The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1881-09-24

Something in her husband words or
manner must have recalled her late an
/ noyances for the smile faded from her
lips. AMI her eyes grew sad and troubled.
! " Hubert" she said. softly. who are
. tlrSc--those ladies III the house -
i Why, they arc the MalonsonS, Flor
encc- Mrs. MaZonson and her two daugh-
ters," the master of the Grange replied.
1t was very kind of you to ask Mrs.
| Mazonson and her daughters TO meet
me. - the Young wife resumed with a
! touch of something III her tone that her
| companion was not familiar with, but
! | can't understand why they should seem
so very much at home. Hubert
! Mr.. Stickney moved the three-leggea
! stool to the side of another COW. and
commenced milking again, before he re-
! piled.
Didn't | mention to you. Florence,
| that these ladies lived with me - he III
quired. Il know | didn't dwell on the
| subject" he went on, but | must have
spoken of it.
| Mention to me that these ladies lived
with you"' Mrs. Stickney repeated. OBJ
livious to the rest of her husbands re-
mark, a hard look settling round the
| pretty mouth. May 7 ask, Mr.. Stick
ney, who these ladies are? know that
| they are the Mazonsons. she added, in
the same singular tone. = but what are
they to You! -
They are relatives of my first wife, :"
| had the calmness of desperation in it.
$ must have taken for granted that you
knew. Florence. Mrs. Mazonson was
! Mrs. Stickney's mother, and Maria and
| Susan her sisters.
And they have always lived here ,"
For some time before and ever since
Mrs. Stickney died Mrs. Mazonson has
been my housekceper, and the girls have
been her assistants
"Whv was there no servant, Mr. Stick
| ney. to wait on the table this evening >"
was the lady's next question.
We have no servants. Florence. 1t
is not the custom with Vermont farmers.
my dear
And all the work of your house is
! performed by the AIazonsons -
"Yes."
"Who did it before the Mazonsons
came -
Mrs. Stickney. my dear.
For moment there was silence in the
bamyaid. Then there was rustic of
rctreating silk. Il light step going swiftly
toward the house, and thus the singular
interview ended. This was very I'M
pleasant commencement, Mr. Sticl,ney
told himself and for while this gentle
man $ milking was purely mechanical
From the bottom of his heart he wished
he and his wife could be alone On the
other hand there was a great deal to do
in the house, much more than Florence
could ever manage if she worked night
and day. Vt this puiut Mr.. Stickney
| really did have serious doubts as to the
Wisdom III the second marriage of his.
For the first time he asked himself
whether il would he right 20 impose the
drudgery of farm work on this young
and delicatcly nurturcd woman. He had
thought very LITTLE about the domestic
part of the programme. He was accus-
II Il, l..
constantly occupied, and Florence knew
she was accepting a farmer when she
agreed 10 marry him. Then, too. Mrs.
MaZOnSon WAS exceedingly competent:
indeed, 10 horsekceper could be more so;
and Mr.. Stickney summed it all up by
assuring himself that Florence could get
along with the Mazonsons easily enough
if she had only mind to think so.
In the meantime Mrs. Stickney had
locked herself into her room, and with
clinched hands and flashing eyes was re-
| calling every moment of the time since
she first met the man she had married.
She had been grossly deceived and i'm
posed upon. and worst of all, the decep-
ton and imposition had come from the
one who had promised to love, honor and
| cherish her to the day of her death. The
drawn lips grew tender and pitiful as
she thought how utterly she had loved
and trusted him, and how entirely she
| had believed in his affection for herself.
u T., IL, al
matte Mazon>onS would be worse than
| keeping house in a tomb, with skeletons
| for company" she sobbcd. She could
not and would not endure it. No man
| had a right to ask such 4 sacrifice from
| his Wife But she hadn't been asked.
| She had been cheated into her present
position. She would leave the house
where she had been and would continue
to be unutterably wretched, and go
straight back to her father Little did
| he think that the rich and honorable
Hubert Sticlney would heap such iudig-
mites upon his daughter. She would go.
| No, she would stay, and show the Mazon-
SONS, and her husband too, what kind of
stuff she was made Of
That evening Mr.. Stickney was detain-
ed below by callers. II was ten o'clock
before lie was at liberty, and then, to his
great delight. Florence was fast asleep.
| The poor child had forgotten her troubles
and the morning would show things in
Il more promising light. He would do
everything he could t" make up for the
| Macon sons. and after little everything
| would go smoothly enough. Mr.. Stick
ncv would not have been so certain of
and quivering lips. Ignorant of this,
and in spite of his ten years experience
| as a husband, utterly ignorant of the
! delicacy and sensitiveneSS of Il true
woman's nature, Mr.. Stickney went calm
| lv and comfortably to sleep.
The next morning, after waiting to be
called to breakfast. Mrs. Stickney, in the
daintiest of muslin wrappers. presented
| herself in the dining. room. Her huS-
band had Just finished his early morning
work. and now greeted her with a smile
and a kiss. The elder Mazonson looked
exceedingly flushed and Hurried. and
| Maria and Susan Mazonson flew briskly
round at the bidding Of their superior
officer.
Il beg Your pardon. said Mrs. Stick
| ney. in her calmcSt and coolest manner.
| Il thought breakfast was ready. Ihope