The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1882-08-02

also be b quite pretty name" zone
cannot change the name now on ac-
count OF the domestics," answered she,
shortly; and then called out loudly:
"Is Max up slreadyP" Never mind,
was it not our child
Once, though, played my iustifsble
part toward our child. At dinner it was
always served at little table in an ad-
joining room. At such times we could
hear, between the scantily-dropping
phrases of our conversation its merry
prattling, accompanied by the clatter-
ing Of its spoon. My wife had no rest;
there was a continual going and coming
between us and him; tho soup might be
too hot and he might eat too much |
"Wife," said ], very quietly but very
decidedly, from tomorrow it shall eat
with US at our table. 1t is old enough
now with its two years"
From that time on IT. atekwithYus.
He sat there in his high chair like q
prince, close to my wife; both opposite
to me like declared enemies, as It we're.
The yellowish paleuess of poverty had
yielded to fine aristocratic pink in his
little cheeks, which, now becoming
quite chubby, sat comfortable 'on the
stiff folds OF the napkin. It worked
powerfully at its soup; and now that it
had finished, set up the spoon like scep.
ter in its little round fist on the table, Ny
wife and l had exchanged few words,
and now again we sat silent. Apparently
on account of this silence, its large eyes
began to open wider and wider. They
stared on me, stared at my wife, with q
surprised, almost frightened expression,
as If they had a presentiment that all
was not right between us. / confess
chat these eyes embarrassed me, and
that had a feeling Of relief when
Frederick entered with dish. And
think that my wife felt the same.
And the following days there were
the same large, wondering eyes, like an
appealing question, staring into the
pauses of our conversation. 1t sounds
ridiculous, but it is nevertheless true;
we were culprits before the child, we
two grown persons And by degrees
our conversation became more AMI.
mated. The occasional prattlings of the
little one were noticed and spoken
about; indeed sometimes there was
mutual laughter at his attempts to
speak.
All how light, how bell-like pure
sounded her laughterl Had never then
heard that beforeP And what was the
matter with me, that sometimes bent
over my writing desk, listening, as
though heard from a distance these
same silvery tones
With the first sunny spring days "It"
began to play in the garden, which l
could overlook from my seat in my
Office. She was generally with him.
could hear the sound of his little feet
on the pebbles, and then her footsteps
Now she would playfully chase him,
and o chorus Of twittering sparrows
would join their notes with the merry
laughter. Now she would catch him
and kiss his cheeks over and over. Once
l opened my window; a warm, balsamic
air streamed around me and butterfly
huttered in and lit on my inkstand
Just then she came out of green, vine
grown bower; she was dressed in o
dazzling white negligee, trimmed with
costly lace; all over her streamed the
golden sunshine, except that her face
was overshadowed by the pink of her
parasol.
How slim she appeared how graceful
in her movements Had 1 been blind ?
Truly the aunts and cousins were right;
she was in reality beautiful A sweet
smile transformed her features; she was
happy-certainly in this moment she
was-and her happiness came from her
child. Then voice made itself heard
in my breast, which said very plainly;
"You are q monster l got mp and
walked to the window. at is beauti
full day" called 1. I know how cold and
prosaic it must have sounded to her. II
came like heavy cloud-shadow over q
sunny landscape. She answered some.
thing that / did not understand; but
the brightness was gone from her little
face. Then she took up the child, who
was stretching out his arms to her, and
kissed and caressed him before my
eyes.
There it was when the first feeling of
jealousy was aroused in me; a jealousy
truly, but what a strange jealousy,
which could not make clear to itself
who was its objectl If at" said
mamma" to her, there came pain in
the heart; and the caresses with which
she overwhelmed him almost drove me
wild. I was jealous of BOTH 1t
panied me that l had no part in this
weaving of love; that was not the
third in the union. 1 exerted myself
to gain part of their love. 1 did it
very clumsily. The child persevered
in certain shyness, and she-had I
not kept myself forcibly away from
her during these long, long years {?
One day at the dinner-table, after a
skirmish of words, came q great still
ness between us, a stiffness more pain
full than it had ever been. 1 glanced
down at the flowers on my plate of Saxon