The Republican journal., 1876-11-30

good-sense, which. II not supplying III
place OF genius, at least comprehended it
work Not Intellectually gifted herself
perhaps. she seemed the cause Of gifts il
others, and furnished the atmosphere i
which all showed their best. With tht
steady and thoughtful enthusiasm of he
Puritan ancestors, she combined that grace
which IS so rare among their descendant!
"a grace which fascinated the humblest
while it would have been just the same il
the society of kings. And her person ha'
the epupolse and symmetry of her mind
While abounding in separate points o
beauty, each a source of distinct and pc
cullar pleasure as the outline of her tenn
pie, the white line that parted her night
black hair, the bend of wrists the mould
ing OF her hnger-tips. yet these detail,
were lost III the overwhelming graceful
ness OF her presence, and the atmosphere
of charm which she diffused over all hu
man life
few days passed rapidly by us. We
walked and rode and boated and read
Little Marian came and went, a living
sunbeam, a self suilicing thing. 1t W.,
soon obvious that she was far less demon
strative towards her parents than toward,
me; while her mother, gracious to her as
to all, vet rarely caressed her. and Ken,
mure though habitually kind, seemed
rather to ignore her existence, and could
scarcely tolerate that she should for one
instant preoccupy his wife. For Laura he
lived, and she must live for him. He had
Il studio. which rarely entered and Mar
ian never, while Laura was constantly
there and after the first cortliaity was
| I ,,I,, tlat 81, ! -
tions were always arranged for two The
weather was beautiful, and they led the
widest outdoor life, cruising all day or all
night among the islands, regardless OF
hours, and Is it sometimes seemed to me,
ot health No matters Kenmure liked it,
and what he liked she loved When at
| home. they We're chiefly in the studio, he
painting, modelling, poetizing perhaps,
and she inseparately united with him in
all. 1t was very beautiful, this unworldly
and passionate love, and | could have
borne to be omitted in their daily plans,
since little Marian was lett to me, save
that it seemed SO strange to omit her also
BESIDES, there grew to be something a lit
tie oppressive in this peculiar atmosphere !;
it was like living in u greenhouse
Yet they always spoke IN the simplest
way of this absorbing passion, as OF some
thing about which no reticence was need
ed il was too sacred nat to be mentioned ;
ii would be wrong not to utter freely to
All the world what was doubtless the best
thing the world possessed. Thus kenmure
made Laura his model in all his art; net
to coin her into wealth or fame he would
have scorned it he would have valued
Il ,l,I, Il
proclalming her. Looking simply at these
two lovers, then, it seemed AS if no human
union could be more noble or stainless
ct so far as others were concerned it
sometimes seemed 10 me a Kind of duplex
seltshness so profound and so undsguised
as to make one shudder. ''is it," | ask ed
myself at such moments, "a great conse-
cration or a crime? ?" But something must
be allowed, perhaps. for my own private
dissatisfaction in Marians behalf.
had easily persuaded Janet To let me
have Il peep every night at my darling, as
she slept; and once | was surprised to lind
Laura sitting by the small white bed.
GErac.fllul and beautiful as ,sSne always was,
lovely, for she never had seemed quite like
4 mother. But | could not demand a
sweelcr look Of tenderness than that which
She now gazed upon her child.
Little Marian lay with one brown, plump
hand visible from its full white sleeve,
while the other nestled half hid beneath
the sheet, grasping a pair of blue morocco
shoes, the last acquisition of her tayorite
doll. Dropping from beneath the pillo"
hung a handful Of scarlet peoples, which
the child had wished to place under her
head IN the very superluous project OF
putting herself to sleep thereby. Her soft
brown hair was scattered on the sheet,
her black lashes lay motionless upon the
olive cheeks. Laura wished to move her
that might see her the better
"Iou will wake her" exclaimed !, IN
alarm.
"Wake this little dormouse ?" Laura
lightly answered. "lmpossibe."
Aud twining her arms about her, the
Young mother lifted the child from the
bed, three or four times, dropping her
again heavily each time, while the healthy
little creature remained utterly undisturb-
ed, breathing the same quiet breath.
watched Laura with amazement; She
seemed transformed.
She gayly returned my eager look, and
then, seeming suddenly to penetrate its
meaning, cast down her radiant eyes,
while the color mounted into her cheeks
you thought" she said almost sternly
''that did not love my child"
NO" said half untruthfully.
Il can hardly wonder" she continued,
more sadly, "for it is only what | have
said to myself thousand times. Some
times | think that | have lived a dream
and one that few share with me. | have
questioned others. and never yet found :
woman who did not admit that her chile
was more to her, in her secret soul, than
her husband. What can they mean Sucl
a thought is foreign to my nature"
"Why separate the two ?" | asked
II must separate them" she answered
with the air of one driven to bay by he
own sell-reproaching 81 had, like othe
young girls, my dream of love and mar
riagc Unlike all the rest, ] believe, IN,
visions were fulfilled The reality wa
more than the imagination; and though
it would be so with my love tor my child
The first cry Of that baby told the differ
ence to my ear. | knew it all from tha
moment; the bliss which had been min
as wife would never be mine as a moth
er Ii | had not known what it was +
love my husband, might have been con
tent with my love Tor Marian. But loo
at that exquisite creature as she lies ther'
asleep. and then think that |, her mother
! should desert her if she was dying, TO
aught know, at one word from him ~
"Iour feeling is morbid" | said. hard
ly knowing what to answer
"What good does it serve to know that?
, she said dehantly. II say it to myself ever
/ day Once when she was i'll, and was civ
: en- back to me in all the precious helpless
I less OF babyhood, there was such strang
. sweetness in it, | thought the charm migI
remain but it vanished when she coul
run about once more. And she is such
! healthy, self-reliant little thing" adde
a Laura glancing toward the bed with me
$ mentary look of motherly pride that seen
i ed strangely out of place amid these sci
t denunciations.
: Il wish her to be So" she added. 9Th
: best service can do for her is to teach hi
i to stand alone. And at some day." contil
! ued the beautiful woman, her Whole fac