Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1886-06-25
A SEVERE LESSON.
BY GUINEVERE.

A little cottage set in small garden
space, low unpretentious affair with
a narrow door and two windows facing |
the road, and scarlet flower vines creep
ing over the newly painted boards.
This was the home to which Kent
Sherwin brought his young bride
twelve months ago, and if Madaline
missed many comforts and pleasures
she had previously enjoyed, she never
complained.
But Kent Sherwin was man who
always borrowed trouble. After the
first few weeks of domestic happiness,
he began TO reproach himself for hay
ing asked the girl he loved to share his
struggles and poverty; she could not be
content, he told himself, she must Sc
cretly pine for better surroundings and
easier living, so despite the fact that
his prospects were bright for the fu-
ture, he was miserable, while the girl
he had married went about her humble
little home with smiling face and
CHEEKY voice.
One morning in June letter came
to the cottage, and with tlutter at her
heart Madaline sat down near the open
window and tore the wrapper.
at is from Ellis" she murmured,
and smilingly perused the message
within.
DEAREST MADDY.-I fell in with
an old friend of yours at Scranton; we
are coming North together, SO prepare
to receive next Sunday = Selwyn
| Nav md Youra trilly
BROTHER ELLIS"
"Selwyn May" cried Madaline, with
flush on her checks, and then she sat
quite still with the letter crushed in
her hands and her eyes looking thought
fully over the little garden patch.
There was click of the door latch
and her husband came in, and as Mad
alne turned to greet him she gave him
the news.
"Kent, we are to have company
next Sunday-Ellis and Seiwyn
May"
"Selwyn May" cried Kent, as she
had done, but with quite different &C
cent.
ayes, they met at Scranton"
"That's no reason why they should
come here" said Kent, with lowering
brows. Il don't mind your brother,
but that-fop-I suppose he wants to
sec what kind of home | gave you.
| Not so fine as his"
"Don'tt' said Madaline, and the
tone of pain in her voice her husband
misunderstood.
"Oh, well, if you want TO play
hostess, I've nothing to say. 1t vii
seem like old times to entertain Sci
wyn May, won't it?"
There was a covert sheer in his
tones, and Madaline rose and thrus
the letter in her apron pocket with 6
compression of her red lips.
AS she went about preparing thu
evening meal, Kent watched her will
darkened eyes.
The dress she wore fitted we'll thu
! pretty figure, but it was of simple
cambric; she wore her hair PLANE
than OF old, and he fancied there wer
weary lines on her face.
"Its my fault" he reflected bitterly
"She should have married itch maj
and lived as lady"
There are some people who dwell
upon subject until it becomes sor
) of mania with them; all their thought
are tinged with the morbid coloring G
a distorted fancy.
Kent Sherwin had allowed himsel
n to dwell upon one subject for som
time, and during the days that inter
vened between the news OF SelwyI
!, Mays coming and his actual appear
a ance, he thought OF little else.
Sunday dawned bright and cleal
{ and two hours before noon Ellis Hal
and his companion arrived.
Madaline, in pretty lawn dres
o dotted with ribbons, greeted them 4
/. the door and led the way TO the littl
parlor.
IS Selwyn May could not see that sh
had changed in manner or appearance
since they last met.
: When Kent came in, his wife
r. brother was looking over the album
n and Madaline stood at the windoN
- with her oldkime admirer.
1t He was leaning slightly toward hel
g slender, graceful figure in wei
% made suit of gray, and her face wa
If appraised to his, bright with smiles.
~ How do" Kent said shortly. t
q Ellis. and aeS@ed TO the other, ignol
Of ing the shapely hand he outheld.
II Dinner was soon announced, an
- Madaline sat opposite Selwyn May
and as the other two were compare
= lively silent, one from habit, the othe
from moodiness, they had the CONVEX
~ sation between themselves, and dun
/ ing the light chat of old times and oil
81 friends. Madaline's laugh rang GU
q more merrily than it had done 70
a many days.
:: Kent watched the two faces steadily
!. :. the girlish one of his wife, the blonde
{. effeminate one of her vis-a-vis, an
!, ! his own grew darker.
: "There have been many inquire
for you," said Selwyn' May. "Yol