The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1883-03-14
THE DOcTOR's SECOND WIFE.

DIR. Brinsley belongs to the noble
army of martyrs and heroes known as
country doctors" He was the sort of
man on could love if you loved him:
otherw Sc you would probably dislike
him, for he was very peculiar; every
body said so. Now there are several
ways of being pecu lar, and the doctors
ways were not always pleasant ways
unless you loved him Hs wife had
loved him, and to her he had seemed
the most perfect of men. He suited her
and she suited him, and they had been
very happy. It must not be supposed
that her love had been of the cool &
kind Perhaps the doctor would not
have enjoyed that Darling B .cky re-
joiced in making bright. spicy. impu-
dentremarks to herhusband. Remarks
which made his big, brown yes sparkle
with delight; then he wo I'D meet her
half way. and they would fight the most
interesting little duels. followed by the
most afectionate reconciliations. But
it was now three lon1 weary years since
poor Becky had been resting in her
quiet grave, and the doctors friends
had decided that he needed some one
to keep house for him.
After much persuading he had been
particularly introduced to Miss Della
Swan. What q namer' tn ught the
doctor. But as he looked at her he saw
that she was far. gentle, healthy an
J twenty-six. "A A good, sensible age;
must be neat and orderly" was his ver-
dict. In q moment of enthusiastic sell
fishress he had proposed to her. and in
mon emit of enthusiastic devotion she
had accepted him
Thew were married. She lived in his
house, she poured out his tea and cof-
fee, she entertained his friends, and
everybody said; '.Oh, how much nicer
she was than that other womanP She
was very popular with ever body. but
she was not at all popular with the doc
tor.
To him "that other woman was stil
all the world and the brightness there
of So homeless did he feel in the
presence of this much nicer woman thai
his visits to Becky's grave were the
only happy hours of his new life Afte
awhile he became more accustomed x
Della, and then he began to give hel
free and frequent lectures on Becky
..She's used to say so and so, she useC
- to do this and that: and as she had beeI
right then, she must be right now anC
s,fofeyer and in verything.
Della had married s.from d sense o
duty.n and deserved to be punished
= but It seemed 70 her that. her punish
ment was greater than she deserved
She would not have wished that he
husband shonld forget the wife of hi
youth, but she had expected that h'
would have some regard for the woman
whom he had invited to preside owe
his household. and she had hoped Il
make him comfortable; to '.do her dut,
by him." as she pressed it Part o
that duty she had performed in tn
most admirable manner; never had tn
doctors house been so clean; neve
had his shirt bosoms shone with sucl
luster; but the heart which beat chin,
them she had cen una le to conquer.
Was Il her faultp Had she not tr o.
TO be kind, to be patient. to be meek
Yes. but il was the trying that spoile'
Il ali, and she lacked the sweet boldnes
which love alone can give. She was a.
most afraid of that ungracious man. an
she was jealous of becky, much loved
happy Becky. At the end of six month
of such life the doctor noticed tha
Della looked pale and thin. "You nee
little more fresh air." he prescr bed
s.and shall take you out as ten as
can" Not without some inward eal
but attired in her very best, Della sat i
the buggy by the side O. her lord.
was o balmy spring afternoon, natur
loo ed so fresh, so bright so happy
that a little of this happiness breathe
itself into Delia's sad heart. The do'
tor must also have been touched b
these benign influences, for never b,
fore had he been so k nd. so attent We
her. SO talkative. She smiled sewers
times; twice she absolutely Ia gheC
CbS sat n LITTLE nearer to him. her cheek
bIoomed. and she was beginning to e'
quite comforta le. when. as luck woul
have it, they happened to ride past
very small cottage, so very small thu
Della said: "0h. look! l wond'
how many people live in such tiny b
Of q house -,
- The doctors brow grew dark. 81
such honse rs this, he said. in q