The St. Cloud journal., 1870-12-22
CHAPTER II:

bis mask. Mary, with her unsuspect-
ing and unexacting devotion, did not
live to discover that her husbands ten
der watchfulness over her was anything
less than the expression Of his deep
love. And when, in little more than
year after their union, she gave birth
to a daughter, and the shallow but
sweet flower of the mothers life drop
ped its leaves as the bud appeared, she
never felt that any absence Of loves
sunshine had FASTENED her decay, but
shed forth to the last the fragrance Of
her trust. When Kenelm knew that
she was gone he felt a deeper grief
than he had believed would be possible.
Mary, Notwithstanding her grace of
manner, had possessed little intellect,
little Imagination, except in the ideal
isiog power Of her affections. She had
been quite unable to enter into her
husbands mental life, aud yet some
how, spite Of that idolatrous 1--we which
embo1ies the dream of youth and nev-
er twice pours its glory upon the path
Of life, she had established an abiding
hold upon his regard. Such is the
power of simple goodness.
Mary's child survived /; and, as her
mothers image faded into Kenelm's
past, and changed from a sharp pain
into sweet memory, the heart Of the
father answered to the appeal Of his
baby daughter}s By degrees, too, now
that it was no longer a crime to resist
them, the recollection and the influence
of Catherine Disby resumed their pow
"r. Keneim thought of his harshnees
towards her, and of the love on her
part which even that harshness had
been unableto quench. Her truth and
goodness, her clear intellect, softeued
aud Frightened by tenderness and FAM
y. yet ever revealing itself in practical
acts Of kindly help-these, with the
combined dignity and sweetness of her
presence, all thronged back to his heart,
aud often 10 his Kentish home, when
he mused from his seward window, his
thoughts would be wandering to lane
in the far north where light football
once awoke a thrill, and q sweet,
thoughtful face at the garden gate met
him like the Good Genius of his life
Bitterly did Kenelm now mourn his
rashness and his pride. He strove to
model his character on that Of the wo-
man he had fondly though selfshly
loved. Perhaps he himself hardly sus-
pected the degree in which the memo
ry of Catherine Influenced his tEaining
of little Mary, or how much that stand-
ard Of Christian cdlvalry which hs
placed before his pupils was due to the
same inspiration.
The plan Of the sketch does not per-
nit US to trace minutely the develop
me Mt of Mary Cores mind from child
hood into youth. 1t is enough to say
that at seventeen size had grown to be her
| fathers constant companion, almost his
idol. In appearance slight, almost to
delicacy, there was still such animation
! in every look and gesture as denoted
| rich store of nervous life. Simplicity
and carnestness, with no small force of
iutilect, were her special attributes ;
aud, as exponeuts OF these, she could
boast a face the extreme fairness of
which the eoftest Of roee tints redeemed
from pallor, eyes in which alone clear
get tender light, and form which in
overy movement suggested natural
grace and refinement. It was doubt
less a trial for Kenelm Gore to part
with such daughter; bat the profits
of his school were very moderate, aud
it was expedieot that, in the event of
his death, Mary should be qualified to
gain her own livelihood. Accordingly
she was sent as governess-pupil to
finishing seminary near London. Du-
ring the year and half thus spent in
completing her education, Kenelm
J only saw her during the few precious
weeks Of their common vacation Suit
{ able engagement was at length made