Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-08-31
Her Inst Serial.


In an extremely small and plainly fur
nished room, located in the outskirts of the
city of P, sat pale, nervous-looking
woman, bending over writingdesk. She
was apparently about thirty, and early in
life had unquestionably been very hand
some, for even now there remained traces of
beauty upon the sad sweet face. A little
table stood by her side, on which lay pile
of manuscript, to which from time to time
she added another carefully numbered sheet.
That she was not a novice in the business,
the legibly-written and carefully punctuated
pages showed at glance. She threw down
her pen at last with a sigh, and clasped her
tender fingers across her forehead as if in
intense pain.
al cannot WRITE" she murmured, "with
this binding headache. shall not have
my story finished in time, and how will my
rent be paid without, or how shall get
bread and clothes for my children"
A dreary prospect surely, If that were her
only resource. A slight, delicate woman as
she was, she looked little able to cope sue
cessfully with the obstacles that must be
met by every one in the battle of life and
for children too for at that moment the door
flew open and two tiny girls of four and
seven years, came bounding gleefully in.
"May we come, mamma 2" said Irma, the.
eldest of the two, as she nestled up to her
mothers side, while Bessie impulsively
sprang into her mothers lap, and cuddled
the pretty, golden head against Mrs Gerrys
neck, with the artlessness of happy child
hood.
Writing was over for little while at
least, and Mrs. Gerry gave herself up to the
"children's hour" with weary sigh as she
thought of the night work before her. The
long, sultry, summer day was nearly over,
and after caressing her darlings for a short
time the mother arose and prepared their
supper. Soon afterward, putting them to
bed she resumed her weary task
Could Robert Erskine have seen her as
she sat there, toiling so earnestly for her
children, he would never have recognized IN
her the beautiful Ethel Wilbur, the girl to
whom, ten years before, he had given all the
love of his proud sensitive nature. Time
and trouble had wrought sad changes in the
face he once thought so fair. She had loved
him far better than he knew, but she was
the heiress of rich, old bachelor uncle,
imperious to the last degree, who, discover
ing an attachment springing up between his
niece and Robert Erskine had forbidden
him the house, telling him, too, that she was
about to become the wife of rich man.
Robert, it is true, was only printer but
he was ambitious, and was already receiving
good salary. lie was of Scotch parentage,
and possessing the indomitable energy and
decision characteristic of his race, was likely
to make success Of his future life.
Mr.. Elverton, however, could brook no
thwarting of his cherished plans. He had
selected the future husband for his niece,
and he expected her, with the utmost
confidence in his superior wisdom, to yield
gracefully and obediently in her acceptance
of the sutton whom he had chosen. A man
fifteen years her senior, stern, reserved and
incapable of arousing the emotional part of
nature, but possessed of unlimited wealth
"a powerful attraction to Mr. Elverton-
together with ashrewd business capacity that
served him well in the accumulation of his
princely fortune.
Ethel's uncle alternately petted and scolded
her, until in sheer desperation she yielded
to his wishes and became the wife of Ed
ward Gerry, the man whom he had selected
for her. The love she had felt for Robert
Erskine she buried deep down in her heart
so deep it could never be resurrected, she
thought; and he, after learning that she
was about to marry another man, had left
that part of the country. There had been
no declaration of his love to Ethel Wilbur
but as well as one human heart can under
stand another, she felt that he loved her !;
but she knew that her uncle disapproved
OF him. because his fortune was yet to be
carved out by his own hand, although she
did not know of the premature information
that Mr.. Elverton had given of her marriage.
Edward Gerry loved his young and beau
tiful wife as much, perhaps as such natures
as his are capable of loving but his life
was absorbed by his business, and so en-
hot
little Of her, and their princely home was to
her literally cage with gilded bars. She
had no desire to go into society, and strove
to fill that void in her heart that should
have been occupied by husbands love
with literary pursuits. As time passed on
an Unsuitable greed for gold seemed to take
possession of Edward Gerry, and even the
two lovely children that were sent to cheer
their monotonous lives failed to stir the tur-
bid depths of his sordid nature but with
the young wife and mother it was different
something to love and live for; and life
seemed henceforth more endurable. Five
years Of welded life with Edward Gerry
weary, too, and then he was removed by
death and Ethel did not affect grief she
could not feel for the stern, cold-hearted man
She went back to her uncle, who was grow
ing more feeble and capricious than ever
When her husbands affairs were settled, il
was found that he had been specializing
largely in stocks, and OF his immense for
tune there remained literally nothing; still
Ethel had no pecuniary fears. Her uncle
would care for her and the children, for the
old man loved the little ones dearly, and she
had no idea of want
Two years more; two years that had
glided by peacefully as a quiet river, aud
then came another change in her life Just
such change as death with its arbitrary
power can make in any of our lives. Mr.
Elverton died suddenly and Ethel Gerry
mourned sincerely; for if he had at times
been somewhat exacting, still she knew he
had been to her kind friend. She was moi
prepared for the revelations that a settlement
OF his estate brought to light. lie, too, hat
lost all in some luckless venture, and sh,
found herself alone and penniless with two
little children TO be clothed and fed Out o.
the furniture given her by her uncle she hat
saved enough OF the plainest to furnish two
rooms comfortably on a back street in tn,
city suburbs. The remainder she sold at al
immense sacrifice, but it brought her littl,
ready money, which would last, she hoped
until she found some employment. Sh,
was highly educated, and might have taught
but she could not leave the children. Sh,
kept her piano, hoping TO obtain must,
scholars; she advertised; she went out anC
applied at numerous places, but she wa
invariably asked for references and recon
mendations, which it was impossible I,
give, till at last she gave it up and tried (,
obtain fine sewing. OF this she found
limited supply, but the remuneration was
mere pittance.
In the meantime expenses went on, an,
daily her little hoard of money dwindle,
away, till finally she was compelled to sacri
flee her costly piano, her landlsdy consider
ately offering TO take it in payment for tn
rent of the next three months. Ethe
redoubled her exertions, but pain in he
side and hacking cough made it eviden
that sewing must be relinquished.
There remained still last resort
her pen. She had in her grlish DAYS dashe
off occasionally a bright little sketch 70
some magazine or weekly, which had bee
favorably received. Just for the fun of th
thing then, but now il would be in sobe
earnest She set herself to work and wrot
charming little story that was sent to til
publisher of journal, who was sufficient
impressed by its merits to send her thre
dollars with the hope that he should hes
from her again.
Her little venture success Why, 81
was on the high road to fortune true, thr,
dollars would not go very far; but 81
n. Il H.