The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-07-29
est and strange timidity that ore,

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deeper day by day. Poor Margaret fel
him further from her, and shadow feel
across her life that the birth of her littI
son could not wholly chase away. Whe,
the child was about nine months old
happened that she was often alone, for
was an unhealthy autumn, and DIR. En-
derby's services were in great requisition
not only among the rich, but also anon,
the poor-for he was gentle as well a
skillful. Now and then he would COM
in and resume his old habit of silentl,
watching and listening to her talk aboui
little Jack. How she loved that child
What sweet music his tiny fingers dis
coursed on that mothers heart-strnos
One afternoon her husband came in a
she was sitting with the child on he
knee-a bright, fair-haired, brown-eveC
bov, very like his father. The baby
stretched out his dimpled arms to hi
father, then with child mischief with
drew them, and hid his face on his moth
er's bosom with q cooling laugh. Sh,
bent her head down on the fluffy curls
and caught his little bare feet in hel
hand Che had pulled off his shoes anc
socks, the tiny rogue) and she kissed the
rosy toes with lovely mother worship.
"Look, john" she said; g ism he the
most wonderfully sweet child, this prec.
ious baby? What should we do without
himp" sj.tl .-..
She was flushed and laughing, arms
and heart full too; but sharp pang
flashed through him.
He answered, quietly, eyes, he is a
fine boy for his age" and, bendfng
down, kissed him; but he went away
after that without further speech. II
often happened SO now, and Margaret
could not divine the cause; 81 she was
hurt, and turned more and more to the
baby for comfort.
On this occasion the doctorwent to his
study, locked the door and sat down to
wrestle with himself, also tc take stock
of his forces for that wrestling.
Terrible and sweet revelation to the
man! He had, as the phrase goes, fall
en- in love-fortunately with his wife.
This, then, was the meaning of his ST.
lence, his jealousy, Of the tearing away
of his old pleasant friendliness toward
L
would flash and die out, but the strong
white heat, the very soul of the heavenly
fire.
He remembered now how she had said,
II am not worthy" Nov he understood
she had loved him at that time-how
far away it seemed-with the whole force
of her being; and newell, with self
depreciation and some well-deserved
self-blame, he saw his blindness and the
terrible risk he had run. He wanted
only his wife; his Margaret; but what if
he, Margarets husband, had never felt
this delight in her? Might he not have
met some other woman for the sake of
whom he would possibly have been
tempted to repent his marriage?
He was good man, upright and true;
but he had often played at love before
his marriage, ''ere lifetime and love-
time were one," and he was being
pushed now, for he doubled whether her
love had not declined into that friendli-
ness which he had given her before, and
she was absorbed in the child.
Was she, then, one of those women in
whom the instinct of motherhood is
stronger than all other? He worshiped
her now with the full sacred passion of
his manhood, and was his own child to
come between, and shut him away from
her? She would be always sweetF du-
tiful, he knew that-but duty, vifelv
duty! A man is nothing if he dos not
want more than that; and what was his
life to be if she and the child dwelt
apart in little paradise of their own?
He was jealous of his own child. At
this point the man threw himself on his
knees and finished his conflict there and
it was well for him that he did so.
".
The very names of Eliphaz the Tema-
mite, and Bildad the Shuttle, and Zophar
the Naamathite, carry us back in thought
to the worlds dawn; but their modern
antiques are to be found everywhere;
in the fullest perfection among women,
sad to say, and more perceptible in a
cou ntry town than in a city.
And when poor Job-fcminine Job es-
pecially-is sitting in the ashes of DESC
lotion, then do they, softly seated on the
cushion of self-righteousness, proceed to
comment disparagingly on the sufferers
past behavior.
Now, Eliphaz & Co. were not want
ing in Marlborough society, and in the
case of John and Margaret soon per-
ceived "the rift in the lute;" and being
low, mean souls, they set to work to find
a low, mean cause for it, having no idea
of the higher love between man and
woman.
They were three middle-aged spin
sters, who had failed to enter the holy
estate of matrimony in spite of an earn
est desire to do so. When the roses of
youth and riches were no longer for
them they would fain have culled the
chrysanthemum of life's autumn; but,
alas! even those sad and scentless flow
ers were denied them. So these three
had been soured, or rather were UNI
loved through certain sourness
of nature which the masculine
portion of mankind had sagaci-
ty enough to perceive and to avoid
Miss Moss, Miss Brown and Miss Jones
were friends, and much of the mischief
in Marlborough might be traced to
them. For instance had they not dis
covered Mr.. Blight the curate's shame
full filtration with little Miss Wilson? and
here was DR.. Enderby taking to his old
flirting ways again! If he had married a
sensible, intellectual person, she might
have cured him by carefully looking