New-York tribune., 1882-03-12

was IN truth loyal. She rather stroVe 10 gather
the robe of sacred reserve about the gaping tester
ing wounds of her woman-heart, than, like the
beggars of q continental town, sue for compassion
by laying bare the root and cause of her suffering
Not only did | know nothing of Mr.. Westmacott
but | had never crossed the threshold of my
friends home so far. You cannot go where you are
not asked, and IL never even hinted that
should return the visits Margaret paid to me the
visits that were in truth, like angels, but not
thank Heaven! in being few and far between
In sketching the family group of the Wcstmacotts
there is as may be now seen one figure in it I'M
avodably misty. ill-deined mere shadow and
that is the usually dominant member IN domestic
crce-lts master. But the same cannot be said OF an
other member of the community, one Pilfer' dog
of quaint and attractive manners who almost in
variably accompanied Margaret and her little lassie
to my house and was with some difficulty recon-
ciled to the four kttieS whom Maize loved, and
taught to regard them as things to be endured in
silence, not barked at and frightened out of their
wits by worrying sounds like distant thunder, and
yeps like minute guns. Even after much disci-
pline had been gone through Pllfer could not
without shiverlng in his sleek white SKIN, and
whining he shivercd the while he looked plead
lngly at his mistress, as much as to say How can
you endure to see me distressed by the presence oil
these contemplate creatures with blue ribbons
round their necks. over which this good lady here
makes such an intolerable fuss p
Poor lilfer, He was a faithful soul; but. ike
many other of the great of this world, he had
or rather had had, his faults and iailings: ,.,,
TO put il dehcatey, IN the morning of life Plfer
HAD been the sport of his appetite; he could not
with safety be left within reach of mutton outlets,
and was fatal to unprotected colo chlckeh.
At the time. however when | first male MS ac-
quautance Plier was in the position of one who,
having s1wn his crop of wild oats and reaped the
bitter harvest thereof, has retired upon o we'll
invested capital of peDitence. and become highly
respectable member of society. The httIe dogs
love for Mazic was intense. If she had been ont
without him. he would roll over and over on the
ground at her feet in ecstasy JOY, her return
and had one shill wild bark Of welcome which he
kept for her, and her alone. Margaret hearing this
cryalways knew that Maize had appeared on the
scene. and was being made much of by PllieraccGrd
ing TO his lights. These may seem unlmportant
details but those VINO follow the course of this
story will see how they bear upon things that came
after.
Time passed on and this woman who ever
gratefully mine grew nearer and dearer to me
with its passing.
You do not know how happy it makes me, how it
helps me coming here to yOu. ! shall never forget
however long l live, these twilight talks. yodr
dear dulet old face bending down to mc-your
lovc-your Goodnessn Marsalet had taken off her
little gray bonnet and her dainty head with all ITS
rulcd wealth of short soft curls lay back against
Won talI, rs if Won were going TO leave ne why
do Won speak like that [! said, hastily slipuing my
hand under the pretty round chn, and turning her
face up TO mine.
huJ we are people rather gwen 70 wander; we
have never lived very long in one place Let me
see, have hal fvc-yes. five different homes since
made no comment upon this Without seeming
to Dry into what she held back. what comment
indeed was possible! BY the way that fashion
me nightly. bad once told her that a century or
two ago we Grains were Quakers hence. laugh
inclv she dubbed me from that day 'Fnend
Janet A good name for friend loving, true
helpful tender, was what ! longed and strOye and
prayed to be to Margaret Westmacott.
Well said presently, watching the CLINT and
flicker OF the freight on golden locks and fair pale
cheek, don't fly away without giving me word OF
10 fear of that; she answered smiling I love
you too well for that, and now there is something
want 10 tell YOU
sSav on it is too dark to knit too light to Justify
candles-a good time for storytelling
Mine ia more n confession than a story. ! am
going to take myself down peg in your cstima-
tiOn. Friend Janet
Are you, my dearic
Yes, ! am going to lead you to dcspise me as
superstitiOus fool
Il never despise people for anything they really
believe and feel. and should expect super-sens.
tive temperament like yours to show a thread Of
superstition, what we call superstition Tor lack
of a better name
She drew a long breath.
'Yoa are right; am over sensitive, know. |
feel thngs-joy, raln, love, sorTOw-Dorc kceny
than others do; perhaps that Is why grow so
cowarlly sometimes
'C0wardy, Nay, Margaret, then if this be so,
have read YOU wrongly.
.Wen. / don't know what else to call it, call
myself a coward to myself at times. | never told
Won. did |. what my name was before l married
No. ! thought not. Well, i was Nalliant-Marga
ret Valiant. l have not lived up to 1T very well,
Again l made no comment unless q kiss dropped
upcn the slender hand in mine could be called
Least of all now am l living up to it, when let
foolish fears and pIesentiments prey upon me-
when | let myself be swayed by unreasoning dis
trust. grOundcss dislike.
Dislike. of whOmF
'Of guest now staying in my hOnSse-.a cousin of
nv husbands Valerie lie Breton. She is a widow
handsome clever, charming, and yet / Oh,
Friend Janet, Friend Janet feel as if someone
were walking over my grave every time my hand
meets hers. 1t is terrible to feel like that. You
despSe yourself for it, you struggle against It,
wrestle with it, and yet there 1t is Pilter, too,
behaves dreadfnlly to her. runs under the sofa
wnen she comes into the drawing room, and growls
there like a wicked little bear III a dem
i should think your guest has rather bad time
of it amongst YOU said !, speaking III my usual
TO INV surprise and fear, Margaret suddenly flung
her arms about Inc, hid her face IN my lap, and
broke out into uncomfortable sObblng. The fit
soon passed. she made merry over 1t, testing at her
own expense assuring me that 1t was all nonsense,
and that Madame lie Breton was the most delight
full OF women Nevertheless | was not sorry to
near that this most delightful of women was about
to depart to her own home, which privileged spot
was siIuated somewhere in Brittany, small
property there having been left 10 her by her hus-
band the late Monsieur lie Breton. Very shortly
after the strange conversation last recorded TOOK
place between myself and Margaret. was suddenly
summoned to the sick bed of that relative OF mine
the only near one | possessed, with whom as has
been already said had qnarrced. 80
Such summons could but be responded to with
prompttude, | started south; in no very good
humor at the turn affairs had taken either Tor
hate scenes of any kind, detest explanations, eX-
cuses Acknowledgements Of error, kissing and
making it up again, and all the rest of 1t, IT.,
Besides did not like to leave Margaret which
lust shows what hold she had taken on my heart.
Those who are born blind seldom yearn for
vision 1t is the man who has seen the beauty of
the earth who has looked upon the faces of his be-
lov ed ones and then finds himself shut out In the
darkness, who knows the agony OF loss. So it
would he with me if | lost Margaret.
Ny first thought, returning home, from an
absence which bad been prolonged beyond my eX-
pectati0ns, was when would she come To see Friend
Janetf She knew of my arrival for / had sent
line 10 tell her was coming. She would not tarry
long. was sure. very sure of that. The morning
after my home coming, went to tho window to
he (,roy bod hepn Opttinp on durlup