Smyrna times., 1876-11-29

she looked and saw that she might have
trusted her father. The new wife was
large fair woman, not beautiful, but with a
noble and serene face, where large and
generous thoughts had their home. She
was certainly not younger than Marian's
own mother had been, and in the sober
richness Of her dress, there was none of
that girlish flightiness which Marian had
so dreaded. The girls judgment was
forced to approve, but her heart was alien
still. She went forward step and put out
her hand. No doubt Mrs. Grey understood
her feeling for she made no ardent demon
stration. She only bent little-shs was a
tall woman-and touched her lips to her
new daughters brow; and then she said
something about the pleasantness of the
house, and Marian took her up stairs to her
own room.
| She looked around as she entered it,
and saw the white chrysanthemums gleam-
ing everywhere. Marian, who was furtively
watching her, thought she grew a little
pale; but she only said very quietly
"My father brought me home a new
mother, Marian, when was just your age.
l understand it all'
Marian's heart warmed towards her lit
tie then; but it grew hard and cold again
when she went down stairs, for she found
her father in the parlor, looking unmis
takably happy and radiant. Had he no
heart-no thought for the dead who had
lived there with him so long? In that
moment she felt as if she hated the new
conner. Her father drew her towards him.
"Well, grille, surely you like herr" he
asked eagerly.
She withdrew herself from his arm.
81 am not a man. l think l was not
made for forgetting" she answered coolly
Her fathers face darkened. He spoke
with tone different from any she was ac
custemed to in his voice.
"Marian, you knew your mother well
Do you think she loved me so selfshly that
since could not have her, she would pre-
fer that l should live out my life alone? i
that were so, she must have changed, in
deed; for she always thought of hersel
last"
Marian could not reply, for just then the
new mother came down stairs, and tool
what was to be henceforth her household
place. 1t was not in the chair that haC
been the dead wife's. Had she avoided
that by some delicate tact? or was it onl,
that she was another mould of woman from
the first wife, and her taste was different
Marian never knew.
T Time went on; Marian went back to school
a and she really enjoyed her freedom from care
. her opportunity to return to the books, sh
loved. Only there was a cold, hard spot il
u her heart, and she would not own to hersel
1 that there could be any gain in the comm
of new mother into her own mother
place. All the winter passed, and sprin
:; and the summer. Marian was perfectly r.
IS spectful, perfectly obedient, always kind
q and yet her father, who knew her so wei
l. knew that she was no more like the res
g Marian than a stone statue is like livin
woman after whose graces it is modelled
e 1t was one bitter drop in the sweet cup
d his new domestic happiness.
With October he was taken suddenly il
d A typhoid fever, which had been prevaler
lr that fall, seized him, and for Ion
time there was great doubt whether
ot would recover. Then for the first tin
W Marian realized what their househol
le had gained when the new mother cam
into it. She herself would have dor
id all she could, but she lacked the wi
dom and experience which made Mrs. Gre
d, the most perfect of nurses.
er "Will he get better? Is there any hope
n, she asked the old doctor, whom she hi
st, known all her life, one day when he W
l going away.
d; If he does" was the answer, 4" his wi
pa will have saved him. Such care nsv
hit saw"
or Marian went out into the old garden.
al was the first week in November, and Il
-, white chrysanthemums were all in 6ow'
ha Would she be gathering them next to p
on her fathers coffin? o, what would t
- world be worth then Had she made hi
- happy this year2'' asked her conscien,
a. If he had been happy, surely he did n
,sa owe it to her. She had been thinking
herself all the time, of her own pain, a
"a loss, and heartache. If he got well, wou
10 he forgive herr If he died, could S
n. ever forgive herself?
he She stood there, leaning sadly over {
% white flowers, which meant death to h
n. She did not hear any approaching foOtfi
and started in surprize when her st
n. mothers hand touched her.
,bn "He is asleep, Marian. o, so calmly a
o,,r so sweetlyl i had to come to tell you, a
al there is hope now.h
Avn "And you will have saved himG' Mar
ru' cried, her eyes shining through their sudC
ere tears with such light as Mrs. Grey
she never seen in them before. "The doc
'ars ' said it would be you if he lived. You h
saved him for me and | have never lo
her you.n
and "Was that not because you thought |
not pected to become your motherT \
zzy. Grey asked, with a quiet tenderness in
ear. voice and manner. awe can have but