, 1874-01-11
A WIDOW INDEED.

From the Gallery for January
am not going to deny at rny time OF life, and
in this ago OF the world, that women are change
able. It has come to be one Ut the fixed facts
that no one wastes argument upon; nearly all
women acknowledge it at once. as l do; but
what ne do contend for. with one voice. is, that
We never change without good reason.
When my friend Isabel DeAne suddenly sank
from pinnacle Of proud and happy w1fehood
into dcsolate and heart-broken widow, it was u
change quite proper, and to be expected, that
she should turn her face to the: wall, and refuse
to be comforted for many days.
JoAu Deane had been her lover, as well as her
husband, as loug as be lived, and all the world
quoted them as model OF married happiness.
His death was sudden. and all the more over
whelminE to the wife who had lain so serenely
On his strength that she had never mead to put
out her own.
I am an old maid myself, but can dmly i'm
asine what it might be to lean ones heart and
soul on good man for many years, till ones
bones we're ali bent that way, and then how
long it might take, when the support was
snatched away, to grope lamely about the world
till one could learn to stand upright again. I
offered Isabel no consolation, because knew Of
none; just sat down with her aud her children
Jay alter day. When she gave long wistful
looks at tho portrait Of her husband which hung
always before her, made her look at the baby 8
smile but when I saw her needle 90 hard
through her work for falling tears, could only
let the baby go, aud cry with her.
Az week dragged after week, Isabel began to
take up the stitches slo had dropped IN mothe1-
love, and the real strength that waa in her.
hitherto dormant. spraag up fulI-armed for hor
cnldlcn. She bal been wounded well-nlSh
unto death, but half dozen soft little hands
dld much to sootho and stroke away the pain.
" Isabel will come 1ouud at last she must
have some idol, aud. since the big one is
brohen she will set up three little ones in ita
placc, aud tho worship will so On in her temple
al the same" said to q friend whom was VS.
iting for week. wien l1r. Deane bud been dead
about three months. / had liked John Deane
very we'll myself. II Isabel must marry at oil!
Which seemed strangely necessary to her bappi-
ness, AZ II does to tnauy other women, I rather
preferred him to any one else AZ her husband. He
was wholly devoted to her. which WAS no moro
than she deserved, and for 4 man ho was very
lt.le in the way. Nevertheless, returned to
hcr with q ccrtala inwa,d comfort in tue thought
thai sho would be more than over my fried,
whom sho had fairly settled INTO the new groove
that widowlood would make for her. 10 my
blank surprise and constornatio.,. found her
urging forward al! possible preparations to go
abroad with her children for an Indefinite time
ucr eyes were na1d and cold as il sle had no
more tears left. aud tue corners of her mouth
were sharply drawn as Of one in the fixed pablt
Of enduring pain without Mcntlonlu6 1t. Her
manucr had prsk abruptncss that uad never
noticed befure. The household habits, which
had become little demotalized by the presence
OF Borrow. had suddenly Strengthened into tbs
utmost order. Tie servants eyed me curiously
to see if I noticed the change, and made many
have been more bewildered it soft, pluk baby
lad suddenly hardened under my hand into ono
If Those grim old statues tia. keep guard over
Egyptian tombs. SLo did not seem to manage
it, but I could never sec her alone, aud she care
fuiy ignored my hints ut the change in 4er.
uer beauty bad. always beeu warmed and
heightened by Happiness; she needed sweet e1-
citements to keep q flush in her naturally pale
cueck, and dewy brightness in her large gray
eyes. When the sun is saying good night to tue
blush rose; but when tue sun ls gono she
turns pale aad gray, and is nothing but g
cold rock after all. This was precisely
the claugo in Isabel Deane. Her face was like
d transparent picture, softly glowing when the
lisut OF happiness was bealnd it, but without
that light it was no picture at al.
SLo had let her house Oh long lease, and all
OF her Affairs were as carefully settled as II she
were soius out of the world
You behave as it you lad received sentence
Of everlasting exile" said to Aer III her LAST
day when she could no longer escape me.
II hope it may be so,' she replied, looking
straight at tne wall "T hare suffered so much
here that, but for tho children's interest, l
SHOULD be glad to see this house burned to the
ground" 4.
l looked at the vail, too, and perceived that
Mr. Deauo's portrait lad been removed.
''lou will take it WITH you, OF course, said,
By way o: making talk.
"oh, no; it would be Troublesome package:
admired and wanted it,
HAT af bA IN
I took ler chin in my hands, and made her look
Ut me, while l entreated her with tcars to toll
me- what Light had fallen on her.
s'Don't YOU remember the day when John
cent homo that portrait to surprise you on your
birthday, and YOU went on your knees to it with
delight. US it it had been an altar? You were
distracted with joy that day."
''Suce then I have known what it was to DO
distracted in other ways, and onlg for the chill
dren's eake would have died aud made no sign.
suro you do not lind any. moro comfort in it
than you do, but it cauuot be helped"
*'Ihat il nonsense! It can be helped il you
will looa at it in the right way
:rhayc looked at it in all wars, and there is
no 1igLt way hut to take up my cross aud bear it
to tie eud. I can bear it batter if / nm away
from oil that caa remind ma Of the old days.
shall not come home till have outsrown evea
tie memory OF them"
"I1a! memory was your dearest treasure
wien itit you lOI llaL bIoIk Neeh, 1sssoel'
''Ycs, but you forget that the world
WAS made in q week. It is long enough for
moths to corrupt. Or thieves to break through
and steal our Srealcst treasure. Do not speak
lightly of a week" she said. with woful smile
tint had better hare been a sob.
''Isaael, you break my heart" cried ont.
''Do 1? Then you will be in the fashion.
Women's hearts were made to be- broken. The
crack comes late to some and early to others. !
bud long probation, but it came at last all tho
same
She went away across the sea next day with oil
her flock, but the dregs OF her bitterness staid
with ME. had believed in her. and been disap-
pointed; i: is not an uncommon experience be-
tween lovers. and an assured that tho Bonsa-
ton is very uncomfortable. ! certainly found 1t
30 in my own case. There must have been
leaves on leaves folded Away in her character,
that had never found or suspected, to account
for the savage change in a woman who had been
all wonaulY."
It injured my digestion and disturbed my
slcep; for it forced me to take to pieces all my
pet theories about women, and make them over
again.
Her infreanent lcttcrs told nothing Of her
real life they were full OF gittering- gonerali.
ties about pictures and cathcdraIs, and now and
then bitter Jest on the hotlownees Of life.
4, 4 11A hA4 +A