Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1876-12-07

4
| Yet you could End leisure then for a
|dsiIy walk, could read in. the evening
or sing for me, conid enjoy an
occasional evening of. social pleasure,
Ior some entertainment. l had wife
Then"
/ "James! what do you mean 2
| 81 mean that, in the place of my
happy, healthy wife, | have now a
s:ckly, over worked seamstress. Those
dolls~tba have Just gone out have
none of the grace of childhood. They
are fast becoming little pieces Of
vanity, all absorbed in their finery.
Their undertaking would do for
signs in an emporium of linen, with
the embroidery, rufiies, and tucks.'
"But do it all 'aysels James"
exactly. You are stitching your
life into the garments of your children,
who would be far happier. healthier
and better in the simple clothing suit
ed to their years"
"Oh, I am well enough. l am
pale to-day because | sat up late last
night. But I must dress. for church,
Or we shall be late.
The service passed over Mrs. Hem
ley with but little impression. To
her chagrin the little Goodwlns, who
had all theI dresses direct from
! London, had an entirely new style of
overskirt, that made Jennie, Susan
| and Lot,ie look quite old. fashioned in
the eyes Of their mother.
Summer came, and The long June
days were spent in preparing a seaside
wardrobe for the children, for Mr.
Henley, by he ADVICE of his physlc-
ian, was going to take his wife to the
seaside.
The pain in her side had become
troublesome, and there Was little
hacking cough that meant wakefal
nights The pale cheeks were seldom
hinged with a healthful color, and the
eyes were lapguid and heavy. People
spoke pityingly of Mrs. Henley as
'squise an invalid" and her husband
monrned over the alteration iii his
wife.
He insisted apon having physic
ian, who advertised fresh air, exercise,
and tome. And Annie obediently
swallowed the tonic, took daily
walk, and then made up 'lor lost
time" by stitching at night For
were not the Goodwins, the Wilcoxes,
and all the fashionablss of Langton
going to the same place where Mr.
Henley had taken rooms, and could
Jennie, Susan and Lottis have one
inch less ruffing and tucking than
they possessed?
He only shrugged his shoulders
when his little girls minced along with
dainty fine lady airs, instead Of bound
ing With the freedom Of childhood
He bore the steady whirr of the
sewing machine in the evening,
! instead of the voice or music of his
wife.
But when Armies health begun to
give way he exercised his authority,
and found he had been silent too
long.
But, the summer wardrobes compile
ted, the dainty dresses trimmed, the
trunks packed, Annie faithfully prom
ised James TO rest during the sum-
mer's sojourn at the seaside. With a
sudden consciousness of growing
weakness that came to her an APP
preciatlonfof her husbands love aud
patience that had been numbered.
She begun to realize that she had ie'
her ambition for dress overshadow
her love for her husband, and that she
had wronged bim in depriving him Of
The companionship he priced so
highly.
81 will rest While [ am gone, and
when | come back, James, [ will give
my evenings to you as did when we
were first married."
That was her parting promise, never
to he exacted. Only few days OF
rest were allowed her before an acute
attack OF lung fever Frustrated her.
James left his business to hurry to the
seaside, u nurse was engaged, and
medical skill did its utmost. But the
constitution, weakened by confinement
and oyerwork, could not resist the
disease, and while the summer days
were stall IN their full beauty, Mrs.
Hensley knew she was dying
1t was bitter thought. Life held
so much that was precious her kind,
loving husband, her beautiful children,
her happy home. all these must be
left
"a mysterious dispensation of Prov
idence," said Mrs. Goodwin such a
good mother. And those children
are Just the age when they most need
a mothers care"
Annie Henley, in the dread hour
when she babe farewell to hope
wound her arms around her husband