The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1882-06-01
A sKETtH OF EORMON LIFE.

across the room, shook her ringlets,
smoothed out her draperies, and
settled herself gracefully in chair be-
fore replying.
Don't be cross, Myra, there's dear.
a have to take little pains with my
< looks when people are dropping in al
most every hour in the day to see the
BRIDE"
''The bride! Oh, yes! beg your
pardon; had almost forgotten that
your honeymoon IS not over. And now,
seeing that we are alone, tell me; is it q
honeymoon altogether"
1T would be, only for one thing.
Philip is just as sweet as he can be, but
then he is so awfully religious. You
know they pretend it's mans religious
duty to treat all his wives alike, and
Philip actually believes that. The first
week after we were married he stayed
here, of course; but the second week he
told me it was his duty to go home-just
think of ;t-home-and every blessed
day of that week he stayed with his first
wife. Last week he was here again, and
now he is away. There's something that
I didn't bargain for, and I don't mean to
stand it"
st confess don't quite seen how you
are going to help yourself"
ooh, I'll manage him, never you fear,
By the way, how ugly his first wife is
growing! She has changed 80 within q
month that declare when met her on
the street yesterday hardly knew her;
and I suppose now she will go and tell
Philip l wouldn't speak to her-the
spiteful thingr'
"You ought not to talk in that way,
Ruth. The poor woman sees trouble
enough, have no doubt"
''Well, can't help it, and I'm sure it
isn't my fault. IF she didn't want Philip
to marry me, why did she give her con-
sent? And if she is growing old and
ugly, am not to blame for that, and
Philip IS not to blame either for wanting
o wife that doesn't look like o grand
mother"
Ruth, how old are your"
81 shall be sixteen next birthday"
"Ruth, poor child; pity you"
"Now, Myra, that is just like you-al-
ways trying trying to spoil my good
times. 1 don't know, I'm sure,
why should be pitied, unless it is be-
cause Philip insists on taking rooms
right here at fathers instead Of giving
me q house of my own. But I'll have
different arrangements in six months, as
you'll see. If don't manage to be the
mistress of his new house by that time,
my name is not Ruth"
"Indeed, and what will you do with
Jessle?"
"Oh, she can have the old house. It's
comfortable enough, and she don't care
anything about style. She looks like O
dowdy lately. Why, the dress she had
on yesterday was o perfect fright"
''Perhaps she has too much on hel
mind Just now to care about dress"
IF she knows anything at all she
ought to know that dress goes q great
way when you want to please. q man
Last week when Philip came over here,
he looked as if he'd just been to q
funeral-I dare say Jessie had been Civ.
ing him some awful lectures-but had
studied what to do, and was ready to
meet him. I had the new silk he gave
me made up lovely, and wore tea-rose
ribbons, and Jane Taylor came over and
dressed my hair. She said looked like
picture, and believe Philip thought
so too, for he frightened up wonderfully
after came down stairs"
"Well, Ruth, want you to take all
the comfort you can; though. If l were
you, am afraid should look forward
sometimes to the day when would be
obliged to step aside and give place to
some one else; aud you know it is the
last wife who gets all the attention"
Nov, Myra, don't think there is
another person in the world who would
soy such things to me--and in my honey
moon, toc." Here an embroidered hand
kerchief was produced, and the bride
buried her pretty face in Its folds.
Don't cry, Ruth, didn't mean to
mako you feel bad"
The face came up again from its
hiding place.
1T won't cry and spoil my eyes, for !
am going down to the store, and want
Philip to think look lovely. know
he'll think it, though he won't say it
the provoking mani How is my dress?
Aunt Margaret says it's my own fault il
i don't make Philip worship me, and If
manage right can have such q house
and furniture and such dresses a. I've
never dreamed Of"
"If those things will make You happy,
hope you may get them. For my part,
if ever marry, want . husband who
will not belong TO any one but me, and
then think could be contented with .
crust Of bread"
"It's NO wonder. Myra. that you are an
old maid, with such notions, How are
- k~~s1~avn1 ~6<& v,tI1 "a