The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1882-07-27
HI,

III.
Marlborough is a country town, seat
ed in the midst of a smiling plain which
stretches to a line of low wooded hills on
the north, and loses itself in the far
horizon in every other direction. 1t is a
sleepy town, full of old houses and old
traditions, and prides itself rather on its
ruins than on its famous wooden manufac-
ture. 1t is built in the form of a cross
indeed, its main street is called Cross
gate. In one of the arms of the cross
the one toward Woodleigh, with its IA
nous old castle care the best houses, in
which the smaller gentry and the profess
sional men live.
At the end of the Woodleigh road was
DR.. Enderby's house, large and old-fash-
ioned; and hither he brought his wife
Margaret not long after their first meet
ing in the Cloverleigh woods. 1t was a
change from the intense quiet of her girl
hood to a large circle of friends, and a
few secret enemies. But she was Johns
wife. and her sweet gayety filled his
house with sunshine; and she shaped
herself a home in all gladness. The old
red-brick house had pleasant rooms,
filled with comfortable furniture, softly
cushioned chairs, and low tables, and
plenty of flowers; there were no dingy-
looking dados, no sad-looking disclored
blossoms worked on kitchen towels. As
Margaret was not aesthetic, she preferred
cheerful chintz and soft velvet.
Her own sanctum was a small room
overlooking the garden, and furnished
with soft shades of green. There were
oak shelves filled with her favorite books,
a writing-table, and a few low chairs.
At the window were white lace curtains.
and on the mantelpiece a jar of Venetian
glass that looked like a fragment of sun
set. Near the window was a stand OF
flowers that varied according to the sea-
sons. In spring there were primroses
and violets-even a few tulips; in sum-
mer roses and m~ignonette; in autumn
and winter ferns and moses, with per-
haps a red geranium to light them up.
Outside in the garden, was a great elm
overhanging the lawn, and the flower
beds were as old-fashioned as the house.
In this room of Margaret's, John En-
derby loved to rest in his intervals of
leisure. watching his wife with an inter-
est and a strange timidity that grew
deeper day by day. Poor Margaret felt
him further from her, and a shadow fell
across her life that the birth of her little
son could not wholly chase away. When
the child was about nine months old it
happened that she was often alone, for it
was an unhealthy autumn, and DR.. En-
derby sServices werei in great requisition,
not only among the rich, but also among
the poor-for he was gentle as well as
skillful. Now and then he would come
in and resume his old habit of silently
watching and listening to her talk about
little Jack. How she loved that child!
What sweet music his tiny fingers dis
coursed on that mothers heart-strings
One afternoon her husband came in as
she was sitting with the child on hel
knee-a bright, fair-haired, brown-eyed
boy, very like his father. The baby
stretched out his dimpled arms to his
father, then with a child's mischief with.
drew them, and hid his face on his moth.
er's bosom with a cooling laugh. She
bent her head down on the fluffy curls,
and caught his little bare feet in hel
hand Che had pulled off his shoes and
socks, the tiny rogueD and she kissed the
rosy toes with lovely mother worship.
"Look, John,'' she said; ''isn't he the
most wonderfully sweet child, this prec.
ious baby? What should we do without
him?'
She was flushed and laughing, arm:
and heart full too; but a sharp pane
flashed through him.
He answered, quietly, Eyes. he is 6
fine boy for his age" and, bending
down, kissed him; but he went away
after that without further speech. L
often happened so now, and Margare'
could not divine the cause; so she wa:
hurt, and turned more and more to tbs
baby for comfort.
On this occasion the doctor went to hi
study, locked the door and sat down tc
wrestle with himself, also to take stool
of his forces for that wrestling.
Terrible and sweet revelation to the
man! He had, as the phrase goes, fall
en- in Overwhelmingly with his wife
This, then, was the meaning of his 81
lence, his jealousy, of the tearing away
of his old pleasant friendliness toward
her. This love of his was no flame that
would flash and die out, but the strong
white heat, the very soul of the heavenly
fire.
He remembered now how she had said
81 am not worthy" Now he understood
she had loved him at that time-hoW
far away it seemed-with the whole force
of her being; and he-well, with self