, 1876-01-30
ETHEL'S METHOD.
DV GRACE GARDNER.
Triffen for Thc Chicago TT7ohhe'

E11ften for Tho Chicago Tribune
rhe tidv seryaot-naid entered the parlor with
! ,,or n,i1 and dnst.cloth. She looked at the
drenched plants in the window-garden'-hei
| youuc mistress still holding the streaming
wareriup-pot over them, with grave, apseh'
! look on her face, quite unusual; !; a. tne H's4e
pools OF water sill over tho oilcloth that pro"
| tected the carpet md her nessness LOOK a'as"'
VA. ma'am! Just look how you are "ettsne
! 'sm,-runn,n' all over everythng'
| Tho lady started, looked down at the dripping
plants, and, coloring family, said:
"Yes. I have uatered them most too mucn.
Never mind. Just wipe up the water, Mary. SUD
It won't do any harm. They wero 80 Very dry
This last Was said by way Of explaining to the
girl what might otherwise seem stranger bus'
truth to say the plants had never missed being
watered day yet.
"sure, ma'am they won't be dry again for I
long time to come"
4 scrap OF paper, picked up from habit OF
oversight and order, and carelessiy glanced at,
WAS the real cause Of this absence OF mind. It
lad not been pleasant reading for bride OF a
few weeks, especially when the worda were IN
ones husbands handwriting:
II can't stand this. I'm OF to the club again.
love Ethel wolI enough, of course but, it
she we're only little moro like Helen, or not
quito so-well quite 10 spooney and senti-
mental."
This Ethol "who was loved we'll enough, TO
course" but who vAs "spoouey and senti-
mental" was helself; but who was - Heleo, -
this fortunate person whom 1t was desirable shs
should resemble?
People take trouble dinerently,-a good deal
,,oc-j;,,<, rI,a tnrnoarnnort and r1nH 1nn1
according to the amount OF good sense.
Unfortunately for her bird and plants, Ethel
Lathrop kept Oh with her employment wh,le
ponderipg this new aspect Of things; unfor-
tunately for the bird, because it got only bird
seed no pett1ng, no nice bit Of cake, or apple;
and for the poor, drowned plants, as re have
seen.
As to outward signs, Ethel's blitbe Bong died
on her lips. Her dark eyes had opened wider,
and, it must be- owned, grew blacker and bright
err Her face at first lost al its color; then face
neck ears, flushed to deepest crimson.
.6pooney and sentimental" Yes, no doubt
she had been sentimental and fond-if that YVES
what "spooney" meant. She Ind shown tue
man abe loved best OF all the world, and whom
she had supposed till now loved her, all the
wealth OF her foud young hoast; aud 1t had
wearied and disgusted him.
and modification, brought deeper tide OF Grill
sou TO her b1o9, aud the hot tears to bar eyes,
which IS yet PRIDE had Kept back. tseemod
for time question, almost chance, whether
she would cry her heart out and sink down INTO
sad, spiritless premature}y-old womao. She
might, perhaps. but for that word 'HeEan;"
but it is doubtful, Notwithstanding all the seem-
ing, il there any possibility OF such result
for Ethel, although deeply wounded n both love
and pride, had deal OF character. and spirit,
and good acase, under the fair, chlld-like e1-
terror.
She remembered now all the reports of Harry
Lathrop'a attentions and devotion to Miss
Wilder during the two years he was in Europe
partner. Gould it be her old friend and olasa-
mate, Helen Wilder?
With the confidence Of true affection in the
man to whom she had been engaged . year, she
lad only smiled happy little smile when the
gossip was reported to her, and bad never ques-
toned him. either in her letters Or on his re-
turn, as to the foundation OF these reports; and
their marriage had taken place soon after.
This, then, was the cause Of Ills absence the
last four evenings.
"Imporsan, business, F" he had said. She was
i stranger in strange city. He had taken her
nowhere. Shc had returned all her calls alone.
Flo had sent the carriage. but made some excuse
for not accompanying her each time. Vas she
80 repnlsige to him as that; or was he Ashamed
OF her?
Ethels naughty little head took haughtier
air 1t the thought. She was by nature proud
woman, but loye had made her meek Too
meek, since this was its reward.
What should she do ? To say that the thought
Of packing up her trunks ard starting for home.
leaving note for Harry explaining in q few brief
words tue cause,-which she had read dozen
times in novels was the right and proper thing
to do,-to say tha. this idea never crossed hsr
mind would be untrue; but Ethel had been
brought up in strict New England principles re-
gardlng tho marriage-sac1ament; and, even had
she been disposed to forget them, she kne"
very we'll that, under such circumstances, the
home Of her stern Puritan father and mother
would not be open TO receive her.
That aho came to some conclusion Waa evident
from the murmur, "He must win me- over again,
and fud.it harder than before;" and the resolute
expression round the sweet lips showed that sha
was no broken-hcarted woman.
When Harry La1hrop ran up the steps and
opened the door With u latch-key, he quite e1-
pected, az d matter OF course, to see glrGsh
form rush out from behind the door, lust for a
surprise" aud to fae1 two arms sround his neck.
No DOUBT it was relief that he dld not sec any
one and only heard strains OF gay music from
the partor. So absorbed Was the musician that
Bhe started at the Good evening, my dear"
that sounded just behind her. She did not
throw back her head and put up her lips for .
kiss, as she had led him to expect ahe would;
but she looked round and smiled brightly, told
him she VAS glad be had come lome, and ran of
like good little hougekeeper, as Rha Was, TO
o5uef on tue tapl6 LuelT Qa4ut9 supper
She chatted gayly, as she always did during
the meal but there was nau1ele5s something
that attracted her husbands gaze to her every
now and then; OF it might hayo been because
she was dressed very becomingly and looked un-
usually pretty,--but he had never taken much |
note of that in Ethel.
After tea, Ethel expressed the uiah that he |
would call with her that evening on her friends,
Judge and Mrs. Renfieid, aud their daughters, |
tho latter Of whom had been her playmates for |
yeats. .
She saw that be Eas shout to make soma ex-
cuse. aud haalened to add:
"They are anxlous to know you, Harry, and |
made me promise to come over with you some |
evening soon; md it is three weeks since they |
were here. 1 fear they will think it strange"
There 1as not the slightest sign Of sullenness
or lll-tempor when ho pteaded somo pressing en-
gagsment for not going; "he would 70 some
other time. though perhaps it would be better
not to wait for him." He read the paper little
while, then put on his oyercoat, and with
" Good.by, Puss, went out.
lie returned homo earlier than usual; for
lgain and again Ethers face rosa before him.
He felt uneasy, yet he could not have told Why.
He wished he had gono With her, she had looked
50 pretty half pleading with him to go; and,
when he had refused, how good tempered and