The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1883-03-01

""' eohti'tihi coming ana going be.
tween us and him, the soup might be too
hot, and he might eat too much
WIFE" said very quickly, but very de-
cidedly, from Tomorrow il shall eat with
us at our table. 1t is old enough now.
with its two years"
From that time OH at" ate with us,
He sat there in his high chair like a
prince, close to my wife-both opposite
to me like declared enemies, as it were.
The yellowish paleness of poverty had
yielded to hu aristocraiic pink in his little
cheeks, which now, becoming quite club.
ny, sat comfortable on the stiff folds OF
the napkin. 1t worked powerfully ut its
soup; and. now that it had finished, act
up the spoon like a sceptre in its little
round fist on the table. NY wife and |
had exchanged few words, and now we
sat silent. Apparently on account of
this silence its large eyes began to open
wider and wider They stared on me.
stared at my wife, with surprised, al.
most frightened, expression, as if they
had presentiment that all was not right
between us. confess that those ewes
embarrassed nc. aud that l had feeling
of relief when Frederick entered with a
dish. And l think that my wife felt Tie
same.
And the following days there were tho
same large, wondering eyes, like an ap.
pealing question, staring into the pauses
OF our conversation. 1t sounds ridiculous,
but it is nevertheless true, we were cul-
prits before the child. We Two grown
personsl And by degrees our conversa-
ton became more animated. The occa-
sional prattlings Ui the little one were
noticed and spoken about; indeed,
sometimes there was mutual laughter at
his attempts to speak.
All how light, how belllike pure,
sounded her laughter Had | never,
then, heard that before2 And what was
the matter with mo that | sometimes
bent over my writing. deak listening, as
though I heard from distance these
same silver tones9
With the first sunny spring ut: began
TO play in the garden, which could
overlook from my seat in the Office. She
was generally with him. could hear
the sound OF his little feet on the peb.
bles, and then her footsteps Now she
would .playfully chase him, and chorus
OF twittering sparrows would join in
their notes with the merry laughter.
Now she would catch him and kiss his
cheeks over und over. Once opened
my window; warm, balsamic air steam.
ed around me, and II butterfly auttered in
and lit OH my ink and. Just then she
came out of n green, yine.grown bower;
she was dressed in dazzling white neg.
lige trimmed with costly lace; all over her
strcamed the golden sunshine, except
that her face was overshadowcd by tho
PINK OF hor parasol.
How slim she appeared How grace.
full in her movements! Had | been
blind? Truly the aunts and cousins were
right. Sbs was in reality beautiful! A
sweet smile transformed her features, she
was happy her happiness came
from her child Then a voice made
itself heard in my breast, which said very
plainly: "You are monstcrm got
up and walked to the window. ut is
beautiful day." called ]. l know how
cold and prosnic it must have sounded to
her. Il came like IL ieavy cloud shadow
over sunny landscape. She answered
something I did not understand but the
brightness was gone from her little face.
Then she took up the child, who was
stretching ont his arms 10 her, and kissed
and caressed him before my eyes.
Then il was when tho first feeling of
jealousy was aroused in mc.--a jealousy,
truly; but what strange Jealousy which
could not make clear to itself who was
its object. If"It" said "mamma," there
came pain to my heart; aud the caresses
with which she overwhelmed him almost
drove inc wild. was jealous of both
II panied me that had no part in this
weaving of love. that was not the third
in the union. l exerted myself to gain
part of their love. did it very clum.
silly. The child persevercd in certain
shyness, and shc-hnd not kept myself
forcibly away from her during these long,
long yea-s7
One day at the dinner table, after
skirmish of words, came great stiffness
between us, stiffness more painful than
had ever been. I glanced down at the
fowers on my plate of Saxon porcelain,
my displeasure showing in my face; but
I felt plainly that at" had its eyes on
me, and also her eyes. 1t was as if those
four eyes burned on my forehead. Then
sounded suddenly in the stiffness
Papa" and again louder and moro
courageous: Papa /" shuddered.
"It" sat there and stared, now very
much frightened, over at me, wondering,
perhaps, whether storm would be raised
by it's papa" But her face was suffused
with glowing redness, and her halt:open.
ed lips trembled slightly.
There came food of gladness over my
heart. Certainly no one but her had
taught him this 'papa." Why did not
spring up, bound toward her, aud, with
one word, embrace, strike out the lonlie.
ness of these last six years2 One light
word in this moment and all would have
been we'll 1t remained unspoken;
seemed to have lost all power to act tut
on a certain page OF my ledger are still
traces Of the tears shed in anger at my
own stupidity.
There was no doubt about it; another
spirit had stepped in with its little curly
head-the spirit Of love; and that made
me stranger in my own house. A
precious sunshine frightened the rooms,
even when the one in the heavens was
hidden by clouds. The faces of the ser.
wants and even inanimate objects stream.
ed back this radiance. But me, only,
the sunshine did not touch.
felt myself always more and more
unhappy In my loneliness. Jealously
grew in me; it gave me all sorts of fool.
ish thoughts. wanted to rebel against
the little autocrat-that would be ridicu.
lous. wanted to give her the choice
between him and me. I. a,,dacious one,
knew very we'll which side her heart
would choose. At another time was
ready TO take steps in order to end the
mother, and with the power of gold force
her to take back her child--behind NV
wife's back? That would be cowardly.
I could no longer fix my mind on bust.
ness. l mistrusted even myself. People
oakad ma yyhat woa tho m ttar ,,;tL -