The weekly echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1868-1876, 1876-05-11


n tte evening or sing for me, could en-
joy 80 occasional evening Of social pleas
uEe, q soma entertainment. / bad 4
wife them
james what do you mean7'
I mean that, Ia The place Of nv kap-.
py, healthy wife, / have now 4 sicEly
oyerwoFked aeamatFes Those dolls
that have just gone out have aone IF tbs
81 Of childhood. They ATE fass Be-
coming little pieces Of vanity, aI ab-
ssrbed ii their fnery. Their under
clothing would DO fox signs III an empo-
rum Of linen, with the embroidery,
rufles, and tuels
s But I do il all myself, James
" Exactly. You are stitching " Iifeou
into the garments Of your children, who
would be far happier, healthier, and bet
ter II Che simple clothing suited to their
years"
Oh, ! am well enough. 4 am pale
to-day because sat UP late last night.
But I must dress fol- church, 81 We shall
be late
The glad Easter service passed over
Mrs. Henley with but little impression.
70 her chagrin, the little Goodwins. who
lad 81 their dresses direct from London,
bad an entirely new style Of oYerskirt,
that made Jennie, Susan, and Lottie
look quite old-faahi0ned. ii the eyes Of
theig mother.
Summer came, and the long spring
days we're spent in preparing a seaside
wardrobe for she children, for Mr.. Hem
ley, By the advice Of his physician, was
going to take bis wife to the seaside.
The pain III her side had become very
troublesome, and there was little hack
ing cough that meant wakeful nights.
The pale cheeks were seldom Hinged with
healthy color, and the eyes were Ian
guild and heavy. People spoke pityingly
of Mira Henley as "quite al invalid, /"
and her husband mourned over the all
teration ia his wife.
He insisted upon having physician,
who advised fresh air, and exercise, and
a tonic. And Annie obediently swal.
lowed the tonic, took daily walk, and
then made up for lost time by stitch
ing at night, For were not the Good
wins, tie Wilcoxes, and All the leading
fashionables Of Langton going to the
same place where Mr.. Henley had taken
rooms and could Jennie, Susan, and
I4ottie have one inch less rdfling and
tucking than they possessed?
He only shrugged his shoulders when
bis little girls minced along with dainty
fne-lady airs, instead Of bounding with
the freedom ofchildhood. He bore the
steady whiFr Of the sewing machine in
Tic evening, instead of the voice or
music of bis wife.
But when Annie's health began to
give way he exercised bis authority, and
found he had been silent too long,
But, theaummer asdrobes completed,
the dainty dresses trimmed, the trunks
packed, Annie faithfully promised James
To rest during the summer sojourn IL the
seaside. With sudden consciousness Of
growing weakness there came to her an
appreciation Of her husbands love and
patience that had been numbed. She
began to realize that she had let her am
hition fol dress oyershadow her love for
her husband, and that she had wrOnged
him ii depriving him Of the companion
ship she had priced % highly.
ssI will rest while I ana gone, and when
/ come back, James, Twin give my even
ings u you as / did when We were first
married
That was her parting promise, never
to be- exacted. Only y few days rest were
allowed her before an acute attack Of
lung fever Frustrated her James lefs
his business To hurry to the seaside
nurse was engaged, and medical skin did
TIA utmost. But the constitution, weak
enud by confinement and oyerwork, could
not resist The disease, and while the sum-
mer days were still III their full beauty
Mrs Henley knew she was dying.
III Wa L bitter thought. Life held -.
much that was precious; Her kind, loving
husband, her heautitl1 CTffdrgES her
1899, Fas,ee an khnas vagfsf ~ laf4