The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-07-08
Bending Her VIII.


life. And the idea of a bride in her
honeymoon being weighted down with
an old grandfather and grandmother-in-
law Ny! who ever heard of such Q
thing ~
Mamie Eastlake was a bright-eyed
girl of nineteen; girl who had been
brought up at fashionable boarding
school.
She never had known the peaceful in
fuences of home, for she lived with
Mrs. Sykes Ponsonby, an aunt who float
ed on the very top wave of fashion, and
spent her nights in society and her days
in bed.
And the first real heart experience that
had ever happened to her was Donald
Aubrey's love.
at is such an elegant house," said
| Mamie. "Finished in real wood, you
know, and furnished SO beautifully.
Turkey carpets and furniture of Ebony
and gold, and the tiniest little gem Of
a conservatory filled with roses and
camelias, and the sweetest carnations,
and my boudoir all in pink and silver"
"Of course it's all very fne," said
Hero Field. "but you'll never enjoy it
with those horrid, mischief making old
antediluvians shifting and prowling
around. Why not open an asylum for
INDECENT poor at once?'
"But they are Donalds grand-parents,' y
pleaded Mamie.
"Well, what then? Let him provide
for them, as other people do. His wife
has the first right and the only right in
his house, and so I'd tell him if l were
you. A mother-in-law would be bad
enough, but this is ten times worse.'
81 don't think he ought to expect it of
me-" said Mamie
"Of course he oughtn't," said Hero.
So when Mr.. Aubrey came to make his
usual evening call that night and
Aunt Ponsonby had discreetly made
some excuse for leaving the draw
ing-room, Mamie broached the subject
at once
Donald" said she, "I've been think
ing"
"Well, dearest"
"And I've come to the conclusion"-
rather abruptly-"that you ought not to
ask me to make home for old Mr.. and
Mrs. Vivian !"
"Is it not right and natural, Mamie,
that their home should be with me p"
he asked, his face clouding over q
little.
81 dare say it will be very nice for
them," said Mamie, with toss of her
golden head; "but how about me?"
"Do you object to it ?"
every decidedly, indeed" answered
the pretty young bride-elect; fondly i'm
agining that she had but to lift her slen-
der finger to win any boon that she asked
of Donald Aubrey.
81 am very sorry" said the young
man, camly. ''As l have decided to ask
them to remain permanently with me, |
cannot, of course, permit my wife"
Mamie crimsoned angrily.
"But l am not your wife yet, Mr.. Au-
brey. And l will not be your wife
if"
"Nannie! For Heavens sake, stop!
Think what you are saying'
q mean it !" said Mamie, hotly. 81 do
not choose to marry into nest of rela-
tions-in-law, and SO you must choose be-
tween your grand parents and mel"
"Nannie!"
She laughed naughty, constrained
laugh.
81 am quite in earnest" said she. eff
you really care for me, you will give
up this unreasonable caprice of yours"
sis it unreasonable to honor ones
aged parents ?" he asked, slowly, while
his dark, searching eyes seemed to read
uuG very ScCIcU VI ACl lCui 40 ~ q
caprice to retain some natural affection
for those who loved and cared for me
when was yet a helpless child? If you
think it is, Mamie, 1 have been sorely
mistaken in your character ~
"Very we'll, said Mamie, feeling hel
cheeks burn and her lips quiver, 81
am, then, to understand that your elec.
tion is made?"
SIT certainly is."
"And you prefer Mr. and Mrs Vi'iar
to me-"
"1 prefer my duty to anything in the
world, Mamie
81 have the honor to wish you a
very good evening, then" said she, re-
gally.
And Mamie swept out Of the room in
a manner which she meant should be
overwhelming.
"Goodw cried Hero Field, the next
ii b hor tha