The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1877-04-18

and better in the simple clothing suit.
cd to their years"
"Oh, lam we'll enough. am pale
IT, day because | sat up late last night.
But l must dress for church or we shall
be late"
The services passed over Mrs. Hen
lev with but little impression. To her
chagrin, the little Goodwins, who had
all their dresses direct from London,
had an entirely new style Of overskirt
that made Jennie, Susan and Lottie
quite old fashioned in the eyes oftheir
mother.
Summer came, and the long June
days were spent in preparing a zeaside
wardrobe for the children, for Mr.,
Henley, by the advice Of his physician,
was going to take his wife to the sea
side.
The pain in her side had become
very troublesome, and there was a lit
tie hacking cough that meant wakeful
nights. The pale cheeks were seldom
tinged with a healthy color, and the'
eyes were languid and heavy. People
spoke pityingly of Mrs. Henley as
quite an invalid" and her husband
mourned over the alteration in his
wife.
He insisted upon having physician
who advised fresh air and exercise and
a tonic And Annie obediently swal
lowed the tonic, took daily walk,
aud she made up for "lost time" by
stitching at uight For were not the
GoodwIns, The Wilcoxes. and all the
leading fashionsbles of LangeSn going
to the same place where Mr.. Henley
had taken rooms, and could Jennie.
Susan and Lottie have one inch less
tucking and rufIiing than they posses
sed
He shrugged his shoulders when his
little girls minced along with dainty
fne-lady airs, instead of bounding with
the freedom of childhood. He bore
the steady whirr os the sewing machine
in the evening, instead Of the voice or
music of his wife.
But when Armies health began to
give away he exercised his authority,
and found that he had been silent too
long.
But, the summer wardrobes com
pleted, the dainty dresses trimmed,
the trunks packed Annie faithfully
promised james tn rest during tho
summers sojourn at the seaside. With
q sudden consciousness of growing
weakness there came to her an appre-
citation of her husbands love and pa
tience that had been numbed. She
began to realize that she had let her
ambition for dress overshadow her
love for her husband, ana that she bad
wronged him in dspriying him of the
com mpanionship he priced so highly.
81 will rest while I/am gone, and
when l come back, James, | will give
my evenings to you as | did when We
first married"
That was her parting promise, never
to be exacted. Only a few days of
rest were allowed her before an acute
attack of lung fever prostratsd her.
James left his business to hurry to the
seaside, a nurse was engaged and med
ical skill did its utmost. But the con-
stitution weakened by confinement and
everwork, could not resist the disease,
and while the summer days were still
in their full beauty, Mrs. Henley 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 dispensstion of Prov
idence, said Mrs Goodwin; such q
good mother. And these children are
just the age when they most need a
mothers care"
Annie Henley, in the dread hour
when she bade farewell to hope, wound
her arms around her husbands neck
and sobbed
"If | had only listened to YOU,
James, migN have been guide te
our children, a companion to you for
many years, and when l died have lefi
loving memories instead Of q trunk full
of fine clothing. | have wasted ny
life"
And James Honley, in widOwsr'
weeds, with his three little girls iu'
sombre black beside him, wonders
mournfnlly how many mothers Of tha
land are wasting their lives in tna
same struggles for appearances.