The Baltimore County union., 1883-01-20
ADAM ooRDoN's TWO WIVES.

FiorsHcs ~. HaiioEsii, ~ Denors.fs.
Selma Gordon was dead. In the
darkcned parlor which her hands had
kept so scrupulously clean for twelve
long years, and where no intrusive fly
ever dared Sc, his foot for fear of the
impending duster, she lay in her coffin,
the thin, work-worn hands at rest at last
over the silent heart. The tired anxious
look which her face had worn for so
many years was on il still. Even Death,
that great magician, had not been able
to smooth il away. There had been so
much Of toll, pain and care in her life,
that it was not strange that in her coun-
tenance there was more appearance OF
the sorrow OF the past than of the rest
and peace Of the future into which she
had entered.
Adam Gordon stood alone by the
coffin, looking down at the white, still
face and folded hands. He was tall and
well-made, with broad shoulders, deep
chest, brown, wavy hair and dark eyes.
A heavy brown mustachc shaded mouth
rs sensitive as woman's. His face
was bronzed from constant exposure to
the sun, and his hands were large,
brown and sinewy-the hands Of farm
er who never shirked his plow.
AT twcnty-onc Adam had married a
girl selected for him by his mother, and
brought her to the home left him by an
uncle who had recently died. 1t was
an old. struggling farmhouse, built at
different periods and in different styles,
overgrown with 4 dark mass of trees,
underneath which the grass grew long
and rank amid tangled mass Of roses
and vines of various sorts, which bios
somed luxuriantly in the spring, and
made the place bower Of beauty
Selma had been girl after the elder
Mrs. Gordon's own heart. Adam had
heard her praises so persistently chantcd
by his mother and sisters, that he fell
very naturally into the belief that she
was the only wife possible for him il he
would make sure of prosperity and hap.
piness.
Well, he hat been prosperous, even
though his happiness had been rather OF
the negative kind. Industrious, ener-
getic, neat and economical, Selma soon
taught Adam that life with her was to
be no play. day. She considered recrc-
a:ion Of any sort sinful, and discouraged
even the reading of books and papers as
liable to neglect of some duty. Up
by daylight in the morning, she worked
increasingly until late at night, looking,
apparently, on hours spent in bed as so
much time wasted. She did not relax
her energy even after there was no long
or necessity for it. She was proud OF
Adams wcll-fi!led barns and well-tilled
fields, but she worked rs industriously
as when he had to turn over every pen
ny before he spent it. Lines Of care
came on her yet young face her shoul.
ders grew round from STOPPING over the
wash-tub and bending over the sink, but
she needed il not. Two children were
born to her-fragile little creatures that
faded and died before the touch of their
waxen fingers had soitcned the lines of
their mothers face.
Adam gricvcd bitterly over the death
Of his babes; but il Selma shared his
sorrows she gave no expression to it,
She had no time TO indulge her feelings.
There was the milk Of the COWS to be at
tended to every morning and night,
three meals day to prepare, the wash.
ing, ironing, baking, scrubbing, sweep
ing, busting and sewing to be done, and
only her two hands to do it all. She
was noted in the neighborhood for her
thrift and economy, and old Mrs. Cor.
don, who lived across the road from her
son, frequently congratulated herself on
having such model daughter-in-law.
But now Selma was dead. The deli.
cate machinery Of mind and body had
worn out at last under the continued
strain put upon them. and the toil-worn
woman laid in her coffin with roses and
smilax about her, unconscious Of the
look Of pity, sorrow and regret in the
grave face and dark eyes Of her young
husband.
Adam felt relieved when the funeral
was over, and the neighbors who had
tiptoed and whispered about the house
as beftted the solemnity of the occasion,
had all gone away and left him alone.
His life went on much the same as
ever. He took his meals at his moth
er's, and either his mother, or one Of his
active, busy sisters put his house in or.
der every morning. OfSelina he never
spoke at all, though Of course he missed
her. She had become part Of his life,
and il was long time before he could
grow accustomed to the strange silence
Of the kitchen. Occasionally he went
into the parlor, threw open the green
blinds, and looked at her picture, which,
protected by piece Of pink tarletan
from the improbable but possible on
slaught Of some demoniac fy, hung over
the mantel.
Thus nearly year passed, and II was
spring again. The roses about the
house were in full bloom, and the mead
ows were bright with buttercups and
daisies.
Standing under the shade Of a great
oak tree one evening Adam saw little
Miss Darrow, the teacher Of the district
school, coming slowly down the dusty
road. She paused opposite large rose
bush, which thrust its heavily laden
hras,~has fhrr,,r,l, tla c.,-. .,.I h...a