Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1882-09-14

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 50. When the roses of
youth and riches were no longer for
them they would fain have culled the
chrysanthemums 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 un-
loved through a certain sourness of ma
ture which the masculine portion of
mankind had had sagacity enough to
perceive and to avoid. Miss Moss, Miss
Brown and Miss Jones were friends,
and much of the mischief in Wind
borough might be traced to them. For
instance had they not discovered Mr..
Blight, the curate's shameful Irritation
with little Miss Wilson, and here was
DR.. Enderby taking to his old flirting
ways again If he had married sensi-
BILE, intellectual person she might have
cured him by carefully looking after
him; but now his attending the meet
ings Of the book club without his wife,
and walking home with little Miss Fry
and her Quaker mother, BODIED no good.
So said they, shaking their heads. This
was after morning service on Sunday,
and they resolved that on Monday
morning, while the doctor was away
on his rounds, they would call and en-
tighten his wife. "It will do her good
poor thing" they remarked.
So the three came on Monday morn
ing, and after few commonplaces Miss
Moss, who was a faded beauty, and
therefore the bitterest, began:
"Now, my dear Mrs Enderby, we can
see that you are suffering, poor dear, and
no wonder"
Margaret looked at them beWlldered.
" 1 am quite well, she said.
But about the doctor, my dear; we
have known him so long and understand
his ways. If you had been little more
experienced you would have looked after
your husband"
"But heis not Ill" answered the wife,
still more bewildered.
"Netin body remarked Miss Brown,
with a significant smile, but in mind,
wemean; he pays great attention to the
Frys next door, you know"
"And Miss Fry is very pretty added
Miss Jones.
Ifshe had not been SO angry Margaret
would have laughed John had walked
home with their neighbors twice, and she
was very fond Of them. John might not
love her; that she had found out, she
thought, but she knew him to be the very
soul of honor. She was generally SO
quiet that when her anger blazed out
they were startled.
"Will you be so good as to leave my
husbands affairs alone?" she said. "If
you wish to be wicked, there is no need
to show such bad taste as to come here
and endeavor to do harm"
And then they, feeling that for once
they had been vanquished, quickly took
their departure. But their words had
left sting behind them.
Was it so visible, then, even to these
gossips, the fact that she had found out
some time ago, namely, thatshe was not
to him all that he was to her? When
she had discovered it she had deter
mined to take thankfully what he could
give; but, alas ! beloved, who will be
grateful for few crumbs seeing a full
meal beyond The hunger of the soul
cannot be stifed; it cries out for food.
Well, she tried not to blame him; he
had mistaken his feeling for her and
was tired of her; but there was her
baby.
She never told her husband of that
visit, though she believed he regretted
his marriage; he only clung to the child
such frail little thing to lean upon.
And one day it broke.
1t was Sunday -one OF those sweet
days in the late autumn which nature
saves out of the summer. The trees had
lost their leaves, and the sunshine
showed all their delicate irregularity-
their beauty of mere form which had
been hidden by the foliage. The golden
asters and red geraniums still bright
ened the sheltered garden. A ball was
lying on the frosty grass, but the tiny
fingers that played with it would never
touch it more, for Baby Jack was going
fast to land in which, let us not say,
there are no toys for the angel children.
This little child was dying of Group.
His mother could only hold the form on
her knee, while John knelt beside her
trying useless remedies to comfort her.
At last he stood still, looking down sor-
rowfully at the signs Of cbDing life.
Suddenly he knelt and touched the
little clenched hand with his lips, and
heavy tears FLASHED down upon this
dear little boy; it was hard.
Margaret bent forward. "You do
love him, Johnp' She was jealous for
him that he should have his full share of
love before he went. John understood,
and his look answered her. What in
stinct had made her ask