The National tribune., 1882-04-08

cause he IS not Milton one is too apt to
think ne is.
Rob had never attempted rhyme in his
life. IF Mrs Grundy, Junior, had not been
suumering at the Swiss Lakes no doubt she
would have devised way to end the love
making OF her nephew, but there was no.
body to interfere; old Madam Grundy was
too deafand purblind to remember that such
things as youth and love existed. That
Paul Spencer with his poetic inspirations,
Lis fathOmless eyes, his worldly lore, his
experience and popularity should sue for o
word with a pOyerty-stricllen goyerness,
should hang upon her will and court her
presence, captiyated patty's imagination and
touched her heart. They would sit over the
emhPrs of the sChOol-yoom fire while he be-
witched her with stories from the operas and
sung their most love-lOrn airs in his fine
| tenor till the tears stood in Patty's pretty
| eyes, or he would bring his violin at odd
moments and improvise some tender melody
to be dedicated to her, suggested by thoughts
OF her, till she began to believe him an un-
appreciated Mozart. Perhaps the fact that
Paul Spencers wife would possess and enjoy
everything from which Patty Morris had
been cut off may have lent her hero halo,
may have made his eloquence more eloquent,
his tongue more persuasive. But if it was
so Patty was unconscious of it; there was
| nothing mercenary in her nature, she was
only human, although Rob thought her di-
vine. She had a conviction that if Paul had
been born plOw-bOy he would have found
his place Oh Parnassus; that though he
should wallen one day to find her nature too
narrow and incomplete for his companionship
she should not blame him over-much, nor
unlove him, but carry the remembrance of
her happiness shut into her heart like
faded rose pressed in book of poems It is
perhaps well that we begin life with an
over-supply of sentiment; we should other
wise have SO little left at the journeys end
Very likely Patty had never thought of Rob
as lover at all; he was the friend of the
family, schoolmate, about whom there were
no reserves or mysteries; perhaps he even
seemed commonplace and unfinished beside
Mr.. Spencer with his invulnerable selfpos-
session, his acquaintance with the world In
the meantime things had begun to brighten
little in the Morris family; Mrs. Morris
had the house painted and the blinds re-
newed; there was a new carpet in the
drawing-room, and the girls had new suits
and hats, not homemade; not all at once,
but by almost imperceptible degrees, the
shabby Morris mansion had begun to bios
som into elegance, and the shabby toilets to
follow suit. Anita had a new piano in
exchange for the old one, and a singing
master.
Mamma" said the wise Lena, "are we
living on our principal, or where do you get
SO much money!"
l have realized on something your father
left" answered her mother.
Patty's engagement was confided to no one
outside the family except to Rob The fact
was, Mr.. Spencer was not quite prepared to
acknowledge it to his friends; his mother,
who had views of her own for him. might
have something disagreeable to say. and, al |
though he proposed to have his own way in |
the end, he naturally hated a scene, and |
believed that affairs would finally adjust |
themselves without his interference; in the
meantime 4.et 4.et WAS vas ,sGjoYing himself
1t did not strike Mrs. Morris strangely
that the 9t99l4fir t994fIi should be kept private for
while, till Mrs. Grundy should return from
the Swiss Lakes, and Mr. Grundy take a
holiday, occupied as she was with her own
That any one should object to
her Patty would seem preposterous. In her
opinion, doctors family ranked with the
first in the land, and it did not occur to her
that any one could think differently; to be
a member of the faculty was to belong to
the aristocracy. As things began to brighten
IN the Morris family the girls began to be
invited out more and more. 1t was found
that Anita had fine drawing-room voice
and Obliging disposition; that Lena could
talk art with the esthetes and that the
young men tlocked to the Soiree which Patty
attended. Moreover, it was known through
Mr.. Bert, broker that Mrs. Morris had
invested in United States bonds.
Il thought that the Doctor left them as
ooor as church mouse" he said to his wife.
$50 he did, but she has realized on some
hing, l hear; 1 can't think what; maybe he
lad Alabama claims, or perhaps some stock
hey held may have risen"
"2Heir stock has gone up with ven
seance," said Mr. Bert.
"Yes; it's the Morrises here and the Nor
lses there; one never used to hear of them
Ill the other day. Did you get the bitters I
begged you to remember?n ,
Couldn't recall the name to save my
oul" !
They are not warranted to save the soul. I
'ut the body. Old Mrs Bruce says they've
,rolonged her days, and would cure my '
But of course that does not sig
lify"
The following evening Mr.. Bert and Mrs.
Iorris met in the horse cars.
my wife asked me to get somebody's Bit
ers for her, and I've lost the name again.
aid he; perhaps you could help me, Mrs.
Iorris."
Their name is legion" said she.
Doctor, doetor-what in the deuce 1, his
ame?" f
" DR.. Hood ?a,suggested Mrs. Morris
"No; 1 wonder if it's recommended for