Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1871-12-21

We had too many hands, too, and too
| many mouths to feed, but could not
turn them off because the times were
dull.
1 stood looking out into the bright,
frosty night with rebellious heart.
Three tall houses rose in front of me,
lit in every costly plate-glass window.
Elegant brown stone houses they were,
with lace and damask curtains, and
glimpses, sometimes, of satin-covered
chairs, or buhl cabinets, or Chinese
monsters, in porcelain, or sevres vases.
Further than these glirapses 1 did not
know my neighbors' houses. My
neighbors had seen as they came out
in their elegant silks and stepped into
their splendid carriages. There was
Mrs. Terhune, the bankers wife; Mrs.
Ray, the prim, elderly looking person,
who had only been married a year to
the handsome, young husband-had
bought him with her money, people
said, and Mrs. Crosswell, the fat plebe-
ian, whose husband had made fortune
in the war, in the manufacture of ropes,
and whose elegant daughter and son
outran fashion in their attire.
] looked enviously at these stately
were divided in this world, 1 thought,
with bitterness, and wondered how /
could ever have been happy in the
mean, miserable way in which we lived,
at best. What fool 1 had been to
dream of love and a limited income to-
gether? What drag? What "dem-
milton grind" as Mr.. Mantilini says,
"life had been," to be sure. 1 laughed
bitterly as l thought of it. John was
all kindness, it is true, but what time
did we have, even to enjoy one an
others society. Work, work, work i
grim-faced god or devil-holding us
apart. Theu 1 remembered that we
would have plenty of time now to be
together, and starvel
81 wish were only in my neighbours
Shoes" cried, aloud, in dull despair,
as dropped the curtain and went over
to the pile of worn little garments. All,
mel If I could change placesl
What allied the hght3 1t was only a
common candle at first, but it seemed
to lift itself up and branch off into a
great chandelier, and out into white
lilies in each cup was golden spike
of flame. I rubbed my eyes and looked
around. What a room The carpet
lay soft and green as moss under my
feet-golden-green moss, with pink
roses and blue forget-me-nots and May
lilies strewn over it, and curtains of
amber satin fell from the windows, and
lace drifted over them like clouds over
sunshine. Somehow. I was not aston
ished at the splendor. Why should I
be? 1 looked in the glass and recog-
nized the face very well. was Mrs.
Ray, tall, angular looking person, with
sallow face, very much powdered.
rose-colored ribbons, 1 saw a few grey
hairs. - r. ..
81 must find out better dye" I
thought.
My dress of sea-green silk swept the
velvet carpet as walked. Books with
costly bindings lay about, and pictures
sweet bits of summer harvest fields,
or storm-beaten coasts, or Roman skies,
with grey ruins. But looked at none.
only paced the room with restless
steps, till a.door opened. A handsome
man, in full evening dress, loked in.
He hardly glanced at me, as he but
toned one of his lavender kids by the
light.
lessly.
"out again, George" I said, dis.
mally.
"Yes. Why not ?"
"Oh, 1 am so lonely And this is
Christmas night"
"All the more reason for a fellow s
being jolly" he said.
"And some reason, 1 hope, for his
wife's being jolly" L answered, trying
hide heavy heart under smile, and
going up to him, put my arm around
him and kissed him.
"Oh, how deuced affectionate you
are, Catkins I'' he said, waiting hand
kerchief, heavy with odor of violet
over his face.
"We've only been married year,"
said. pitifully. "Other husbands al
ways kiss their wives when they leave
! Them
please not call me that odIou'
name," 1 said, growing angry. 81
should think you could remember thai
a year ago you had not cent to bless
yourself with"
"Nor a wife to bless me-" he an
swered, gaily, with a careless smile
Kathleen Mavourneen, the grey daw1
is breaking"
"Where are you going?" 1 asked
pettishly.
"I go where glory waits me-" h.
answered Sin other words, to tn
club"
"Where punch and cigars wait you
George. I shall join ciub.''
| DO! n OOrOSlS.
81 am so lonely don't know wha
to do with my time"
} Count your laces, and look over tn
cashmere shawls. By-by."
And he was gone. How handsom
: he had looked in the full blaze of ligh
, from the gas What splendid deel
) deep blue eyes! what golden brow
curls All me how my heart ached {
1 pictured him! And he was so cold
4 mel Had he huddered-actuall
=, shrank from my kiss? He nevt
3 spent an evening at home now
!, never. could sit in my palatial room
a alone, and sigh my time away. Whs
o did L care for the splendors to |
g loved was more precious than all. If
d could buy that-the love of one trr
:, heart-how gladly would 1 give all fl
It that pearl of price Oh, miserab
It fate! He'll on earth to be an unlove
r wife.
e My foot touched something in n
q hurried walk. 1t was a cigar
d handsome Russian-leather one wi
It Georges monogram in gilt letters on Il
3 back. l recognized one of the presen
e I had lavished upon him, and turned
S, over idly in my hand-opened it
s. idly. Chance or Providence-whicf
N All how NV heart beat ! There Law