The Red Cloud chief., 1880-10-14

delayed. that no question Of rnarriays
had arisen yet; and she hurried he
daughter from one scene of gaye;y q
another. spared herself fnery (vhicl
Was not so hard. since she was yet il
deep blsck). in order 10 buy Phemi
all sorts OF adornmenc Her own Jew
els she had reese, for her and he
personal wardrobe was lsvishly sup
piled.
But none Of these things bezuiies
Phema- She went everywhere and .av
everybody; drank 50 deeply of admi
ration and fattsry that the monoton,
and i~nsincerity II the draughts nj las
disguised her; but her mother was in
ekorable. She hfi one crushing blew
IN reserve, thst must succeed, sh.
thought Surely. when Phem, knew
was entirely penniless. she woul,
not dare marry n poor man! So, jus
before they went 10 Newport, esTliei
this year than last, Mrs. Bayard told
Euphemia all about her affairs, with s
pungcni distinctness that left no room
Tor mistake or palliation. A coll hana
seemed for a moment to clutch pool
Phema's heart. She turned pale. bal
her eyes flashed The Bayard blood
came 10 the rescue, and she gave NJ
other sign Of emotion. Her voice wa,
hard and ringing. as she asked:
But what did you think wouli have
become Of me. mamma, in case Of your
death?n
81 expected and | still expect. Eu.
phemia, that you will marry WELL
"Sell myself retorted the girl.
Don't he coarse, nav dear. A girl
owes something 70 herself who has been
brought up as YOU have been"
Euphemia said no more. She set her
red lips tight, To hut in the torrent OF
disgust and dismay that threatened "a
pour Itself on her mothers head. and
locked herself into her room, 10 think
II out and write To Stephen.
She faced the question of her life
courageously. Had she the power 10
accept such a situation and endure it2
Could She be poor calmly and happily?
or would the absence of those lifelong
appliances of comfort and luxury weak
en- her strength, chafe her temper. and
make both her and Stephen wretchcd
when their love should be time-worn?
She blushed u think so meanly of her
self. 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 affairs as CURLY as
possible, without an expression Of opin-
ION or feeling on her own part. or even
limiting at any possible suspension of
their engagement.
Il will not insult him." she said to
herself, rs she closed the envelope and
rose To take il TO the letter-box; AMI a
warm flush lit her face at the thought.
She could trust Stephen. she knew.
And Stephen read all between the
lines Of that letter. that Phema thought.
His answer was immediate, and he
brought il himself.
/" lam so glad"' were his first audi-
BILE words. "You have relieved the
only dread | had. my darling. | did
not want you tn have what | could not
give you. | want TO take care of nv
wife, Phema, and not have her help
Mrs. Bayard was Disguised, hopeless
ly. with this state Of things. Her sell
fish soul neither thought nor cared what
Stephen and Euphemia must think of
her heartleSs provision for herself alone.
She left Newport in a rage, and went TO
the White Mountains; though, first, she
with an i'll grace, to be pres
ent at n very early wedding. The little
world of Newport were astonished a.
this unexpected event, and held up
hands with horror when they
heard the happy mar vas only a poor
Just Phema Bayard's way" said
Mrs Sluvter.
But did Phema and Stephen care? No
more than a pair of robins whose nest
ready forthem. Phema found poverty
not so dreadful rs its shadow. She ac-
copied the situation fully and cheerfully.
her old finery on Sundays with
good grace, and came down to calico
and alpaca on weekdays with a hearty
goodwill. She electrified Stephen
by her skill at cooking and sung
about the house ut her work all
lay long. IL is true that troubles
came; but they were the small
stings of life, and she learned to treat
hem with comparative Indifference.
Her little house was bright. sunny, and
,xquiSitely neat. ItloOkcd like a VERT
dolls house to Aunt Allen whose
1orsehair furniture and stiff-backed
set about her ample rooms adj
no modern amenities of gay
color or graceful drapery; but Stephen
thought his home perfection.
Think of it," moaned Mrs. Bayard
a sympathetic friend. "Phema
does the cooking and the
weeping and the dusting! l
heard anything SO dreadful! Marian
has just been there to see her,
md told me all about. Poor Phema'
But she always would have her way!"
And Marian SymmeS. sitting on the
piazza outside the window where this
,laint was made, laughed ut the recollec-
ion of the home she had just left; a
so overlooking with peace and
owe and friendliness to all about it that
he thought it might be best for some
'ther people to follow Phema's way. -
Rose Terry Cooke, IN n. Y. Independent.