The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1885-05-07
And onco moro Alice found herself

mousse, ana sat solemnly in Judgment
on the brides new theories of house
h0la management. Miss Darling glid-
Gu IN ana out like shadow, attaching
herself markedly to Cherry.
There was O. decided counter-current
i'll the house, which Alice could feoI
rather than see; and, as the DAYS went
D.. he began vaguely to fancy that
oven her husband was different from,
what he had boon.
One morning, sitting at tho window.
drive up.
Dear Felix" she cried, runniug to
where her husband sat in tho library,
'have you invited company"
Colonel Fountain reddcued little.
"Company" repeated he. "Oh YES,
| see. intended to havo mentioned il
before. The fact is, dear, my sister
Frederick is coming hcle for fow
months. You are SO young and mex
pericnccd that l thought, perhaps, it
would be better for her to take charge
of the housekeeping, for the present, ut
least"
Alice's damask-rose complexion deep
ened into scarlet.
"Havc | in any way failed to meet
your wishes, FcliX?" said she, in u
stiIlcd voice.
mo, no; bit Frederick thought"
81 do not want to hear what Fred
erica thought said Mrs. Fountain
quickly.
And Cherry is getting so lawless,
and Willie is positively ungovernable,
and Frederick says that the house needs
n iirmcr hand to rule it" went on Col
oncl Fountain.
"Do you think so, Fclix?"
ZIP Well, no, not exactly; bat you
know pet, that You are young to be ut
the head of household like this
Alice bit her lip.
'Why did you not think of that be-
fore you married mc?" said she.
Now you are getting childish, AL
icc,"' said her husband gravely. Il
shall begin to believe that Frederick is
right about your tcmpcrr'
Mrs. Fountain could endure nomorc.
She turned and left the room.
Colonel Fountain looked earnestly
after her.
Like most men, he hated scenes, but
nevertheless, his conscience Drickcd
him little. He half rose, as if to fol-
low her, and then hc sat down again.
"Frederica says | ought not to give
way to her in everything" said he.
"And perhaps she is right. Frcdcrica
thinks the children should receive a
little more Of my attention. I'll 90
and walk through tho garden with
them now. OF course the poor dar-
!lngs ought not to be neglected because
L have married again.
Half an hour later Alice looked out
OF the easement and saw her husband
coming out OF the greenhouses with
Cherry fondly clinging to his arm, Will
lie trotting on before, and Aunt Fred
erica following with both hands full of
the rare white grapes which the old
gardener parted with so reluctantly.
They are happy enough without
me, she said. to herself, with sharp
sudden pang at her heart; 81 am only
an intruder here"
When Colonel Fountain came up
stairs TO dress for dinner, he found the
room'empty, but Gttlo note lay on
the bureau.
"DEAEEsT FELIX" was what he read on
tearing it open,-"I hope YOU will not blame
me for leaving Your house. But [ have de-
cldeu that cannot live whore | am not
loved and trusted thoroughly. IL you and
tGIherry can be happier with Miss Fredcrica
IMAM with me, | checrfully abdicat. in her
favor. One thing is certan-thcre cannot
De TWO nEstresS,'s in q home. And [ will
IIE WriiOO 70 DC as happy as possible with my Uncle
Wllioughby IN tho meantime-And please
90 not forget that am still your loving
Colonel Fountains first impression
was that of hot anger, his second a dull
despair. But Aunt Frcdcrica purscd
up her lips.
"Dcpend upon it, Felix" said she,
"thc girl is tired of you. [ do dcspisc
these chits that never know their own
mind"
"Bo SILENT" said Fountain hoarscly.
"You have ruined mo! Is not that
enough?"
A week Of Aunt Frederick 'srulc COM
plctcly disedchantcd tho whole family.
Cherry burst into tears one day when
the old lady was especially cXacting.
81 wish | had my mamma back
again, said sho impctuously.
'1 our Saintcd mother dear child. -
groaned Miss Frodorica, ''is in hoay-
en-.
But | mean my mamma Alice"
sobbcd Cherry. II do miss her so
dreadfully! / believe she really loved
me. And--and do love her, and I
wish hadn't behaved so horribly to
her Thcrcm
Cant we bring her home?" shouted
Willie. Nobody remembers to help
me with my sums, or to cut ont paper
ships for me, now that mamma is
gonen
I'VE will bring her homc," said tho
ColonoI, who was just then particularly
eXaspcratcd at discovering that Miss
Fredcrlca had been transforming Alice's
Doudolr into bedroom for some fourth
cousin who was contemplating an IN
invited sojourn at the house.
And Alice, sitting solitary and alone,
like mariana in the Moated Grange >
was astonished that very day by tho
unexpected vision Of Cherry herself.
Mamma, said the girl, half BASH
ful, half eager, dearest mamma, will
you forgive us all, and particularly mop
Will you come homo to us againP We
arc so lonely without you, and papa
Says"
But Alice had sprung to her feet and
claspcd her rcpontant stepdaughter in
her arms