Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-07-01
NY HUSBANDS FIRST LOVE,

the law nrIn OF MasOnS * Etheridge, tCSSe a care
t 1 INTO my lap, after rapid glance at the
She was Miriam Delamater.
Ana Miriam Deiamater was my husbands first
Now " alter and hal never talked about the
matter. Low could talk about il? ,cossEd not
MoTe than once, when We were first married,
ne had sIoksn to me OF his fathers ward with
whom ne had grown up nom boyhOOd, and who
had been almost a sister to him. But nv lin.
sven during our 6lissful honeymoon, had .1rled
theTtudOusiy as ne said this, and had speedily
turned the conversation into a different channel
But Snew all about IL, nevertheless. | had
learned that long before he had known me MS
love had bowed at the shrine OF this stately mai
den, this peerless blonde beauty L knew that T
had not been his first love, and that this girl this
Miriam Delamater, had been.
ana now she was coming TO see usi
Wondered if W alter did not perceive that T,zas
troubled, ana II he did not share in some degree
as mans nature might, my own unrest But
no. lie sat slipping his coffee and running his
eye over the latest dispatches from the seat of
war, as Placidly as ever. Presently he rose.
Metz holds out well, - he said, - but the siege
CANNOT last much longer. When did Miriam saw
she Was coming ?''-and he took up the letter
"1O-InorrOW-no, to-day" answered. as we
gisthced down the page together. 80 This Is the
ttn r., She viii behere ON the evening express.
InaS suit OF -Englesbss comes on at one
O'CLOCK, he said, taking up his hat, &" and fear
We shall not be through at five. But never mind
VII manage to meet her at the depot somehow.
am Siad she u coming, Barbara You are 50
tOhel. sometimes, and she Is a very superior wO-
man L ana sure you viii like her.
ne Kissed me hastily, and hurried away TO the
Heaven save the mark! II there was ANYTHING
on earth that did not Ike, it was a superior ,
But there was little time for thinking or re-
gretting, a vail from the nursery summoned
me ~ stairs to the reiiet OF my good, faithful
Hannah, who was trying 10 quiet the baby while
her thoughts were in the kitchen.
q I'm glad you've come II iss Barbara" she
sslg- l shall be only Miss Barbara to her-the
SL!id sLe Lac loved and tended-as long as we
both I'VE. his bOdy's a-teething'. Just as sure
- Treachin'. He'd never wOrry 50 II he want
But take him, child, for the bread is riz and it's
TINS IL was IN the oven.
itwas hot, breathless morning Sitting down
BY the window with little Allie ON nv lap re-
read Mss DelamateE's letter, lingering Longest
over this Passage -
o. Do give my love to your wife. l remember
nearing the young men rave about Barbara VIII
son grace and beauty years ago. Now that Won
nave crowned her queen OF hearts, am douoly
anxious to know her"
doubted whether the fair writer had even 50
much as hoard OF me until the day when stand
ING ~ meath The shadow OF st. Peters, with the
Dluc say OF Rome above her head, and It's stored
hills around her, news had come 10 her that her
CitE1IleHd and companion had taken unto him
seli VIE. As tor the raving about nv grace
ana beauty" in the quiet country home where
Walter had found me, that mode OF -pr0cstlure
was not the fashion. PERHAPS did nv coming
guest great injustice, but felt as if the pretty
speech wa made for effect; and tear il hard
eHed my heart against her.
tTicd 10 feel that there wac a species of fufJel-
icacy, lack OF true womanly feeling Indicated
by the approaching visit. How could she thus
thrust her unwelcOme Recommendations AZ
least 20 me-intO our home? But a moment of
reflection showed me the absUrdity of that idea
waiter 5 father had been her guardian. As bow
sod girl they had played together, sang together
stuGfCG tG1ether. Whether OF no any warmer
feeling had ever found lodi IN neI heart, here
could be little doubt that She cherished for him
something closely akin to sisteriy affection. II
was GIT that, after her live years OF travel, she
should, If she wished, come TO his home as u a
brothers and find welcome there.
And a. for my good, noble, trUe-hearted hus-
band, could not trust him?
So / thrust the demon Of jealousy into my
hearts darkest closet, and turned the key upon
him. No ray Of light should visit him no breath
q air should strengthen and yVify him no v,,ica
should break the silence 10 which c., amittsi
him. he should die there, unshri-Ied and IN
Allie betook himself r. his nan a. lat AMI
then a" on hOspltable f.iouehts intent y went in
pursuit OF hannass. The dark mood of the early
morning had passed, and flew about nv small
house only intent upon m king il fair and pre-
sentable 20 eyes that had seen so much, and a
pleasant resting place tor feet THAI had wandered
nished, the Parior was made fresh andsweet with
the soft, wandering airs OF summer, and the
breath of roses and heliotrOpes. The baby was
tied into his high-ehair, and pounded away upon
the kitchen table, while Hannah and tossed
together hight golden drifts OF sponge cake, and
moulded jellies clear amber. We roasted a
chicken-and ourselves as well-that it mil ht De
ready 70 shce IOr SUPPER and, through much
tIibUlatiOn and stress OF body and mind, [ pre-
Pared salad after an approved French recipe
that 1 had never tried before.
Doubtless, 1 cid twice as much as / shOuld have
done that day; twice as much as was In an. way
neeCfuL but was ayOung wife, young house
keeper; and could not bear that Miriam Della
mater critical, fastldlous eyes should ind any
lack ia nv home OF It's appointments that fore
thought or labor OF mine could supply
Look your prettiest to-2ight, Babette, . Wal
49,
have Miriam mere by quarter past five at the
latest"
meant that evening, of all evenings in the
year. 70 leave myself ample time 10 make such a
toilette as my husband best liked But the mo-
rnents few space, and when az last took Allie
and went u 70 my chamber it WAS long after
four.
The child was uncomfortably warm and tired
from ms long confinement III the high-char;
anu Ii, little frOck was creased and 20 led, Tor
Hannah had given him all sorts Of things ~ play
With LASTLY strip ing him, gave him a bath
arrayCd him Ia freeh garments, and brushed the
goldeu-brown hair that cOiled about my fingers
Ia a host OF tiny curls. Then L placed him on
the he'd, 70 keep him out Of harms way, and be-
gan nv own preparations
But Master Allie raised his voice in wild lamen-
tatiOn and refused To DO COmfOrted, although L
gave him my best bracelets and NV watch chain
lie had been left 10 his own devices IOngenO
he thought, and no coaxing or eajolery suaiced
20 restore his good humor.
called Hannah
6sDear me, Miss Barbara! I'd come il could.
goodness Knows But the biscuits III burn tn
cindeTs IL leave 'em, and besides I'm pickinI
over the raspberries tor tea"
"Then you must cry, Allie, !" said. desperately.
as / turned 70 my dressing table and tried to ar,
range my hair with HANDS that trembIeti so that
1 could not perform my task. Braids would not
stay In place, and curls were incorrigible
II was just ten minutes past iye, and was
still in my dressing-sack, with my hair upon NV
shoulders, after a third attempt 70 put up the
heavy mass, when heard the sound OF wheels
A moment more, and there were footsteps In the
hall below, and my husbands voice called,
Barbara! Barbara"
Allie screamed louder than ever, and An
wered as well as / could from out the din,
q will come presently-as soon as can"
heard the two walk into the parlor and In
another minute Walter came bounding up stairs
,wo steps at q time. His cheeks were husled
and his eyes bright as with some hidden 10y.
ssWhy, what's the matter ?'' he asked as his
ave took In the stateof the case " anybody sick?
d Hannah dead? or what's up?
am tired 20 death, )" / answered. SO and Allie
iscross ~ the mischief, and Hannah's busy, and
Il am not dressed"
$50 see," he said CURLY. "You ought To
have begun earlier, instead OF fussing 50 long in
taaaf confounded kitchen"
NOW knew this as well as he did; but I did
not care 20 be told Of ii just then. SO, woman
an q A LITTLE