Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1881-08-17
LIFE OR DEATH.

station at Woodstock, q frank, pleasant
looking young man stepped on tho
platform, and was instantly greeted by q
little figure, whose face was concealed
by large sun.bonnet.
"Well, what made You change your
mind again and ask me TO come here p
was one question asked on the home.
ward walk. "There must be some new
attraction"
"Oh, no only the attraction OF hay.
ing you all to myself, and that l could
moi guarantee myself in any other sum.
mer boarding house, Why I Thought
of going somewhere else was because
Mrs. King had great many visitors.
and .s soon as ] heard they were all
going away before Saturday, wrote for
you to come. There is one young lady
here yet, however. She is going to
spend n few days with relatives before
returning to the city, and they were to
drive in for her this afternoon. They
have not come yet, but l suppose they
will come tonight"
And, while breathing silentpmyer
that the relatives would not fail to come,
Mrs. Winters dismissed the subject
with what seemed n su :cious careless
ness.
Mrs. Winters had been watching Miss
Rossman for week, and had come to
the conclusion, and correctly, that she
was an arrant hirt.
She, the hirt, was tall, stylish
blonde, with a rosebud mouth, and
green eyes, that could fascipate man
like a snakes, Mrs. Winters said, when
describing her to her friends. She
/ flirted with every one, and Charlie Win
ters, as his wife knew and was quite
proud to think of at times, was man
whose society was courted by all ladies,
though that he would respond to any
bold advances, or encourage them, or
provoke them in the least, she would
have scorned to believe.
Had he not chosen her because, as he
told her 80 often, she was such "quiet,
mild little thing?" Yes, it was true, he
had chosen her for that reason |; never
theless, he liked to be courted by bril-
liant people, and thought his wife
should feel honored and grateful at
being the wife of such popular man,
and be content to be petted and caressed
when he had leisure.
That she should live for him alone was
perfectly right; but that she should
exact the same devotion from him, that
he should ignore the attention and So
ciety of other ladies because his wife
wanted him all to herself, never occurred
to him, or, if it did, as something that
must be put down right away.
He loved her, of course-he would
feel indignant if any limited otherwise
but he would love her in his own way.
That wife should thorougly under
stand human nature was part of his
creed; but from his first meeting with
Ambie Case, little of the divine glory
of love blinded him, against his will,
and he hesitated until it dazzled him
and he yielded, while carefully Impress
, ing it on her, mind that it was because
she was just what his judgment approx
ed. He was above the weakness of
marrying for love merely.
And she-he seemed so far above her,
in spite of the consciousness of her own
worth and talent and he was sought
by those so much more brilliant and
beautiful than herself, who showered at
tentions on him, while she could not
show him she cared for him if her life
depended on it that she was striving
to fol get him when, in the midst of her
sorrow and despair, he gathered her TO
his heart, and she gave him in return
the undivided love of strong as well az
gentle spirit, never to be recalled.
Miss Rossmans relatives did not call
for her until the following afternoon.
On bidding Mrs. Winters good.by, she
said "Only for a day or two, though.
Ma is sick, and must be home We'd
nesday, so I shall return here Monday
night"
Monday night And Mrs. Winters
thought she was to be gone for week,
and return only in time for The train
But she would not worry yet. Miss
Rossman might find something to inter
est her, and not return until she was
going home.
Ambie had Charlie all to herself for
two days almost. About four o'clock on
Monday afternoon the wagon drove to
the door, and Miss Rossman alighted.
Mr.. Winters sat in the parlor reading,
j and did not exert himself to assist her
and Mrs. Winters was so pleased with
his indifference that she hastened out
herself, She had determined on being