Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-04-17

The girl looked at her moment II
silence Then she said, "Won't you sit
down? There's chair"
Miss Mallows sat down. She was a
pleasant object too look at in her olive
greens and pheasant browns, with
cheeks and eyes frightened by the
frosty air, and the invalid felt it.
You WAS in the car the day | came,
wasn't your she said l recollect
your hat. I've been sick most ever
since 1t seems long time.'
"The first few weeks in new place
are apt to seem long," replied Felicia,
kindly; and l dare say you miss your
home"
q haven't any home to miss sadly
Indeedw
"No ] don't remember my folks at
all, or scarcely. My father, he died
when l was born, and mother when |
wasn't but two. | hadn't anybody else,
SO they sent me to the orphan asylum,
and | lived there fifteen years"
"Poor child. Did you? And what
then ?"
"Then was took by Mr.. Parker over
to Cheshire. 1 was their help, but they
was very good to me, and it was most of
a home I'd ever had. Miss Parker, she
liked to have me call her 'ma,' and |
did"
And then you married Mr.. Dali
rymple."
Eyes" The blue eyes clouded over,
and the lips closed tightly over the one
word.
"And now hope you'll have real
home of your own at last. What a
pleasant old place this is. Even at this
season one can see that. And my
friends tell me that Mr.. Dalrymple is so
kind and good and clever, and so much
respected in the nighborhood | am
sure you cannot fail to be happy with
him, though just at first the farm may
seem a little lonely ane strange"
The reply to these well meant remarks
was unexpected, for the bride burst into
a violent fit Of crying, which no sooth
ing on the part of her dismayed guest
awaited to check.
"Tll tell you about it." she sobbed at
last, quoting a little: and won to con-
tiGence, as it were, by the tears in Fell
cia's own eyes. Il haven't had any
one to tell before, and Pm so unhappy.
l didn't think ever [ should feel so
when got married. They al! said /
should be a fool if didn't take Mr.
Dalrymple, because he was SO we'll off,
and he wanted me SO much; even Miss
Parker said she couldn't countenance
no such a thing as my sayin' no, and
I'd never have such another chance the
longest day |. lived. Then I'd never
had no one to do for me before, and he
gave me such lot of things, and I did
SO love to look nice and pretty like
ladies do, and sol did. And then,
somehow, when it was all over and |
had to go Off with him. it come to me
all of a sudden what I'd done, and how
my whole life was a-going to be just the
same thing always, and he was al
ways a-going to be there, and | know
the girls laughed at us behind our
backs, and Louisa Brooks called him
'Spindle-toes,' and yet I'd got to stay by
him and never 60 anywhere else, or
be anything else. And it all come over
me, and it was awful! I hadn't realized
it before" And she looked with pite-
Gus eyes into Miss Mallow's face, who
stroked her hand gently, but wisely
made no answer.
81 suppose folks do call this a
pleasant place." she went on, after a
little pause, but it don't look pleasant
to me. Iain't used to country. or to
being alone all day. There was two
hundred of us at the asylum, and at Miss
Parker's we was close to the town, and
could see folks a-passing and hear wag-
ons. It's so still here l can hear myself
think almost, and the wind makes noises
in the chimney, and [ lie awake at night
and listen. It's like voice, and it saws,
Alone! alone! alonep and groans, and
frightens me aWfully.'s
:" don't think it says that" exclaimed
Miss Mallows, with q sudden inspiration.
!" 1t says, "A home! home! a home
That's what wind always seems to say to
me in homely old chimneys like these"
Then she thought to herself, Shall I? or
shan't |? hate preaching, and l hate
meddling; but there's a chance to do a
bit of good, maybe, and-yes I'll risk
it.
Nov listen to me, DEAR" she went
on, aloud, softening her voice as if to a
child "This is what [ think about
your position. 1t seems to me that you
are just at the point when you must de-
eide for yourself wether you'll be hap
Ply woman or an unhappy one for the
rest of your life.
How? What do you mean?"
why, you were a lonely girl, you
know, with no real home of your own,
and here good man has come along
and taken you into his. He loves you
dearly now, and you have great deal
of influence over him, and can do pretty
much as you like moa0; but how long will
that last if you go on crying and being
unhappy and showing how little you
care for him?" #1 @
II don't know" whispered the bride
family.
"Then you are married, you know
You have given a promise, and must keep
it, even if it makes you sorry. Promi-
coo fhi,,o- R,,tT thiy,7>