Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1885-02-26
Alice hit her lin

altCC VIZ HcT lip.
why did you not think of that be
fore you married mc?n said she.
Now you are getting childish, AL
ice, said her husband grayely. =
shall begin TO believe that Frederick i,
right about your temperr'
Mrs. Fountain could endure no more
She turned and left the room.
Colonel Fountain looked earnestly
after her.
Like most men. he hated scenes, but
| nevertheless, his conscience prickee
him little. He half rose, as if to fol
low her, and then he sat down again.
Frederick says ought not to give
way to her in everything said he
"And perhaps she is right. Frederics
thinks the children should receive Z
little more of my attention. I'll oc
and walk through the garden with
them now. OF course the poor dar
lings ought not to be neglected because
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, vii
lie trotting on before, and Aunt Fred
erica following with both hands full oil
the rare white grapes which the old
gardener parted with so reluctantly.
hey are happy enough without
me, she said to herself, with n sharr
sudden pang at her heart; II am ONLY
an intruder here.
When Colonel Fountain came IN
stairs to dress for dinner, he found The
room empty, but little note lay on
the bureau.
DEAREST FELIX," was what he read on
tearing 1t open,-"I hope you will not blame
me FOR leaving your house. But have de
eided that 1 cannot live where | am not
loved and trusted thoroughly. LII you and
Cherry can be happier with Miss Frederick
than with me, checrfully abdicate in her
favor. One thing is certain there cannot
DC two mlstresses in home. And / will
uy 70 be as happy as possible with my Uncle
Nliloughby in the meantime.-And please
do not forget that am still your loving
ALICE"
Colonel Fountains first impression
was that of hot anger, his second a dull
despair. But Aunt Frederick pursed
up her lips.
depend upon it, Felix said she,
"the girl is tired of you. | do despise
these chits that never know their own
mindr'
''Be silent" said Fountain hoarscly.
''You have ruined me. Is not that
enoughP"
A week of Aunt Frederick rule COM
pletely disedchanted the whole family.
Cherry burst into tears one day when
the old lady was especially exacting.
81 wish | had my mamma back
again, said she impetuously.
Your sainted mother dear child, -
groancd Miss Frederick, lis in heav-
en-.
But | mean my mamma Alice, ="
sobbed Cherry. II do miss her SO
dteadfully! | believe she really loved
me. And-and do love her, and
wish | hadn't behaved so horribly to
her. Therer'
Cant we bring her home?n shouted
Willie. Nobody remembers TO help
me with my sums, or to cut out paper
ships for me, now that mamma is
gone!'
1--WE will bring her home said the
Colonel, who was just then particularly
exasperated at discovering that Miss
Frederick had been transforming Alicc's
boudoir into a bedroom for some fourth
cousin who was contemplating an I'M
invited sojourn at the house.
And Alice, sitting solitary and alone,
Ike Mariana in the Moated Grange
was astonishcd that very day by the
unexpected vision of Cherry herself.
Mamma. said the girl. half BASH
full, half eager, dearest mamma, will
you forgive us all, and particularly meP
Will you come home to us again? We
are 50 lonely without you, and papa
SAYS"
But Alice had sprung to her feet and
eiasped her repentant stepdaughter in
her arms.
"Will You really love me, dearestp"
said she. "Oh, Cherry. Cherry, ii you
could but know how have pinned for
your love-
So she came home again, this time to
an undivided kingdom, for Miss Fred
erica and her sisters had politely been
turned out of doors; the boudoir was
itself again, and Colonel Fountain was
waiting on the threshold TO welcome
her back,
My DEAR said he, l have made a
fool of myself. see it all now. 1t
shall not happen second time"
did | do right, FelixP"she said, tim
idly. 'But, oh, it was so wretchedr'
Sweetheart, said Colonel Fountain
with limitless loyalty, lyon are always
rightn'
Mamma is always right" echoed
Cherry and Willie showering caresses on
their recovered treasure.
For, by some marie spell. Alice had
contrived to convert the whole family
at last. 1t was never "my stepmoth-
er" again. it was always "Mamma
Alice"