The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-01-12

waysf You can't call her eoneeited-
that is not at all the word for one who
is 30 shut up in her habit Of improving
herself in every way at once and yet"
"Oh, you unaecountable boyp ex-
claimed his mother, hughing; "you once
eondeseended to tell me i'll fun the kind
of wife you desired. She was to be
able TO talk over the news Of the day
with you; she was not to be 50 learned as
to belong to the womans rights party;
she was not to care to run out to gossip
with the neighbors; she was to be modest,
and care nothing for fashionable clothes;
land 50 she was all these you did not care
how homely she was Am I not rights
And now tell me, does not Annie Barlow
come up to your ideal!"
"Stephen colored up, and laughed as
he walked toward the window and then
back to bis mother. '+ ''
'ePA tell you what IL is, mother" said
he, "she has shown me plainly my fool
ishness in thinking I could ever be happy
with such a woman as my imagination
created. She comes up to my ideal in
every respect as you say; and yet l
should be the most miserable man under
the sun if were condemned to listen to
her perfectly correct, perfectly ganimat-
ical talk all nay life, and to see her ap-
pearing every day in that hideous gown,
and with her hair dragged back in those
plain, ancempromising braids all the
time."
n 80, inconsistency, thy name is mani"
said Mrs Gray. "Well, then, tell me, is
, it because of the want Of vanity IN
, Annie's toilet, and because she does not
!. talk bad grammar and slang, that you
, have given us 50 little Of your society in
! the eveningT
"Partly 80" said Stephen, "snd also
because-welb you see, Fred Andrews
) has several times asked me to spend the
, evening at his house, and they have a
visiting cousin, Alice Frazier by name,
4 and-ahd-I tell you what, mother, she's
Y regular nice girl; and no humbug about
e her" And Stephens face was as the
fire itself as he burst out with his con
r fessien.
q "Indeedw exclaimed Mrs. Gray, in as
J, tonishment, "and is this the way natter
are goingT'
q "Well, mother, now don't you 60 and
/, think she is one Of these frivolous little
e butterflies, because she is not" sale
stephen, earnestly; "but have Learned
. that it is no use to rush to extremes, ant
also that girl may be pretty and lively
e and still possess common sense, and hav'
v quite as good an education as will enabl'
# her to make charming com mpanlon to-
y a lifetime"
h "Have you spoken to her yet Of you
T. feelingsT' asked Mrs. Gray.
fl "No, mother, for l wished you to maxi
her acquaintance first. May I bring he
s. here this evening, as you are not stronI
n enough to call upon her?"
Mrs. Gray could not refuse this simpl
{ request, and when Stephen had left he
,r she sent for Annie, intending to tell he
d of Miss Alice's probable call that even
d ing, and so gradually open her eyes t
+ the truth about Stephen. She though
,e SO highly Of this son Of hers that sh'
e never imagined but that Annies affet
j. tions were centered upon the same sui
a ject. When Annie entered the room sh
v had an open letter in her hand.
r "Mrs. Gray" she said, quietly, II hav
9 Just had letter from friend Of mint
,r and wish to ask your advice, as yo
/. have been so kind to me ever since
% knew you. My friend is missionary ou
d in Japan, and l have known for lon
time that be had regard for me: bu
Is now he has written to know if / will 6
!, out there and marry him and tax
sr charge Of school in which he is muc
70 Interested" ,.t.-,
!, Poor Mrs. Gray! This second astound
W ing confession nearly took away he
II breath. ....- .....,. ........
lg "Why, my dear, I can hardly advis
d you in this natter" she said; "your ew
le heart should tell you what answer I
n- give. Do you think that you care fo
him more than for any other man? Ca
Us you leave all your friends here and g
4. away SO far with no companion but hitr
b without wishing yourself at home again?
Annie had never read a move, and La
p evidently concerned herself very ittl
10 with love-making. ..!5 Y, .g.r
d II think," s.se replied, calmly, chat
70 should like to teach in the school h
. mentions, and as for marrying, l bav
is known him all my life, and may as we
marry him as any one else" -
Of It was plain To Mrs. Gray that no re
" mantle ideas Of Stephen had eve
T. troubled her head. So that evenin
. Annie Barlow wrote her letter Of accep
k ancs to her far-away suitor, while at tn
ia Isame time Alice was making the al
,e quaintance Of her future mother-in-ir
is law. a., !. g. - 4 l@
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