The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-04-04

''Oh. YES. known said Amy. s.AnG
L will try my beststo do as You wish
Arthur
But there was the shadow of new
gravity on that infantine face, a pen
! slVe information of the voice. which
Arthur Pemberton had never heard be.
fore.
Aunt Millicent went next morning,
che first thing, to Nudes and ordered
| some huge editions of the classics She
began Il daily course of reading with her
nci,hcw's wife; she initiated her into the
mysteries of scientific lore, political
economy. societies. symposiums. until
tht day became all too short for her en-
ga9encnts.
Your wife is improving she said
TO Arthur. Il really think she is awak-
ening to sense of the responsibilities
of Il woman in the nineteenth century
| at last"
And Arthur kissed the peach-iike,
dimpled cheek, and congratulated his
little wife on her mental advance
But somehow the home was not so
sweet and cosy. An impaipable some
thing was missing influence which
had followed Amy's light footsteps all
through the rooms, the glass of flowers
iiSiNf VIC lpoi't'A CuII1t IAG
music on the piano, the bird-cage hung
in the sunshine, the delicate dish pre-
pared by Ainy's own fingers, the
whipped cream, the lucent jelly, the
carefully cut-up fruits, all the pretty,
quaint devices which had descended to
this young housekeeper through II long
line of hOuSewifely ancestors.
They had been very pleasant Arthur
Pemberton had enjoyed them, as we en-
joy the sweet air and sunshine, without
pausing to think whence they came;
and he missed them now.
But, all of ii sudden, the delicate little
flower dropped. as a bue-bell droops
after sharp September frost.
Il am not sick" said Amy; s'oh, not
But feel as if there wasn't any more
strength left in Inc. i think won't get
up to-day; I'll lie in bed and rest. No,
no; don't send for a doctor! | don't
need medicine only need rest"
Aunt Millicent stared. Herself strong
as an iron machine, it never occurred to
her that all natures were not east in the
same enduring mold But the old
family doctor looked grave, and shook
his grey head.
'She has overdone herself he said;
the results may be serious Put away
her books; don't so much as speak to
her about classics or ologies of any
sort
And Aunt Millicent had never, in the
course of her whole life, felt such
pang as when the doctor whispered his
impression that little Amy must proba-
bly, drift away from them into the I'M
known world, rs the autumn crept on.
But there is nothing the matter with
hertz pleaded she, with moist gather
ing over the Ovals of her glasses.
That is precisely the sort of case that
we physicians find most difficult to deal
with" said Doctor Dean.
And one day Amy put her soft, trans
parent, little hand out upon that OF her
husband
Il am not asleep" said she. Don't
keep so quiet. But sometimes my
speech and mind seem to float away
from me, and SO had perhaps better
tell you now how sorry l am that /
have been such Il disappointment TO
your
"A disappointment! Amy, my treas
ure!" cried out Arthur, with a passion
ate ring of sadness in his voice.
Il never could have been learned and
scientific like Aunt Millicent," whisper
ed Amy; cit wasn't i'll me. They were
killing me-those dreadful classes, and |
the long, long pages of blank verse, and
the tiresome plays of Shakespeare, which |
never understood. Tell her it was |
very kind of her to try and remodel me |
for your sake, dear; but it never could |
have been done. But / loved YOU, dar- |
ling-oh, so well! If / had been Sir |
Isaac Newton himself, | couldn't have |
loved you any better. Always remem- |
Der that, won't you, dear? And now I'll |
try to sleep little
Aunt Millicent looked blankly at her |
nephew, us the soft lids dropped over
the big, blue eyes.
I'VE have made a mistaket" she |
whispered.
Yes said Arthur Pemberton,
hoarsely, .'we have made mistake;
and if it has lost me my little Amy /
shall never forgive myselfr'
And Aunt Millicent felt like crimi-
nal
But Amy did not die. With tender
nursing and constant care. she recover
ed; and when she was we'll enough to
travel, her husband took her to the I
bright shores of the Mediterranean,
where she rapidly regained her former
health and spirits.
Hang Milton and Shakespeare" said |
he. Confusion seize all these Mental |
Associations and Intel |
lectual Saturir.iasi Put EN- altogether. |
don't value them as much as one |
golden hair of my darlings's dear little |
head. You cant make stately ibis |
ont of a humming bird, and 1 love my |
dear little wife, just as she is. for what |
she isI'
You're quite sure you wouldn't have |
me any different" said Amy, artlessly. |
MY dear" said the young husband. |
''if you were like Millicent who, thank |
fortune. has gone with Socializing So |
ciety somewhere up to the North Pole |
i should commit suicide "
And Amy laughed the old sweet |
laugh, and was happy once again.