Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1884-10-03
A GOLDEN GOOSE.

If Melicent was beautiful, she never
looked into the glass long enough to
know it; if she was good, she did not
think of herself sufficiently to recognize
it, And if Melicent did not, of course
nobody else did.
Melicent looked upon herself as born
to fill up the empty spaces-a sort of
general make shift in the family. And
as people usually take you at your own
valuation, everybody else regarded Nell
cent as this providential sort of stop gap.
| am not sure, however, that much graft
tude was extended to Melicent; perhaps
it was held that if there was any graft
tude in the matter, it belonged to Provi-
dence; and it is easier to be grateful to
Providence than to people; a debt to
Providence is seldom troublesome. and it
bears deferred payment.
Melicent had a charming little homo of
her own when the mother was prostrated
with paralysis. OF course she left it,
and hastened to her mothers side at once.
Her affection called her, and it was her
duty. And really there was nothing
else for her to do. 1t was her place,
rather than that of the two daughters
in-law, by the bedside of that sufferer.
But it was not pleasant for her to remem-
Der that she left her home at All hours
notice, and could know nothing as tG the
comfort of her husband, and she would
not have been woman if she had not
wanted her husband to be comfortable and
yet had not half hated to have him com.
tortable without her. Charlie wrote her
every day how sadly he missed her, and
then every other day, and then once a
week. But he never told her how we'll
I he was learning to do without her; and
he never said anything about the gay
bachelor evenings in the pretty dining
room, nor of the general bachelor air that
was creeping over her cherished drawing
room, and over all the rest of the house,
In fact. But of course Melicent suspected
something of it; and her suspicion did
not make the lonely watches by the bed
side any the happier. Still, it was her
wish and her comfort to do for her moth
er what she might, although, alas moth
ing remained of the mother but an old
habit of exacting all her dues, the one
prevailing passion of her life, selfshness
receiving its very apotheosis now, so that
nothing would be received or suffered by
her, except at Melicent's hands. The
boys could not be of much help to her
here; and the married brothers, it was to
be presumed, had their hands full in
their own homes. Once or twice it oc-
CURED to take her mother with her; but
TO that the feeble voice lifted stout OBJ
lection, prefcring to die in her own home
and it seemed a cruelty, when her heart
was so strongly set on it, to insist that
she should go anywhere else to die, es-
| pecially as it was she who had to die, and
not another.
And then the married brothers, Francis
and James, lifted their voices too, and
would not hear of the mother being
taken out OF the neighborhood, and the
home that they had always had to run
into being broken up. How could Nell
cent be so selfish as to think of it2 What
should happen to Melicent's home was
quite another thing. And, moreover,
what was to become of the three boys in
such case2 Neither Francis wife MOI
James could receive them, and there
was no room for them in Melicent's little
house. No, the mother must stay where
she was, and of course Meicent must
stay with her. At the end of year
of which she had thought every week
would be the last, Melicent had seen hel
husband only once, for it was quite i'm
possible for him to obtain extended leave
or to make the long and expensiv;
journey frequently. Naturally he thought
he was being overlooked in the matter
and expressed his hurt and indignation
In one way it was not unpleasant to Nell
cent that he should express it; but il
another view she saw possible danger
and did her best to soothe him and aver
it. ..-
But the indignation grew. At the enc
of another year he summoned her home
imperatively, and Melicent said she mus
go; and of course the mother had con
vulsive spasm, or spasmodic convulsion
and as Francis wife had six weeks ole
baby, and James simply asserted the i'm
possibility of assuming new duties, Nell
cent had to explain the case, and sta
where she was. cit won't be long, i
won't be long" the mother would mur
mur; and " how can Charles be so ex
acGng9" all the others would say; an
"who should take care of mother if NO
Melicent2n was the combined remark o
the family. J.
But Millicent took care of mother j
more ways than one. After Millicent
marriage her mothers little property ha
e,,ffara1 IL oov1a csanaroI Eoooo;ol oo4.r
trophe, and Aillicent had turned to az
count pretty talent for painting tina
she had; and although she nigh
have laughed at any one who applied to
fattering epithets to her work, she wa
we'll content that it should sell readily
and that she could use its proceeds o
her mothers comforts. 1t did seem as
} under such circumstances she might hay
been allowed to take her mother home
In spite of her brothers. Imagine hC
consternation when, upon her saying a
much on the occasion of her husband
last visit, he also took the opposite view
II don't want your mother" he sale
e bluntly. 81 vans you. If your motht
e were there, might as well not have yol
: | should have small lot or part in yol
No. In the present state of your motl
er's health and intelligence good faitl
full nurse can be procured that will al
swer as well as you, and | can have m
wife again, my home it's mistress, an
you some share of life. If this thin
), goes on, shall begin to hate the who
y kit of your relations. 1t seems that
am'nobody, not to be considered, a C
pher, "a nonentity. There is nobody
!, The world to be thought of but yoV
! brothers. pulling wives and a paralyz6
old woman
"But, Charlie darling, you forget it
my mother"
tCYou foroat IL is vour husband y