Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-11-05
lContinued from first page. I

owes something to herself who has been
brought up as you have BEEN
Euphemia said no more. She set her
red lips tight, to shut in the torrent of
disgust and dismay that threatened to pour
itself on her mothers head. and locked
herself into her room, to think it out and
write to Stephen.
She faced the question Of her life cour-
ageously. Had she the power to accept
such situation and endure it? Could she
be poor calmly and happily? or would
the absence Of these lifelong ap-
pliances of comfort and luxury weaken
her strength, chafe her temper. and make
her and Stephen wretched when their love
should be time-worn9 She blusbed to
thing SO meanly Of herself Her. courage
rose at the sight of difficulties. She sat
down at once and wrote a calm letter to
her lover, stating the new aspect of af-
fairs as CURLY as possible, withouL an ex-
preston Of feeling on her own part, or
even limiting at any possible suspension
Of their engagement.
Il will not insult him. she said TO
herself, as she closed the envelope and
rose to take it TO the letter-box: and a
warm flush lit her face at the thought.
She could trust Stephen, she knew.
And Stephen read ali. between the lines
OF that letter. that Phena thought His
answer was immediate, and he brought II
himself.
IL am go gladr' were his first audible
words, lyon have relieved the only dread
had, nv darling did not want You to
have what / could not give you. want
to take care of my wife. Phema, and not
have her help me-"
Mrs Bayard was Disguised. hopelcs>ly.
with this state of things. Her selfish soul
neither thought nor cared what Stephen
and Euphemia mast think of her heariless
provision for herself alone. She left New
port in rage, and went TO the White
Mountains. though, first, she consented.
with an i'll grace, to be present. al a very
early wedding The little world of New
port were astonished at this unexpected
event, and held up their hands with horror
when they heard the happy man was only
poor lawyer.
Just Phema Bayard's way said Mrs.
Sluyter.
But did Phema and Stephen care? No
more than pair OF robins whose nest is
ready for them Phema found poverty
not so dreadful as its shadow. She ac-
cepted the situation fully and cheerfully,
wore her old fincrv on Sundays with good
grace, and came down to calico and alpaca
on week DAYS with hearty goodwill.
She electrified Stephen by her skill at
cooking and sung about the house ut her
work all day long. II is true that troub-
les came but they were the small stngs
of life, and she learned to treat them with
comparative Indifference. Her little house
was bright, sunny. and eSquisitcly neat.
II looked like veritable dolls house to
Aunt Allen, whose horschair furniture
and iff-backed chairs, set about her am
pie rooms, admitted no modern amenities
of gay color or graceful drapery; but
Stephen thought his home perfection.
Think of IT, moaned Mrs. Bayard to
sympathetic friend. "Phema actually
does the cooking and the sweeping and
the dusting, | never heard anything so
dreadful. Marian Symmes has just been
there to see her. and told me all about it.
Poor Phema, But she always would have
her way
And Marian Symmes. sitting on the
piazza outside the window where this
plant was made, laughed mt the recollec.
ton of the home she had Just left ; home
so overlooking with peace and love and
friendiness t. all about it that she thought
it might be best for some other people to
follow Phemas way. [-independem.