South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1875-02-26
ELLA GooDwIN's TRIAL.
By s. ASsiE FROST.


and her pretty face was puckered up in
TO most dismal frown.
Il promised Charlie / would step
round for an hour or two and nave
game of dominos."
Anything to get away from home !"
But VIII Goodwin was already out of
hearing. His wife, after a fretful re-
mark, addressed to the walls, TO the eff
feet that she was a fool for ever getting
married, took n novel from under the
sofa cushion and was soon reading with
an air of absorbed interest. Baby woke
and made the fact shrilly known. An
impatient toss threw the book down a.
gain, and baby was soothed to sleep with
n gentleness strangely at variance with
the jerk that had put the book upon the
table.
When he slept once more in the era.
die Ella yawned and again took up her
book, But before she had opened it
there came n tap at the door, and an ell.
derby lady with sweet, fair face came in.
"Alone," she said, as Ella eagerly well
coined her and took off her wraps.
Il am always alone Will gets his
meals here "a was the bitter reply, "IIe
his breakfast, and he is always out in
the evening. Now he is with his broth
| er playing dominos.'
Don't you play dominos?"
"Yes."
I'D keep him at home to play"
"IIe would not care to stay. | sup,
pose all young married men tire ofhome,
Aunt Nary"
Not all But you speak in hitter
tone that pains me, Ella, 1t is not like
you
Il feel bitter, have no one to talk
to but you, and | never complained be-
fore. but 1 am tired OF being alone all
the time. Baby fills the day, but novels
don't fill the evening"
ELLA, since you have spoken to mo,
will You let me give you q word Of adj
vce?'
You know you may"
Look in the mirror, dear. then look
round the room Ella obeyed. In the
mirror she saw slender figure ROBBED in
Il morning wrapper, without any collar
or cuffs, and not precisely clean face
pretty and expressive, with n wreath of
golden hair loosely knotted into n comb
and descidedly untidy The room, n
handsomely furnished sitting-room. was
begging for n broom as eloquently as n
dusty carpet could beg. IIarry's cradle
in one corner balanced disordered work
table in another. The centre table was pill
ed with miscellaneous articles, amongst
which bowl of bread and milk and a
fire shovel figured conspicuously.
a crimson flush rose on the young
wife's cheek.
"What is tho use ofhaving things nice
when nobody sees them but me. or dress
ing when Win is never NJ homer"
''Ile might be Mt home more if things
were nice and you were dressed"
There was silence for a few moments.
Then Ella spoke:
I'll try it. auntie ! suppose it is
partly my fault. Before Harry was born
he was at home more, but | have been
careless since then"
~ on are not strong. / know" Aunt
Mary said very kindly, land baby is a
care. but ! would try to be dressed in
the evening and have the room cheerful.
Your piano looks as if it was never o.
pened -
sit never is ~
Don't you have time to practice?"
81 can't plead want of time. auntie.
Jane is one of the best of servants. and
time hangs upon my hands / am glad
you came in, | believe | want moral
shaking"
Then they talked Of other matters. of
llarry's first tooth and baby accomplish.
ments. of the winter fashions. of femi.
nine interests of all kinds. The innate
sweetness of Elias temper made her
take her aunt's gentle reproof in the
I spirit Of love that dictated it. and when
the parting caress was given, she whis,
pered:
'I'll try. amtie, to make home more
attractive for Will"
She was fast asleep with Harry nes.
tied i'm her arms when Will came home.
but the touch Of his lips upon her cheek
aroused her
Did YOU have q pleasant evening. %
she asked Aunt Mary was here and
left her love for you"
Charley and ! played awhile. and
then Mira Creighton dropped i'm and sang
for us 90
"Nhe seems to drop in pretty often
"Nhe is so intimate with the girls"
II never thought her singing very
wonderful"
I You sing far better But when I can't
get any better. ] like hers"
10 was not the first time VIII had told
the same story, and strong I'm her new
resolutions. Ella determined ttpop m