The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1886-02-06

Stlnce. She cared very little for the
poor little wife whom she teased into
more or less willing acquiescence tc
her own foolish ideas. Johnny Web
Der was such pattern of propriety,
was heo then nothing would content
her but letting the world see that he
was no better than anybody else-and
any way she knew of knocking and
shaming him must be tried. Hattie
was well enough, but as weak as a
straw, and SO by fattery and challenge
of a foolish pride the well being and
prosperity of this new household were
brought into danger. And the young
wife's eyes were blinded more and
more.
The journey to the seashore had
been very hot and tresome the baby
had cred pitifully, and even the Stince
child had forgotten the satisfaction of
her best clothes and was fretful and
provoking. The dust blew after the
hard-springed wagon in white sitting
clouds; the country roads were I'M
shaded and the fourteen mile drive
seemed likely never to come to an
end. Nell Stince's brother, saucy,
half-grown boy, frightened poor little
Mrs. Weber by his reckless driving,
and his beating Of the thin horse which
stumbled every little while and was
hardly equal to such a load. When
they reached the beach there was no
cool breeze-in fact, the glare made it
seem hotter than it did at home. Even
the despised poplar tree in the yard
was remembered with affection, and
later, when the depressed little CON-
pany sat down to their evening meal
an uncomfortable hy-beset lunch-the
repentant wife said that she would
have given anything if she had thought
to get Johnny's supper read for him.
Nell Stince gave a hooking laugh,
which somehow grated upon the lis
tener's nerves. Toward night there
was delightful breath of sea wind,
and the baby stopped his crying and
grew drowsy at last and went to sleep.
Nell Stince was triumphant, and won
dered how they should have lived
through another hot night at home,
but her guest thought of John Weber
all the time, and wondered what he
said when he came home, and If he
were angry, and wished over and over
again that he were there with her at
Harborside, In the rough house which
seemed very shelterless and uncom-
Portable. And John Webber's silly
little wife cried herself to sleep. Run
ming away did not seem like joke at
all from this point of view, though her
hostess was merry enough down stairs
with some new and old acquaintance
whom she had picked up during the
evening.
| PART III.
When John Weber walked up
next day from an uneasy sleep he
felt as if some enchantment had
worked a miserable change in him.
No words could say how lonely and
wretched and angry he was, for, like
most good-humored, equable peo-
pie, his temper was very sullen, and
hard to manage when it was once
reused. This was sad beginning
to the vacation he had looked for
ward to with such high hopes; he
could not go back to the works and
face anybody's jeers and curious
questioning, neither would he follow
Nell Stince's lead, and Join the
household at Harborside.
Yes, this would be the best thing
he would go off by himself, too; he
would 60 to see his dear old mohter.
She was very feeble this year, anc
he would not disappoint her Of hel
promised visit Oh, if he could only
have taken his baby! But there wa:
nothing to do but go alone, and shu
the house and left the key at {
neighbours and hurried away to the
train. As he was rushing across the
green inland country and the fresl
air blew in at the car window his an
ger faded a little. "Poor Hattie,
he said once or twice softly, as if he
understood that she had felt the neeo
of getting out of the hot town anc
had known no better how to act.
He hardly felt like himself unit
he was nearing his old home on ;
high Vermont hillside, and after ;
long walk from the station ther,
came in view the little red house ano
barn which looked as if they hac
slipped part way down the long
lonely hill slope. Then he felt like &:
boy again, the very boy who hae
gone years ago from that quiet spo
out into the busy world to seek hi.
fortune. Alas he was bringing bach
a heavy disappointed heart; he be
gan to wish that he had gone afte
his wife and brought her with him
That would haye been the squar,
thing, and he grew afraid to look hi
mother in the face.
There she was, dear soul, at tn
little side door-coming out to picl
up some chips to boil the tea-kettl
for supper, but she stopped first ano
shaded her eyes with her hand a
she looked along the horizon ano
then as if urged by some instinct o
what was going to happen cast al