Litchfield enquirer., 1878-10-10


 ''Four-the two boys and baby and me"
 A baby and boys" thought Sarah. "And their father fit to govern them as moon-caf. We'll, it's none of my business. That is your fathers step coming up the stairs, she said, aloud, putting the child hurriedly down. A Venetian mirror hung near them. The little doctor glanced in it quickly there was in it a wiry, muddy skinned, high-nosed woman in purple silk. She saw suddenly beside her vision of shy, rose-tinted girl, watching a young divinity student as he arranged ming nonette in pot, and she laughed to herself with keen sense of absurdity.
 The door opened, and the Reverend Mat thew stood on the threshold, plump, neat, pre- else, from the tip of his low shoes to the folds of his lawn cravat was an apple-cheeked face, full of mild good humor and feeble obstinacy. Coming up the stairs, he met the retiring del egates to the meeting, and Mrs. Epps who told him who was with Winny. He heard the name of the great reformer with little con- scious chuckle.
 'eDr. Sarah Govt? Tut tut Now, would you believe it. Mrs. Epps, that that lady was | an old flame of mine Fact callow fancy -calflove, you know had not cut my wis dom-teeth. Sarah Fetridge, she was then. But have watched her course since with in- terest. never have anything to do with that kind of people, but should like to see her, confess. Doctor Govt, eh? Tut! tut Poor creature !'
 Then he opened the door, and looked at her with an amused, curious smile.
 'tAh, how do you do?" Doctor Sarah nod ded curtly. Haven't seen you for twenty years, believe. We've both grown old, eh 2" holding out her hand. It shook she could not quiet it. His was cool and soft and limp. How we'll she remembered the touch of it 'On the contrary" he said, civilly. '1 don't know when have seen woman as we'll | preserved"
 She winced. She had seen hideous carica- lures of herself in illustrated papers, and laugh | ed why should she care when this man of all
 men called her ''well preserved?' But she l did care. The hot tears of modification came
 in spite of herself to her eyes. What did it mean? Why did she quake as if with ague since he came into the room ? She had no re- gard, no respect, for the man he was weak, | ridiculous
 Mir. Niles, who had a shrewd knack of ob- serving trifes, saw her agitation, and began to quake in his turn. She remembered the past. | She would begin to hint at loves | young dream. What if she should propose to ] him There was nothing which these unseXed l women would not do.
 Mrs Epps came in at the moment, and he turned to her with sense of escape. Maria began to chatter, glancing curiously at them
 both. She fancied that the doctors sudden in- terest in Winny was explained by her old love
 affair with her father. But Maria was wrong. l Nature adapts women to be either wives or
 mothers the best of one class are not often | the best of the other. Doctor Sarah, with her | thin lips and broad forehead had very few of | the qualities which gO to make happy mar riage but she was born mother. Besides,
 she had reached the age when the motherly in-
 stinct is strongest in any woman. She might have married Matthew now, not from love, but 1 a protective pity-to take care of him. It was
 the age when Maiptenon married Louis, and
 Margaret Fuller the Italian lad.
 She sat silent while Mrs. Epps and the cler-
 gyman talked of the weather, and then rose
 abruptly and tied on her hat then she came
 up to his face he stood on guard. "About this child of yours, Matthew I'm | a physician you kunow."
 "So Ihave understood, repressing a smile. | She eyed him moment in silence. Whether
 1 deserve the name or not" she said, calmly,
 ''matters nothing. 1 know enough to assure you that the child's disease isNcurable if taken
 in time, but that, if neglected much longer she | will be helpless invalid for life. 1 have giv-
 en up practice. But should like to examine
 her again. 1 have taken fancy to the little
 thing. Will you bring her to my house on | Tuesday ?"
 Mr. Niles hesitated he blushed, stammered 1 ''Mrs.-Doctor- 1 must consider the matter. 1 am mother and father both to the
 children, and, to be candid" gathering cour- age, Il doubt whether my wife would have
 risked Winny's case in the hands of so-so ir-
 regular practitioner"
 The doctor smiled-a smile which lasted a l trife too long. 'I understand 1 am sorry.
 had taken fancy to the child" she repeat ed. ''Good-morning." Mrs. Epps followed
 her down the stairs.
 "Don't mind it doctor He is bigoted lit-
 tie man, she said, soothingly. l 'Oh, it's nothing '" Doctor Sarah replied,
 hurriedly. 'The objection really came from
 his wife. Many mothers used to object to me | as practitioner because never had child" When Mir. Niles and his little girl took their seats in the train that evening to return to his parish in Maryland, he saw Doctor Sarah at | the other end of the car The Rev. Mir. Ab- | bolt, one of the leaders of his Church, came in, and, much to Matthew's surprise, stopped to speak to her, and did it with marked difference. | He took a seat presently beside Matthew.
 ''That is Sarah Govt" he whispered. ''That little woman with the strong fine face"
 ''Oh yes," said Mir. Niles, gigging, '1 know. One of the strong minded sister, hood"
 "She has an exceptionally clear head for busi- ness, if that is what you mean," replied Mir. Abbott. "Rides the Suffrage hobby hard, l believe; but childless women must have some outlet. But she has amassed a considerable fortune by her business tact"
 'Indeed?" said Matthew, gravely. He
 looked at Sarah with altered eyes. He had a respectful awe of anybody who could make money.
 The train rolled swiftly on Doctor Sarah
 talked to Eli, who accompanied her as far as | Philadelphia of her argument on the sixteenth
 amendment, but her eyes under her veil scan- ned deliberately her old lover and his, child. How miserably poor they must bel Matthew | did not wear now the new suit which Mrs Epps had given him, and the child's clothes, her hair, her manner, all showed the lack of a mothers care.
 ''But it is no business of mine" she said.
 q leave the cause in thy hands," said Eli, parting with her at Philadelphia. '"The eyes of the country will be upon thee tomorrow"
 Evening was falling. The train rolled smoothly on in the soft twilight through tho drowsy Maryland villages, with negroes lounging in crowds about the stations, through rich pastures crimson with clover, and the old apple orchards over long bridges, with stretch es of gray tapping water beneath, and here and there filmy sail moving dim and spec tral in the faint shine of the rising moon. Doctor Sarah pointed them out to Matthew, who now sat behind her. Surely ghost sits at the rudder yonder. It might be Charon coming for us in his boat" she said. Matthew smiled, Women were all silly and | fantastic alileot But it was kindly smile. The little mans affectionate heart smote him for his rudeness. She had meant kindness, and he had snubbed her brutally. She could not be a bad woman, when Mir. Abbott thought so we'll of her. He was glad when Winny went over and sat down by her. The lonely, neglected child had understood the meaning in the woman's eyes. Presently she fell asleep, and Sarah put her arms about her and drew her down on to her shoulder Then Matthew came over to them, and the doctor nodded and smiled and pointed out Charon and his boat. After all it was comfortable to be in accord with his old friend again. It was friendly world That little Mrs. Epps, now, was good Christian soul, though she had her whims. Matthew, although conscious that he was the only entire same person in the world. felt tonight sence of the beauty and goodwill and happiness in it as never before.