Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-05-25
PRETTY MRS. OGILVIE.
From Chambers Journal

H.
All the women are jealous of her; there is
no doubt about that. The first time she ap-
pears in church with crisp mauve muSinS
hOating about her and dainty mauve cree
ton on her head, which presumably she calls
bonnet, know at once how it will be. And
OF 9 e4 the other seh that W i aS
ton. AS she rises from her knees and takes
her little lavender gloved hands from her face
and looks about her for moment with sweet
doubt if any male creature in our musty little
church pays proper attention to the responses
for ten minutes afterwards. A new face is
might not see more than once i'm decade, 50
let us hope we may be forgiven.
4, AS gaze at the delicate profile before me,
the coils Of golden hair, the complexion like
white throat and the long dark eyelashes,
which droOp mOdestly over the glorious gray
approval at Mary Anne--my Mary Annette
partner of my joys and SORROWS for twenty
years and the mother of my six children?
Se1 ngure Is
ion Of her good humOred face is slightly rubi-
cund. But she has been good wife to me,
ana feel wit, WITH a twings OF eompqnetion that
shining spot on the top of my own head, and of
little box received from the dentist only a
month ago, carefully secured from observa-
ton. But as we emerge from church l draw
myself up and try to look my best as We pass
the ling native robes. Jack, one of our six,
STUNT les over the train which gives me an OPP
10 the brats awkwardness, and am rewa rd,
ID with a sweet smile and an upward glance
Ct OF the gre at gray eyes which is simply in
I'VE must call on Mrs. Ogilvie at once"
observe to Mary Anne as we proceed across
the fields on our hOmeward walk. 1T is my
duty as her landlord to find out if she is com
Portable. She is lady-like person." l con-
tinue, automatically fOrbearing to allude to
the obvious beauty; and daresay, my dear,
"Lady-like!' cries my wife, with a ring of in
dignatiOn in her voice. 81 don't call it lady
like to come to quiet country church dressed
she is painted. A color like that can't be
natural. But you men are all alike-always
taken with little outside show and glitter
i, But, my dear" remonstrate, perhaps she
our congregation is; and l really do think it
will be very unneighbOrly if we don't call. 1t
must be very dull for her to know no one
ignore the remark about the paint, but in my
heart give the assertion an emphatic contra
dictiOn.
Mrs. Ogilvie has rented a small cottage
which am the principal doctor. She is the
wife of a naval officer who is away in the Fly
Ing Squadron, and had settled in our sleepy
little hamlet to live quietly during his absence.
tionable, and, indeed, she is slightly known to
our Squire, as is also her absent husband. "a
spenGd fellow 9Ss, he is MI Dillon tells
handsome as Apollo; indeed don't believe
that for good looks you could find such another
couple in England"
The following day Mary Anne, with but lit
tie persuasion, agrees to accompany me to the
cottage to call on Mrs. Ogilvie. The door is
opened by neat maid servant, She is at
room, which we almost fail to recognize, 50
changed is it.
Presently Mrs. Ogilvie comes in, looking. if
possible, even lOyelier than she did the iav
before i'm a
here and there knot of blue ribbon about it
and she has a bit of blue also in her golden
hair. Her manner is as charming as her looks,
and as she thanks my, wife with pleasant, cor.
dial words for being the first of her neighbors
TO take compassion on her loneliness, can
see that my Mary Anne, whose heart is as
faction and goes over to the enemy. Mrs.
Ogilvie is very young, still quite girl, though
she has been married three years she tells me.
1T is dreadful that Frank should have to
60 away" she says, and the tears well up in
her large gray eyes: THAT is the worst of the
service: See; here is his photograph" lifting
case from the table and handing it to Mary
Anne. SIS he not handsome ~
He, is most undeniably so, if the likeness
speaks truth, and We both say so Mary Anne,
with the privilege of her sex and age, adding
20, yes" replies Mrs, Ogivie without the
smallest embaSsassment; 1--WE are always
called the handsome couple"
expressed itself in my cOuntenance, for she
smiles, and says: II am afraid you think me
very vain; but cannot help knowing that L
being aware that my eyes are gray not black p
ana that my hair is golden. It is a gift from
God, like my talent, valuable one too think
+ eske t1sb am OF 1t for my dear
Yes, this is Mrs. Ogilvies pee uliarity, as we
afterwards discOyer-an intense and quite
open admiration DIN OF her =! own beauty:
idiOsyncrasy of hers, but in little while we
all come to laugh at it; there is something
original and amusing about it; and in all
My wife, with whom she speedily becomes
intimate, tells me that she Is sure She values
her beauty more for her husbands sake than
Mary Anne; land he seems to think 80 much
of her sweet looks. She says he fell in love
with her at first sight, before ne ever spoke to
But Mrs. Ogilvie has many more attractions
than are to be found in her face. She is a
highly educated woman, first-rate musician,
more than ali, she has sweet, loving disp St
ton, and true heart at the core of ali her
little yanities. She is very good to the poor in
our village, and often when am on my rounds
l meet her coming out of some cottage with
an empty basket In her hand which was full
when she entered 1t.
In quiet little neighborhood like ours such
every one hastens to call on her, and many
are the dinners and crOquet parties which are
lnaugurated in her honor. To the former she
will not go: she does not wish to 20 out in the
evening during her husbands abSence-much
to my wife'S satisfaction, who approves of
women being keepers at heme,'-and it is
only seldom that she can be induced to grace
ole OF the crOquet parties with her pres
ence.
But when she does, she ecIipses every one
else. She always dresses in the most exquisite
taste, as If anxious that the setting should be
worthy OF the jewel-the beauty which she
prizes so highly.
She has been settled at the cottage rather
more than two years and is beginning to count
the weeks to her husbands return. We do not
number them quite so eagerly, for when he
comes he will take her away from u.s. and we
shall miss her sOrely. 1t Is summer again-a
hot, damp summer; it has been a very Sickly
summer, and my hands are full.
Il shall have to get partner, my dear"
say to my wife as Prepare to 60 out IF this
goes OH shall have more to do than | can
manage. There is nasty fever about which
i don't like the look of: and if we don't have a
change for the better in this muggy weather,
there Is no saying what 1t may turn to-"
II am glad all the boys are at school," OBJ
serves Mary Anne, land think will let the
gills. accept their aunt's invitation and go to
her for a month"
1T would be very good plan, and should
be glad If you would go, too. A little change
would do you good"
"And, pray, who is to look after your" asks
my wife, reprOachfully. "WhO is TO see TIN 1T
fol aold NnrIxy