The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1875-02-04

flushed brightly at his coming, and re.
ceived him with smile. Heknew moth.
ing OF what had been passing in her
heart, and was not likely to know-she
would be shy as long as she was re.
served. He had not been going to tell
her OF his resolution just yet, but after
moving about restlessly for some time,
out it came. Lavinia," he said, not
venturing to look at her, "I've made
up my mind to leave England"
"To leave England + she repeated.
"Why should you leave England p
"Because if I stay I shall soon be a
beggar," he replied, grimly.
ooh, / am 80 soiryp she said.
"What pity did not know before |!
And what will become Of papa and
mammal She said it all in breath,
rising up and sitting fully reused before
him.
THE last words drove him wild. "She
does not care a straw for me-" he
thought, "only thinks what will become
of them" 81 shall leave you and them
all that I have" he said, with passion,
"and go away and earn my bread as
laborer."
"Leave the money to them, and take
me with you y cried Lavinia, looking
quite radiant as the brilliant idea struck
her. S1e hal not understood him any
more than he had undeis stood her
When she had said she was sorry, it had
not been for herself, but for him when
she had said it was pity she had not
known before, it was that che regretted
having spent SO much which might have
been his now and when she had tx.
claimed, "What will become of papa
and mamma ?" she was thinking what
they would do in their poverty without
her help, and in their loneliness without
her presence. OF herself she had not
thought at all, except for one bright
moment, as her husbands companion,
more to him than she had ever been be-
fore, and he to her.
He had misunderstood her then. II
was impossible to misunderstood her
now. He looked at her strangely.
"You would miss all your fine things,
Lavinia," he said. "You would have
to rough it as an immigrants gife.'
81 don't care for fine things," she said.
81 was far happier when l had not
any,"
"Tbat doesn't say much for your
happiness with me, he said.
She clasped her hands and spoke
more eagerly. "Oh, you don't know
all that / can do" she said, cor all
that can bear )" and she poured ont to
him the sad experiences OF her girlish
days.
He listened with quivering lips to the
recital and when she told him how she
had to wear Emily Wardours old pink
dress to go to the ball with him, he
burst into an odd excited laugh.
"But we should have to leave the
children behind us, he said next. He
was only trying her now, but he had
the worst of it.
"Should we? Oh, George" she
said, aud paused for moment, paltr
and less eager now. Then she said,
quietly, making no question OF going
from him, Couldn't l take baby ?
Maggie might stay with your sisters.
They would be good to her, but baby
would want n nurse.
"My darling" he cried; and with
something like a sob he flung himself at
her feet.
George Goodwin was not man to do
things by halves. He had repented OF
his hasty marriage--of the haste of it,
that is to say-and he began counting
his own wife as but few maidens are
courted. He retraced his steps com
pletely. He consulted Lavinia about
everything, ways and means included,
. nd was not above helping her, at her
desire, to regulate the household expen-
diture.
1t is needless to say that they did not
find it necessary to leave England, nor
vet to live in penury at home. Lavnia
could still help her parents, and that
more effectually, by the aid OF her hus-
bands judgment. Her sister and the
sickly children could still find needful
change at the farm, and Lavinia herself,
happy aud healthfLl, looked prettier
than ever in her simple housewifely
attire. This romantic little woman had
turned into the thriftiest of wives, at
least George Goodwin thought so, and
what was more, she made thrift pleas
ant, and not hard, unloving thing.
There was only one step which she
took without consulting her husband.
She saw that his sisters mi sed the oc-
cupation and various interests of the
farm, and were pining in their little
town-house. There was plenty of room
and plenty of work for them in their
old home, 80 she invited them back on
the plea that things did not go so well
witho out them.
And she found her reward. The sis
ters could imagine nothing better than
to devote themselves to George and his
children, and Georges wife came in TOR
her share. 50 at the head OF her in.
creas;ng household there ia not, at this
moment, happier little woman in the
country than the pretty young mistress
OF Holbrook farm.