Port Royal standard and commercial. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1876-12-28

lady.
"Mother. this is your daughter
Mary"
Mary looked up, and met a pair o
gentle blue eyes looking out wistfull.
from kindly old face.
"Mary, will You let me be you
mother as web as Henry's2" asked tn
lady, holding out her hands; and Mar,
answered, embracing her warmly:
Indeed, l will! Welcome home
mother"
Miss Skinner, peeping from betwee,
her blinds across the street, saw the &C
and understood it.
"Oh, that's all very dne," she NUT
tered, contemptuously. ga new broom
sweeps clean. Wait few weeks, ant
then We shall see."
It was two weeks before Christmas
and Mary was busy preparing for tn
holidays. One evening, after putting
baby to bed, she ran down to the parlo
to get her sewing, which she had left OF
the table before tea. The door did no
open readily, and she tried it again, bu
found it, was locked. She was sure sht
had heard Henry's and his mother
voice within, and thinking the door hat
become fastened accidentally, called ou
to Henry to open it.
"Oh, is that you, Nary" he answer
ed. "Run up stairs and get my cigal
case, will youa"
Mary did so, and when she came dowr
again, found the door open, ind Henry
sitting by the table reading.
"Wbere is mother9" she asked.
"Wasn't she up stairs with you2" re
piled Henry, keeping his eyes fixed Oh
nis book.
"Why, no; thought she was here. >
"Well, you see you are mistaken,
he answered.
Marydid not reply, but took up hel
work and sewed away busily, hel
thoughts keeping time with her fingers.
She was positively certain she had heard
Mrs. Grey's voice in low toned conver
sation with Henry, and yet he had the
same as denied her presence there. II
was the first time he had ever equivo'
Gated to his wife, and she could moi
overlook it lightly without knowing the
reason. Why had he done soa Was
there anything secret between him and
his mother from which she was exclud:
ed, and if so, what could be the nature
of it9
Well, never mind; it might have been
about Mrs. Grey's affairs, and had moth.
ing to do with her; but then, why need
Henry have equivocated about the mat,
ter2
The little affair troubled her consider,
ably, and her uncasiness was very much
few days afterward.
She was in the kitchen one morning,
putting the finishing touches to the
for breakfast, when she
heard Mrs. Grey and Henry enter the
dinirg-room.
Are you sure Mary knows nothing
about this matters" Henry was say
ing.
YES, I am quite certain of it; and I
think we have been so fortunate to keep
it from her.
eyes, it would never do for her to
find it out now," Henry answered.
Mary wanted to hear no more, but ran
out into the back hall and up stairs,
whence she appeared in the dining-room
rs the breakfast bell rung, looking a
little flushed and excited, but not
enough so to cause comment.
After breakfast Mrs. Gray went out to
make some little purchases, and Mary
sat down in her husbands big arm
chair in the sitting-room, and tried to
reason herself out of her absurd fears
and suspicious.
What was it that her husband and his
mother were trying to keep from her 2
Why did they treat her like child, in
her own house9 she thought indignant
ly; it was shameful !
Her meditations were interrupted by
the entrance of Miss Susan Skinner, who
"had run over to have chat with her, "
rs she said:
"Why, my dear |" she exclaimed at
first sight of Mary, chow poorly you
are looking! What is the mattera"
"Nothing serious. I was very busy
Yesterday, and am little tired"
"Ah, one more in the family makes
more work, 1 know. It won't do to
wear yourself out this way; you must let
your mother-in-law do her share OF the
work"
"Ah, indeed she does" exclaimed
Mary, quickly, "even more than wish
her to, sometimes.
"Well, it seems to me she goes out
more than you do"
"And so she ought. I have Harry to
claim my attention"
"And she receives callers, too"
81 think you must be mistaken, Miss
Susan. She has made no acquaintances
since coming here"
"But T certainly saw gentleman
come here, two days ago, when you were
down town"
"A gentleman
eyes, and she met him at the door
herself. Mr.. Grey came home in about
half an hour and took him away with
him."
"Oh, it was probably some friend Of
Henry's."
"Perhaps so," replied Miss Susan,
doubtingly. She soon took her depart
ure, leaving Mrs. Grey's mind in very
troubled state.
In vain did she try to reason with her
self; to persuade herself that all this
was 10 concern of hers, it should moi
trouble her; still she could not help con
Meeting the visit of this gentleman with
the mysterious private conversations
WHY was she not thought worthy theil