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


Fresh as a rose looked Harry Morny
as she came in from the woods, on
that clear autumn afternoon, with her
apron full of wild grapes, and her hat
garlanded around with scarlet-veined
autumn leaves.
Her husband, sitting in his study
glanced up at her bright, flushed face,
with sombre eyes full of past memo
ries.
SIS the world coming to an end?"
saucily demanded Harry, as she flung
the purple cluster on the table-"for |
am sure that nothing else can account
for such solemn face as yours,
Julian"
lie tried to smile.
"YOu have been in the woods all
day, Harry" he said.
Where else should l be?' retorted
the young wife, whom he had married
because she was such an embodied
sunbeam. "You don't catch me polk
ing myself up in the house when all
the world is 80 full of brightness"
But she looked half doubtfully at
him as she spoke.
"Now you are going to scold me-"
She said, with a pretty uplifting of her
hands, as if TO ward off some verbal
onslaught. 81 can see the stern words
rising up to your lips
cam !, then, SO stern with you?'
he altered III so, it is quite unin-
tentional. No, Harry, | am not going
to scold YOU"
For he remembered that Harry was
only eighteen, and that he was eight
and-thirty.
Harry came and perched herself on
his knee.
Julian" she said, with a sudden
burst of penitence, 81 am sorry"
"Sorry!-and for what?"
lie Put his hand caressingly on her
blonde curls, as he might have stroked
Il pretty infants head.
81 meant to practice to-day" she
pleaded, "and to read IL whole chapt +
in 'Macaulay's History of England,
and to darn your stockings in the con-
vent stitch that Aunt Prudence taught
me; but when | got out in the sun
shine | forgot it ALL Oh, Julian, |
shall never learn to,be companion to
you!"
And she glanced ruefully around at
the drifts of paper and open folios on
the desk, and her radiant face glo0med
over suddenly, as she caught sight of
a tiny photograph lying close by his
inkstand.
Julian" she exclaimed, abruptly,
''why did you marry me?"
is that so hard to guess, little
one?"
"Yes, but why?" she persisted 81
am so silly and shallow that is ex-
actlv what Mrs. Meredith calls me
and my poor little groveling soul can
never reach up to the height of yours.
Oh, don't try to comfort mel un-
derstand it all" with another sidelong
glance at the photograph. "You loved
her! she was true wife to YOU. am
only plaything"
"Have | ever said SO, Harry"
"a score of times" cried Harry, get
ting more and more excited, while the
deep roses burned vivdly on her cheeks.
Not in actual words perhaps, but
Oh, Julian, why did | ever marry
a widower? She is rs much my
rival now as if she was a living and
breathing woman, Julian, hate her!"
Harry! Harry
"Givo me that pictured" cried the
young wife, snatching the photograph
from the desk, and retreating a pace
ortwo, as if she feared to be pursued.
at shall not lie beside you at your
wor {. You shall not carry it next
yoal heart when you go out of the
room~
She paused as if expecting volley
of remonstrances perhaps IA stern re-
proof-but he rever spoke word.
He only looked at her with sad, grave
eyes.
Julian" she hesitated, more en-
treatingly, ''may ! have 1.-THE photo
graph?"
"Yes," he answered. 81 can remem-
ber how she looked, without any
counterfeit prescntment. Yes, you
may have it, Harry, if that is your de-