The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1874-10-15

band. "Jenny, Jenny" said I, with
a sigh, II will tell you why you
can do nothing to win Mr.. Forbes;
it is because you like him."
She hid her face in her hands, and
l saw her forehead, her neck even,
turn crimson.
eyes, that is 1t, she said at length,
looking up and turning pale again.
Il like him,-1 who reproached my
self for not caring enough about him
wheh we married,-I like him. He
does not see it, he never will see it; i
but if he should, l shall be the most
wretched of women. 1t is the thought
OF my indifference that reconciles him
to his lot; if he knew the truth, lie
would find it uncomfortable.
"How do you know that ?" ask
ed, much startled.
IL cannot tell you, but I know it.
l nearly betrayed myself once, and l
cannot forget his leok of uneasiness
and alarm"
"Jane, you slander your husband"
"No," she replied, quietly, "and
you must not misunderstood me and
wrong him. I am quiet, you know
well, I believe that Mr.. Forbes took
me partly for that. Here is girl
who will expect no devotion, no non
sense, nothing at least, that I cannot
give her." Suppose he finds out that I
not am the woman he thought me, and
that when [ married I did expect to
love and to be loved, will it not be
misery to him to try and fulfil his
part Of the compact?''
Alas that was true, and because it
was true l heaved deep sigh. At
that moment the parlor door opened,
and Arthur came in. At once he
crept up to his young step-mother.
She took him on her knee, and twin
ing his arms around her neck, he
nestled on her bosom, and thence
looked at me with a pale pit:ful little
face that made me forgive him all his
>fsins.
| "Jane," I said, and I am not
ashamed to add that my eyes were
dim, "there is your hope and your
link with the father.'
Jane shook her head rather sadly.
"No lin!--," she replied, "but if pos
sible, a cause of further division.
When I came and found this poor
sickly thing, my heart yearned to-
wards it, perhaps because it suffered
like myself; perhaps she added,
| with faint blush, -"because it was
his. called it, and it came. lea
ressed it, and fell asleep in my arnls;
When it was sick, l tended it; when
it was peevish and fretful through
pain, I bore with it; and thus, I sup
pose, it love me. But, you see, it
loves me too much. One who ought
| to be first is second now, and second
far away. am obeyed when anoth-
er is not needed l am sought when
another is left, and I am not his An
| ME that the preference should not be
resented; not against me, indeed, not
against the child, but resented as a
wrong. For if there be being pas
sionately loved, it is this little pale
creature. His mother died when he
was born, and his father almost be-
came woman for his sake. He
nursed him, he tended him, and I
reap the sweet fruit Of love,-I, who
had not the care Of the tree. But l
, cannot help it. This is my comfort
in sadness; this little warm living
creature clinging to me, and I cannot
give it up. When talk to it and
play with it; when I dress it, as I like
to do daily, I feel almost happy.
Arthur is not always cross as you
have seen him, cousin William; Ar
thur is not always in pain, poor little
fellow. He has days when he is bright,
and merry, and frolicsome, without
mischief, just like young kid. Eh,
} Arthur
/ Arthur looked up; she stopped
and their lips met in a long fond kiss
They were thus when MIR. Forbes en-
tered the room. I saw his color change
, as he perceived the child in his wife's
arms, but he soon recovered his com
posure, came up to us cheerful, and
bending over James shoulder, asked
, Arthur to kiss pa. Arthur frowned
and gave papa>a sulky push. Mr.
Forbes tried to smile as he walked
E away, but the smile was forced
though blush which followed it wa:
I real. We are none of us perfect, anc
e I am bound to say that as Arthur
e pushed his father away, a saucy ittl,
e look of triumph passed through Jane
brown eyes: look that to me, a
e least, said very plainly: II am no
D Annie but some can one love me, Mr.
e Forbes" 1t was this look which
whether he understood it or not, mad
y Mr.. FORBES color like a girl.
Il Nothing is easier than to solici
o confidence under pretence of givin,
e advice; nothing more troublesome, t
|, a conscientious person, than to Civ
|, the profered counsel when the conf
U dence has been made. So, at least,
l. now felt, and I dreaded being alon
n with Jane again but found, to m,
0 great comfort, though not withou
% some modification, that Jane ha'
v | snOken fo oct relief not to he advised