The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1881-10-15
A WIFE TO LOVE HIN.

II declare, Robert, | don't know
what you will do, unless you get mar
ried yourself.
Robert Alderman looked at his sister
in mild remonstrance as he said gently:
Marry! /! You forget, Dorothy"
Derothy's face softened, Under the
daisies in the village cemetery slept a
blue-eyed girl who had been betrothed
to her brother eighteen long years be-
fore, and died one week before the
wedding day.
at is SO long ago." she said in tone
of apology.
Yes" her brother said, signing,
"and ! am too old to begin a new
life, Forty-three in December, Dor
othy"
''Well," said Miss Dorothy, tartly, ~
am five years older, and | intend to
marry John Sanderson in three months
as soon as his new house is finished.
Now. Robert'-this very coaxingly-
"there is Martha Gaines"
Don't trouble yourself to pick out
my wife," her brother said, in tone
of decision his easy-going, gentle ma
ture rarely permitted to be heard. 81
have no intention Of marrying, and
certainly no desire to marry Martha
Gaines"
He left the breakfast.table abruptly
as he spoke, and went to his study.
Miss Dorothy rubbed her nose yigor-
ously.
MEN are so unreasonable" she
thought. Robert must have someone
to keep house for him when | 60. And
Martha Gaines is the best housekeeper
in Meadowville."
The idea of Martha Gaines presid-
ing over the china-closet and linen
chests that had been her life's delight
until Cupid came TO win away the old
maids attention, became more and
more agreeable to Miss Dorothy as the
morning wore away.
"Tll just give Martha q hint" she
finally concluded, Anybody can
twist Robert round finger if they only
half try"
They were people Of position in
Meadowville being wealthy, and owing
several Of the largest farms in the vi
cinity. With good servants we'll trained
under her own severe discipline, ample
means, and brother who never found
fault Miss Dorothy's housekeeping had
certainly had few thorns.
But when she consented TO become
the wife Of tho minister Of Meadow
vile, the transfer OF her power and
privileges became weighty burden.
But one solution seemed possible.
Her brother must marry some steady
middle-aged spinster, who would keen
up the prim neatness and the hun.
dred little details Of Miss Dorothy's
domain.
Miss Martha Gaines, vincgar-faced
sharp-voiced woman of limited income,
and unlimited energy and temper,
proved to be smilngly willing TO take
Miss Dorothy's hints in good part
IL had been very satisfactory after
noon to Miss Dorothy, and she came
home to tea in placid frame of mind.
Her brother in the meantime, after
the MONDAY dinner had found him
self unequal TO his usual afternoons
reading, and strolled down q shady
lane in the direction of the church.
Was il bis sister suggestion that had
80 brought back 10 his memory tho
sweet baby face of his young betrotbed
that he sought her graveP
Many long summer afternoon he
had passed there in the early days Of
his bereavement, but time closes tho
worst wounds, and of late years he had
not been very often to the secluded
corner where Susie Dent slept, in tho
shade Of great oak tree.
He walked slowly, musingly, his eyes
on the ground, till he was close to the
grave.
Then he looked up, and reeled back
as II he would fall.
Close TO tho grave, one little hand
resting on tho marble head-stone, was
aglrl OF seventeen or eighteen, dressed
IN white, with wide straw hat that
shaded Susio's great blue-eyes, Susie
long, fair curls.
Robert Alderman felt as II no had
lost Ills reason aud this was vision o