The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1881-05-05

I
ward. But no; he is as kind, polite and
considorate as though we had never
differed only when he kisses me there
is no warmth in the caress, and when
! he speaks to me there is an indefnable
constraint in his tone.
! do not care of course--he may be
offended if he pleases; but it is so
horrid to fell that there is something
wrong between us. Perhaps he thinks
L shall ask his pardon, and say L am
sorry, and "won't be naughty ever any
more" That is what I used to do when
I was tiny mite and had been punished
for disobedience and wanted to be for
given. But 1 am not tiny mite now; L
am married women, and I intend to
keep up my dignity. suppose we shall
get right by-and-bye, but it is dreary
work meanwhile.
1 feel in particularly ,doleful mood
this evening-why cannot say, unless
it is that it has been raining all day
and keeps on. raining still. 1t is an
unusually gloomy autumn, everybody
declares, and l am quite willing to
agree with everybody. 1t is gloomy out
of doors and gloomy indoors, and Will
is later than ever tonight. I wait
dinner a long time, but he does not
come, so [ expect he has been detained
late in the city. After dinner sit and
shiver, and indulge in tears and retro
| spection.
In the midst of my misery a post
mans knock startles me, and Jane gives
a further shock to my nerves by appear
ing with telegraphic dispatch in her
hand. Men in business regard telgrams
as quite ordinary methods of communi-
cation, and suffer from no unpleasant
emotion on receiving one /; but we
women, who are not accustomed to such
rapid transmission of general intelli-
gence, generally experience sinking of
the heart at the sight of the orange
hued envelopes.
L glance at the direction" Mrs. Will
liam Mitchell" Clearly it is intended
for me. I opened it with trembled fore
bodings. 1t is from Will.
"I shall not be home tonight.
Mother is i'll. Shall catch the express
to W. Will write further particulars" !"
And shall not see him tonight. nor
tomorrow, and most likely not the next
day either. cry in earnest now. By
the last post the next day have letter
With what impatience 1 tear it open and
run my eyes over the precious lines
His mother is ill-very ill-and the
illness is smallpox. "Of course" he says,
81 shall not leave her till she is out of
danger. l will write to you every day.
left all in order at the Office, and have
sent Simmons a paper of directions F"
He goes on to beg of me on no account
to think of going to him, concludes
that he is my affectionate husband, and
finally adds last exhortation to await
at home his daily bulletins.
Whatever my fears and quailings Nay
be, illness does not frighten me. Or
dinary maladi, have no terrors at all
for me, and L am not even afraid of in
fectious fevers but must own to de-
cided dread of smallpox 1t is so I'M
slightly and loathsome disease. Still,
whatever risks my husband runs, these
risks must be mine also. 1 will share
danger as we'll as safety with him. He
is quite right in his determination to re-
! main with his mother. She is widow,
and he is her only child therefore
duty and love both demand his presence
at her bedside And duty and love
show me that my place is there also. /
uCLCNt III ODllOSlllOll W Ills NlSutS DGlOEG
when pleasure was concerned. | have
certainly resolution enough to repeat
the offense for so very different an
object.
, L get Bradshaw" and puzzle ont
= my route, when to start and where to
change. 1t becomes clear to me, aftel
a tremendous amount of consideration,
J that, if l leave the station at midday,
shall reach W early in the evening
This point settled, feel more at ease
and retire to rest in sweet anticipation
of soon meeting viii again.
On the following day set my house
in order for an absence of an indefinite
length, and then start on my journey
northward. I have the railway carriage
. to myself most of the journey. An ole
| gentleman who shares it with me fol
part of the way manages, during the
5 forty minutes he is my fellow traveller
to comment upon an astounding variety
of subjects. reply to him in mono
syllables, having no inclination for con
| versation but my feeble smiles fail t.
, arrest his galrulity. He talks on and on
a deserting one topic only to commenc,
another, till the train stops at june
| tion, and | am relieved of his company
W is a small place, pretty enough
: in summer but indescribably dull il
winter. Mrs. MitchelPs husband prac
- ticed there as o, doctor, and since hi
!, death she has remained on in her ole
l house, being attached to it because o
: its associations with her married life.
s When 1 alight at the station ant
s have given the porter instructions as t,
= the conveyance of my luggage, / asl
him if he has heard lately how Mrs
/ Mitchell is.
n every bad, ma'am," is his reply, ant
I turn away with a sad heart.
e My mother-in-law has not shown her
self particularly fond of me; she Ia
t been rather hard upon my youth au,
inexperience as housekeeper. Blu
then it must be terrible trial for
mother to find herself relegated to tn
d second place in the affections of the so
whom she has almost idolized; an
y Mrs. Mitchell is good woman, al
}. convinced, a really thoroughly goo
: woman, and above all she is Will
mother, and what troubles him grieve
L me also.
Ivy Lodge is low white house
n with q veranda extending round tw
sides and a great deal of ivy climbin
d about it. L glance at the Windows
They are raised and the curtains al
"A 4.