The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1878-08-28
heart was hardened BY Herbert's en-

phatic expression concerning the
baby. She was reassured, however,
by Mrs. Mountjoy's hearty welcome.
$50 glad you've come, my DEAR"
she said. "Your husband said he
feared baby would keep you at home;
but told him it was all nonsense
You did right to consider the mat.
ter"
Herbert was dancing when he first
caught sight of her.
"How the dickens came she here2"
he muttered to himself, as he led his
partner, absently, to a seat, deaf to
all her pretty words, blind to her fas.
cinations. "It certainly is Alice
but that dress-the prettiest thing
hercl and l left her quite determined
not to come. don't understand it.
Dancing with that military puppy,
Guinette, too. She knows l hate
him."
With these 'amiable thoughts, he
laid himself out to gain the attention
of his wife, and make her explain
1t was sometime before he had the
chance, SO he was obliged to content
himself with following her graceful
motions, angry with himself and
with her.
"Alice! Can l believe my eyes2"
he said, at last, in the pause of the
dance.
81 should think you might, rather"
was the nonchalant reply.
"Pray, how did you come?"
"Pray, how did you Gomez 1 rode.
Did you walkP"
"well, but about the baby, Alice'"
he asked, anxiously.
She put her rosy lips to his ear,
and in q subdued voice, exclaimed:
Hang the babyl"
Herbert started, and changed color.
To bo sure he had used the same
but from her it was too ex-
asperating. How he got through the
evening he couldhardly tell. When,
at last, they were together in the car
riage, driving home, there might
have been an open rupture, but for
the determined calmness of Alice,
who took everything as a matter Of
course.
Once glance in the beautiful nurse
ry unsealed his eyes. There, by the
FIRE, sat Mabel, her luxuriant tresses
falling in glossy freedom over her
shoulders, while the little fellow on
her lap, clutching at one long shi-
ming curl, crowed and laughed, as well
as he couldfor "auntie's" smothering
kisses.
A sudden revulsion of feeling came
to the fathers heart at sight of this
sweet home-picture.
"Aha! I know who contrived this
plot" he said. "But I am glad tosee
you, Mabel, nevertheless"
wasn't she the belle of the ballH"
answered Mabel, saucily.
"There's no doubt of that, AT any
rate, didn't get a chance to dance
with her."
"Of course. Who ever heard in So
cicty of dancing with ones wife2"
she said, sarcastically. "I see that
she followed my directions implicit
ly. You must learn, sir, that house
divided against itself, cannot stand
that is, if one-half is flirting at a
party, and the other half is at home
crying her eyes out"
"Oh, Alice, were you really2"
~ should think she was. l can
assure you that l myself saw halfthe
house dissolved in tears,andso wretch.
ed that"
"Mabel, hush!" said Alice implo,
ringly.
"Traitor, do you turn on me2" ex-
claimed Mabel, with mock displeas-
ure.
"My child" she went on, tossing
the crying cherub, "tell your selfish
papa that he also has some obliga.
tions, and that if you had known you
we're to be the bone of contention in
this family, you'd have stayed in the
gardens of angels, where you were
Herbcrtwasstrongly affected by this
audacious outburst, but 1t had the
effect of leading him to see his duty