Weekly commercial herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1884-18??, 1886-06-11

would walk up and down with them by the
hour, telling them at brief intervals to look
at their mamma.
Tremendously gifted woman" be would
sometimes say to his friends. Then, dropping
his voice like Guy Fawkes in the c~onspirators'
room: Sometimes I sec her reading for two
hours at a stretch. I have timed her by my
thermometer. What would have become Of
M if l had not married that woman l don't
like to say. l think" Egerton would add,
solemnly, II think, with my disposition and
my way Of looking at things, you know, /
should have gene to the bad"
Egerton had also given himself up greatly
to the study Of cooking, and had a little room
fitted up with a stove, ard hung round with
pots and pans. ] think this must have been
about the time when the great Soyer was
teaching us English people how to work won
ders with soup and fish and fowl. In this
room Egerton would concoct rare dishes,
generally coming out with a very red face.
and now and then spsetting a boiling sauce
pan down his thighs; on which occasions he
would rush from the room shrieking; and de-
clare that it was really too bad, and he would
give the whole thing up. Egerton had all
idea of working a reform in the present way
of cooking red mullet.
"A delicious fish, " he would say; "but under
the present system it is sent up in paper;
treated, in fact, as if it were a package. 1t
is intolerable that a delicious fish should be
treated as if it were a package"
Time, which was writing its record on our
xyoarp~as v,onp1a bod not foyOof fO nQDnil
deeper lines on Archibald Goldmore. Visible
signs of advancing years were upon him, md
the elephantine frmness Of his tread was
going. He stopped; his hair was not so gray
as once it had been. Goldmore, the wise, the
sensible, the millionaire, was dyeing his hair
to keep up the appearance Of youth beside his
lovely wife. All, lovely young women, what
fools you make Of us whitening, elderly men!
And even the little mother, SO long undying
in her energy, began to show symptoms of
decline. The light step was falling into a
slower movement; the quick motions Of the
frame were seldom seen; she was growing a
little deaf, and every one observed it, though,
with characteristic vivacity, she tried to hide
the failing. She began to like quiet--bodily
q%uiet-and would sit in her chair hour after
hour; but her mind was as active and her
tongue as pungent as ever; and often Sophia
would laugh till she was tired at the little
woman's quaint remarks or droll stories Of
days gone by. She commented on everybody
and everything with the same satire, sense
and absorbed worldliness as of old. Her two
sons-in-law furnished her with abundant
material for criticism; and Sophia often
blushed to think how heartily she enjoyed
her mothers caustic comments on Goldmore
and Egerton. Both were favorites with the
I'D woman; but Goldmore's mercantile stiff
ness and Egerton's feebleness of mind were
too tempting for her to resist.
lean hardly keep my countenance, Sophy, "
she used to say, "when these two men come in
together. One | can stand; but both is more
than mortal cam" They generally looked
in after church "'Mrs. Temple, how do you
find yourself this morning! Pretty wellY"
She hit off Goldmore's voice to the note.
And then: &C, how are you! Tremendously
warm day, isn't it? l do dislike q tremen-
dously warm dayr" delivered exactly as
Egerton would. Thereupon the little satiris'
would fall back in her chair laughing, ant
pleased to see Sophia laughing.
4NOFg Netl1y AAittAAANS Va ~AS Nv IONN
Sophia would say.
8Not o bit, Sophy. You like it, or yor
would not laugh. And, beside, why need the
old man be a bore and the young man a block
head! o, may the day never dawn when
do anything but laugh at a stupid or a foolF
Still Sophia was kept in wonder and feai
by her mothers growing turn for economy,
In some things she was becoming almost
penurious, and the question: what will il
cost?" which once she disdained to ask of any
thing that pleased her, was now never off hel
lips. There was a positive alarm about hel
manner, too, when any new expense was il
view, which was full of grave suggestions
and Sophia quite tried to reconcile herself tt
GoIdmore's opinion that her mother hat
lived beyond her means, and was now tryins
to exc ont her means. Beside, the old womal
would sometimes, in a covert way, try t.
sound Sophia as to what she would do whel
left alone in the world, and once she actual,
asked her if she had any idea Of ever makini
money for herself. This uneasy question
pointed only TOO plainly in the direction o
the practical Goldmore's observation, tina
Mrs. Tempe was living on an income tina
would perish with her, and that Sophia woul
be left in poverty. Bit beyond conjectur
no one could go, for the old woman kept he
secret, and would not suffer any interroga
tons. To Sophia she confided that she felt
Httle alteration in strength; but even to he
she would not admit that the cause was oil
age.
~ am a little exhausted, Sophy," she sal
one day. "You see, l have worked hard O
enjoyment for q great many years. l sha
do Just what johnson used to make our peac
trees and vines do at the Beeches. Let IN
rest for a few months, end mex year l sha
recruit, regain strength, stophy, and be 4
lively as ever. o, Sophy, Sophy," she criet
clapping her withered hands together with
sprightliness which, whether real or feignec
was equally amazing, 81 shall enjoy I'll
world, relish it, smack my lips over it, cir
for years and years to come!"
CHAPTER VI.
IN WHICH LADY BEAUTY a HER PORTRAl
PAINTED IN PRINTERS INK.