "

Addressing my daughter, I said:

"I am thankful the law protects me in my right to my own home."

Said he: "You have no 'right' here! The law does not protect you here! I am your only protector!"

I exchanged no words with Mr. Packard upon this or any other subject -- I knew argument was useless, and every attempt at self-vindication would only add fuel to the flame of hatred and distrust which evidently still rankled within him. I had returned with the settled determination to do my whole duty in the family, as mother and housekeeper, so far as possible, without interfering in the least with his own duties or privileges.

With a sad, and yet joyful heart, I commenced to reconstruct my now desolate-looking home, by first cleaning it of its extra amount of defilement -- the accumulations of three years.

Before going home after my arrival, I engaged a hired girl to come the next day and assist me in cleaning my house. She came, and although Mr. Packard knew I had engaged to pay her from the money Granville people had donated for my use, he ordered her out of the house, even before I had had time to welcome her in, and told her never to come to his house to assist his wife without his permission. Of course she left, as the married woman has no rights which her husband is bound to respect!

I then commenced alone with my own sleeping room by removing the carpet, and being unable to lift it alone I asked one of my children to assist me. Mr. Packard forbid their helping me at all, saying:

"It is of no use to clean -- it don't need it -- and you must not assist your mother at all in doing it."

I put some water upon the kitchen cook-stove to heat for the purpose of cleaning the paint. He took it off, saying:

"You shall heat no water upon my stove for cleaning."

I accordingly cleaned my room with cold water.

In passing through the kitchen I saw my little daughter rolling out some pie-crust. I stepped up to the table and said:

"Let me show you how to make your crust, my daughter, I see you don't understand how to do it right."

Mr. Packard came up to the table, and in a loud and most authoritative tone, with his hand upraised, said:

"I forbid your interference! I will attend to this business myself! Elizabeth shall make her pies as she pleases."

I thought the "interference" was on the other side -- that it was he who was interfering with my duties instead of I with his. Nevertheless, I maintained my determination, never to speak in self-defense.

I sought for clean sheets for our beds, but found them locked up and the key in Mr. Packard's hands, and I could only get a change when in his judgment it was needed, not when I thought it even indispensable to health and cleanliness.