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

been married twoor three years, and has a fret
ful baby ON her hands, she will have to make
allowances"
Diverted by his fathers entrance. Allie stoppad
crying. Pride and little splicing of anger gave.
me strength and calmneSs, andI was soon dressed.
Mis- Delamater accepted my apologies with
BABY, and the beauty of the little village nest
ling among the hills. She cOngratulatedW Walter
upon his patriarchal dignity, and told him that
he wore his new honOrs as if 50 to the manner
born" Then we went out to supper; and while
size ddful justice to the biscuits and cold chicken
she remarked 20 him that she perceived he had
done wisely in choosing wife from the country.
Country girls devoted themselves so much more
exclusivelyto domestic affairs that it could not
be doubted that they made better hOusekeepers
than those who had been taught to regard liter
full" '''' '''-'' 90 '-' O''0 '"ins n'eu-
Was there latent sarcasm underlying her soft
words? could not tell. But L felt shy and i'll
at ease, and was glad when could rise from
the table and lead the way back to the parlor.
My good Hannah came for Allie presently, and
was at liberty to devote myself 20 my guest
had often heard that Miriam Delamater was
beautifdl-that there was some rare subtle charm
about her by which mems hearts were Iured from
out their bosoms almost without their knowledge
OF consent. But was not prepared for all that
was revealed to me that night 1t was not the
beauty OF girihood, but that of complete, superb
womanhood- She was full five years older than
myself; nearly as old las Walter, in fact. seemed
TO myself mere child beside her-a child physi-
caIly, intellectually, and spiritually.
The shaded lamp WAS turned low until the
room was filed only with.a soft radiance almost
like moonlight. The windows were open, and
the muslin curtains suffered gently to and fro in
the scented airs that stole up from my lilies and
heliOtrOpes and viOlets in the garden below
Miriam half sat, half reelined, in a high-backed
crimson chair, against which her magnificent
hair of " paly gold" cleaned in the tender light.
DO not know what she wore-sOme diaphanous
tissue woven of mist and sunbeams, think; but
II was worn with a careless ease and grace that
made IL seem part OF herself
Walter sat In a corner Of the sofa near her. and
their talk wandered back to his fathers house.
and the days when they were children together
Her words vivified and glorifed whatever they
touched; and their past, warmed into life by her
present paled before IL.
withrew 10 a table in far corner of the
room, and seemed TO busy myself with the last
ScT1oIer. Do not think that they purposely over
looked me, or ignored my presence. But they
talkedof persons and things OF which knew moth
ing, and so-foohshly, perhaps-I giided away
But could not read. Gradually the current
OF talk drifted round TO Miriam's life abroad
How like leaf torn from some old romance
seemed the story of her sojournings in Venice,
IN Florence, In Rome, in Dresden, in Paris, in
Berlin! Her great violet eyes kindled and their
light deepened and darkened as she spoke of the
old cathedrals, the storied castles, the art and
life to see, but which l probably never should
see until this mortal had put on Immortality and
my disembOdied spirit should be free to wander
at will.
Walter hung on her words, her looks, as one
enchanted. did not wonder at it; could not
blame him. But all how il hurt me!
stole softly out OF the room and up stairs to
my chamber, while they were wrapped in sonre
dream OF Michael Angelo or Raphael. Taking
a lamp, walked straight TO the large mirror
thar oyerhung my dressing-tablc. Walter had
bten won't 10 call me his gypsy queen-his brown
eyed fairy, and the like. / had been praised,
SOM times, for certain dark, oriental STYLE of
beauty; and had been glad. for his sake. But
"a nrn1h -
features. needed the cosmetic OF joy; and to-
night there was no color in my checks, no luster
IN my eyes. looked old and worn and faded;
and that woman down stairs, with her eloquent
words here witchng chances, her peerless beauty.
was weaving her Old spells about my husband
and Turing his heart away from me.
II looked old then, / must have been a per-
feet Methuselah-Or whatever the feminine OF |
that venerable name may be-betOre the first of |
September. Miriam DolanatCr presence chafed
and haraSsed me beyond measure. There was
liberately, and in the broad, clear light of com
mon sense, quarrel with. She and my husband |
met upon the frank, free footing OF old friends.
Surely had no right to find fault with that? |
And il was not her fault that she was fairer
camer, stronger and more self-poiSed than L.
She was not 10 blame that the wOndrOus charm |
OF her voice, her face, her manner was potent;
or that her grace her quiet self possession, her
rare conversational powers oppressed me with a /
vague yet painful sense of interiOrity, and made
lne silent and constrained in her presence. IL |
L III
Bile of sustaining myself and of commanding nv |
husbands admiration. Thus reasoned with |
myself IN the night-watches, and strove to be |
generous, If not content
But my heart rebelled. This guest of ours,
whether willfully OF no, did come in between /
my husband and myself. There were no more
Ong confidential talks for US in the still twill ghts
here were no sweet, familiar words at MONDAY; |
here were no brisk rides or walks in the breezy Il
For wherever We were, there was /
Mis- Delamater; and she was born diplomat
and believed in mcnOpOlies.
Then, too, L was physically worn and wretched. |
The addition OF this one member To my house
hold added wonderfully t. my domestic cares and /
abOrs. Miriam LIelamater had the art OF appear
dg e&cee~Ingly helpful-eyen OfhciOusly 50. l Il
10 pc doubt In the least that Walter thought her
great assistance TO me; and blessed her for her
sistery aid and counsel But the truth was, she |
was utterly helpless and ne fhelent when 1t came
20 the practical, daily needs Of life To make a
bad matter worse, she did not know this, and was
always volunteering lin Walters presence, mind |
you) to do some stupe ndous deed in the house
keeping or culinary line; which, when once be-
gun. Hannah OF were forced to finish. For my
lady was sure to become exhausted before she |
had made an end to her beginnings, while she
claimed credit for having done whatever she had
undertaken. .--a
During all these dreary weeks, Walter was
never unknd or impatient with me. But he
could not understand matters. He could not
comprehend nv ''whims and humOrs," as he
called them; and kept my own mouth closely
sealed. doubt If made myself very charming
IN those days; and suspect, now, that he was as
thoroughly puzzled as a man ever was by his
wife's deIneanoT. He would come in fresh and
vigorous from his earnest, eager work, TO find
Miss Delamater in the parlor ready 30 talk to
him-or with hiIn-ef books, of art, OF noted men
whom she had met, OF famous places she had seen.
She kept his whole intellectual being in healthy
action. By and by little pale, spiritless woman
would come stealing in, and sit silently in the
shade.
Sometimes il was the little woman's own fault
that she was not brighter and fresher. Some
times a spirit of dumb submission that was yet
far from being patience took possession Of her,
andshe would not strive TO make herself al charm
ing as she could, and a. she had through her we'd
ded life till now. Sometimes she was silent when
she might have talked well and wiSely-as well,
perhaps, as the more brilliant woman whom she
allowed TO eclipse her. Sometimes she willfully
threw her husband in the way of temptation by
being still, and cold, and passive herself, when
this old friend OF his was most attractive, most
see all this now, but did not see it then. /
only felt that was wretched, and | believed that
Miriam Delamater was the cause.
One morning at the breakfast table allusion
was made 20 Bryants poem to the Fringed Cen
tian; and Miss Delamater remarked that she did
not know the flower.
"Whatl not know the Fringed Gentian?" said
Walter, turning round quickly. "Well, L advise
YOU 10 make its acquaintance before you go flower
hunting again 'on the Alps and the Apennines.'