The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1881-11-10
WHOLE NO. 1894.

This weighed quite as much with him
as the cleanness of the new places.
"The villas are too dingy for her. he
said, looking admiringly at her fresh
face. "She could never endure the
little grey, grimy rooms" That was
his romance, to think that everything
should be shining and bright about
her. He was unconscious of the din
giness of the parlor in Ellen's home.
1t was all irradiated with her presence
to him. These discussions, however,
all ended in sigh and laugh from
Ellen herself. ''1t is all very fine talk
ing" she would say.
And SO the summer went on. Alas!
and other summers after it. My ell
dest girl married. My boys went out
into the world. Many changes came
upon our house. The children began
to think it very undesirable locality.
Even Chatty, always the sweetest,
sighed for South Kensington, if not
for a house in the country and a
month in London in the season, which
was what the other girls wished for.
This common suburban road, far from
fashion, far from society-what but
their mothers inveterate old-fashion-
edness and Indifference to appearances
could have kept them there so long?
The great house opposite with the
garden had ceased to be. The high
wall was gone from Pleasant Place,
and instead Of it stood fresh row Of
little villakins like the terrace which
had once been John Ridgway's admi-
ration. Alas! Ellen's forebodings
had been fully realized, and the ter
race was as dingy as Montpelier Vii
las by this time. The whole neigh
borhood was changing. Half the
good houses in the road-the houses,
so to speak, of the aristocracy, which
to name was to command respect
from all the neighborhood-had been
built out and adorned with large
fronts Of plate glass and made into
shops. Omnibuses now rolled along
the dusty way. The station where
they used to stop had been pushed out
beyond the Green Man, which once
we had felt to be quite in the coun-
try" Everything was changing; but
my pair of lovers did not change.
Ellen got other pupils instead of Chat
ty and her contemporaries who were
growing up and beyond her skill, and
came out at ten o'clock every morning
with as fresh face as ever, and her
little roll of music always in her hand.
And every evening, though now he
was set down at his lodgings from the
omnibus, and no longer passed my
window on his way home, John made
his pilgrimage of love to Pleasant
Place She kept her youth-the
sweet complexion, the dew in her eyes,
and the bloom upon her cheek-in
way 1 could not understand. The
long waiting did not seem to try her.
She had always his evening visit to
look for, and her days were full of oc-
cupation. But John, who had natu-
rally worn look, did not bear the
probation so well as Ellen. He grew
bald; a general rustiness came over
him. He had looked older than he
was to begin with; his light locks, his
colorless countenance, faded into a
look of age. He was very patient
almost more patient than Ellen, who,
being Of a more vivacious temper, had
occasional little outbursts of petulant,
despair, of which she was greatly
ashamed afterwards; but at the same
time this prolonged and hopeless wait
ing had more effect upon him than up
on her. Sometimes he would come to
see me by himself for the mere pleas
ure, it seemed to me, though we rarely
spoke on the subject, Of being under
stood.
us this to go on foreverl" I said.
''Is it never to come to an end?"
st looks like it, said John, some
what drearily. "We always talk
about our little house. l have got
three rises since then. | doubt if |
shall ever have any more; but we don't
seem bit nearer and he ended with
a sigh, not of impatience, like those
quick sighs mixed up with indignant,
abrupt little laughs in which Ellen
often gave vent to her feelings, but of
WEAKNESS and dependency much
more hard to bear.
"And the father" | said, "seems not
day nearer the end of his trouble.
Poor man, | don't wish him any
HARM"
This, l fear, was a hypocritical
speech, for in my heart | should not
have been at all sorry to hear that his
''trouble" was coming to an end:
Then for the first time faint CLEAN
of humor lighted in Johns eye. Il
am beginning to suspect that he is
BETTER" he said; stronger at least. !
am pretty sure he has no thought OF
coming to an end"
"All the BETTER" said; "if he gets
we'll, Ellen will be Free"