Los Angeles daily herald., 1874-06-14
hear was filled with pity for poor John,

hear was fllled with pity for poor John,
who had thrown himself away.
"She's just the wife for him." she
thought; of had only waited little
he would have liked her, l am sure.n
And then she dismissed the thought
with sigh, and turned to Alice for
consolation.
AS the days went by, Miss Bar
bara's heart began to yearn for her
nephew. She loved Alice dearly, but
even she did not take the place of the
absent one. His handsome face haunt
ed her day and night, and often, as
she heard q sudden noise in the hall
or at the door, she would look up Gag
erly, half expecting to see him, rs she
used to do.
~ am getting DID," she said to her.
self.
perhaps | was little hard with
him-my boy. I'll ask Alice.n
And SO one night she called Alice to
her, and as she sat at her feet in the
freight, as John had done SO often,
she told her all about it, and how she
longed to see him again.
81 am getting old, Alice" she said;
~ may die soon, and l want to see
my boy. Perhaps I was wrong about
his wife. 1t would do me no harm to
see him, Alice"
And Alice answered gently that
perhaps it would be better for them all
to do so; but she avoided her kind
friends eyes, and there was scarlet
flush on her cheek that was unusual.
The next day Alice, under Miss
Barbara's directions, wrote little
note to John Barton.
"Tell him to come" she said; and
as Alice wrote this, Miss Barbara sat
and thought intently for time, rest
ing her face on her hands.
"Tell him." she said again; "tell
him he may bring his wife, if he likes
i can at least see her to please him."
And so the note was written and the
messenger dispatched.
After this decisive step was taken
Miss Barbara was in tiutter of ner-
vousness all the time. She donned
her richest dress, her most costly cap,
and then sat eXpectant, until she
heard Johns step on the stairs, and
John himself came in as Of old.
OF course there were a few minutes
during which they both talked at
once, and then when the first excite
ment was over, Miss Barbara suddenly
grew grave.
Where's your wife ~ she asked in
her grim old way.
John rose and rang the bell. "She
is down stairs, told her to stay till
sent for her."
And then the servant made his APP
- wi fp
Miss Barbara waited quietly.
You will love her little for my
sake ~ pleaded John, as light foot
step was heard at the door; and then,
greatly to Miss Barton's surprise, Alice
Worthington came in.
"My nephew, Mr.. Barton, Miss
Worthington," she said; then, turn
ing to Alice:
II am engaged now, and you may
be excused"
TO her surprise John coolly put his
arm around the waist of his new ac-
quaintance and led her across the
room. "Alice Worthington Barton,
Aunt Barbara he said and then,
with the old mischief in his eye:
& Love her little for my sake.
pleased
There are children's voices in the
great house now, and Jane, who WAS
in the plot, is back in her old place.
Miss Barbara pets them almost to
death, while John, the rogue, leases
his aunt laughingly about the "doll-
baby" to whom she considered him
sacrafced. But if there is any person
whom Miss Barbara loves as we'll as
:" her boy,n it's the sweet-faced, ge1l-
tie girl whom that boy married.
To her mind all feminine graces
and virtues are possessed by "John's
Wife,