The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1876-02-18
SELECT STORY.
ETHEI'S METHOD.

them, with grave, absent look on ne
face, quite unusual; at the little pools o
water all over the oilcloth that protected
the carpet; and her neatness took alarm
LA, ma'am! just look how you arr
wetting 'em-runnin' all over every
thing"
The lady started, looked down at th'
dripping plants, and, coloring family
said:
"Yes, / have watered them most toe
much. Never mind. just wipe up the
water, Mary, and it won't do any harm
They were so very dry"
This last was said by way of explaining
to the girl what might otherwise seem
strange; but, truth to say, the plants had
never missed being watered a day yet.
"Sure, ma,am, they won't be dry again
for long time to come"
A scrap of paper, picked up from a
habit OF oversight and order, and care.
lessly glanced at, was the real cause oi
thi. absence of mind. It had not been
pleasant reading for bride of few
weeks, especially when the words were
in ones husbands hand writing:
81 can't stand this. Pm of to the club
again; / love Ethel well enough. OF
course; but, ifshe were only little m ere
like Helen, or not quite so--well, quite
20 sDooney and sentimental"
This Ethel "who was loved well
enough, of course" but who was ''spooney
and sentimental" +" was herself; but who
was "Helen"-this fortunate person
whom it was desirable she should resem-
BILE?
People take trouble differently-a
good deal according to the temperament,
and good deal according ~ the amount
of good sense.
Unfortunately for her birds, and
plants, Ethel Lathrop kept on with her
employment while pondering this new
aspect of things; unfortunately for the
bird, because it got only bird-seed-no
petting, no nice bit of cake or apple; and
for the poor, drowned plants, as we have
seem
As to outward signs, EthePs blithe
song died on her lips. Her dark eyes
had opened wider, and, it must be own
ed, grew blacker and brighter. Her face
at first lost all its color; then face, neck,
ears flushed to deepest crimson.
"Spooney and sentimental 20 Yes, no
doubt she had been sentimental and fond
If that was what "spooney" meant
She had shown the man she loved best of
all the world, and whom sbe had sup
posed till now loved her, all the wealth
of her fond young heart; and it had
wearied and dIsgusted him.
At this conclusion, pain. and wound
ed pride, and modification brought a
deeper tide of crimson to her brow, and
the hot tears Ito her eyes, which as yet
pride had kept back. 1t seemed for a
time question, almost chance, wheth-
er she would cry her heart out, and sink
down into sad, spiritless, prematurely-
old woman. She might, perhaps, but
for that word ''Helen;" bnt it is doubt
full, Notwithstanding all the seeming, if
there was any possibility Of such result
for Ethel, although deeply wounded in
both love and pride, had deal Of char
acter, and spirit, and good sense under
the fair, child like exterior.
She remembered now all the reports of
Harry Lathrop's attentions and devotion
to Miss Wilder during two years he
was in Europe on business for the firm
of which he was junior partner. Could
it be her old friend and class-mate, He
len Wilder?
With the confidence of true affection
in the man to whom she had been engag-
ed a year, she had only smiled happy
little smile when the GOSSIP was reported
to her, and had never questioned him,
either in her letters or on his retnrn, as
to the foundation of these reports; and
their marriage had taken place soon af-
ter.
This, then, was the cause of his abb
sence the last fqlr evenings.
"Important business" he had aaid
She was a stranger in strange city. He
had taken her nowhere. She had return
ed all her calls alone. He had sent the
carriage, but made some excuse for not
accompanying her each time. Was she
ashamed of her?
Ethel's naughty little head took a
laughter air at the thought. She was
by nature proud woman, but love had
made her meek. Too meek, since this
was its reward.
What should she do? To say that she
thought of packing up her trunks and
starting for home, leaving note for
Harry explaining in few brief words
the canse-which she had read a dozen
times in novels was the right and proper
thing to do-to say that this idea never
crossed her mind wonld be untrue; but
Ethel had been brought up in strict New
England principles regarding the marri-
age-sacrament; and, even had she been
rROHCh W tANAAJ SAbC NhC"
we'll that, under such circumstances, the
home of her stern Puritan father and
mother would not be open to receive
her
That she came to some conclusion was
evident from the murmur. "He m4At
win me over again, and find it harder
than before;" and the resolute expression
round the sweet lips showed that she was
no broken hearted woman.
When Harry Lathrop ran up The steps
and opened the door with latch-key he
quite expected as a matter of course, to
see girlish form rush out from behind
the door, "just for surprise" and to
feel two arms around his neck. No doubt
it was relief that he did not see anyone,
and only heard strains Of gay music from
the parlor. So absorbed was the musi-
oian that she tarted Mt the H(Iood even