Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-11-05


what she had done. Swift as any ar
row she darted down to cool, shady
nook, at the foot Of the garden, where
Il crystal trout-stream gurgled under
the shadow of canopy of elm leaves.
and a twisted root formed sort Of
rustic seat.
Shall | fling it into the stream|
she asked herself. "Shall | tear it upY
But as she looked at the soft, calm
features, a gentler mood crept over
her.
"How wicked and babyish I am!
she said. No, mol | will not tear up
your face, sweet saint. | should have
loved you, too, if you had been living
will try to love you now, because hS
loved youl Look down from your
throne in heaven, dear, white-robed
angel, and help me to be worthy to sit
in your seat at his board, to share your
place in his hearth
And glancing fearfully around her,
lest she should be observed, she kissed
the photograph once, twice, three
times, and placed it in her bosom.
When she came back to the house
she was quieter and more silent than
usual, but she did not offer to give
back the photograph to her husband.
Was she jealous of it still?
And Julian Morny went quietly on
with his student labors he labors in
which his first wife had shared so in
telligently and helpfully.
lie had loved his beautiful Evange
line so truly and passionately, she had
been so entirely part of his existence,
that when she died it seemed impossi-
bic that he could ever place another
woman in the empty niche of her
being.
But as time dulled the first sharp
edges of his sorrow, and pretty Harry
Tinton's winning graces stole into his
heart, he began to realize that he was
not yet an old man nor a hermit.
lie looked at Evangeline's picture.
"She would have bid me lie happy"
he said. "She would have told me
that it was no disloyalty to cheer the
darkness Of my life with second
owe"
SO he married the smiling young
beauty, and the only grief that can
kered his heart was IIarry's insane
unreasonable jealousy Of her dead
rivals memory
Julian Was no expert in reading the
hieroglyphics of II woman's heart'
"lIarry," he would say, with a
panied expression upon his face, eff
you loved me, you would not talk in
this way"
at is because | do love you that l
cannot help talking in this way" she
demonstrated, and then her tender,
coaXing little articles would be re-
doubled.
"If you would only forget her,"
pleaded Harry you would only
tell me that am past and present
both to you"
But he smiled and shook his head.
sweetheart" he would say, you
are the sunshine of my present. With
my past no living touch can meddle.
Is not that enough?'
"No" Harry cried, ut is not
enough"
And after she had taken triumphant
possession of the picture, a new
shadow seemed to darken silently on
his forehead.
lie was as tender as ever to the
child-wife, whose presence lent such
fascination to his home. lie did not
ask for the return of the photograph,
but he felt that there was something
missing at his side.
lie had declared that he could re-
member Evangeline without the pic
turc, and yet he longcd with an unut-
terable longing to look once more upon
her face.
lie rcsolutely guarded himself from
sitting in judgment on the lovely little
spritr who loved him with such way
wacd unreasoning affection; and yet
he could not but feel that Harry had
been cruelty unjust to Evangeline.
SO he left off thinking about it at
all, and applied himself steadfastly to
the studies which had always formed
the main occupation of his life.
Julian"
1t was stormy night-mid-J an
uary- W tn the flakes whirling
wildly through the darkness, and q
tumultuous wind bowling in the tree
tops.
He had been writing long and
steadily, and had leaned back in his
chair for rest of hand and brain.
when Harry came in, attired in the
black-velyet dress which he had given
her, and wearing at her round, white
throat a little cross of diamonds.
The husbands serious face bright
enel at the fair vision.
"Why, my pct! he exclaimed, cap
turing the hand that was laid lightly
on his shoulder; "what is the meaning
of this extraordinary brilliance of cos
tune? Is there to be a party or a
ceremonious dinner?"
Neither" Harry answered. "But