The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1888-02-18
DEAR Mr.. MORTON.
A CHARMING STORY IN WHICH LOVE FIG
URES CONSCIOUSLY.

"Toms widow is coming to tea this
evening"
"My dear, don't speak of her in that
way. Toms widow there is something
CHASTITY in the very sound
"You needn't be afraid, mother; she
never shall he my widow"
81 thought you admired her, Tom,"
said Hilda.
$50 DO, immensely; she's the jolliest
little woman that know, but l mean to
leave different sort of widow"
zone whose appearance will be better
adapted to weedsi'
Zone who will show little more feel
ing when am gone, said Tom. Mrs.
Mortons husband can scarcely be year
dead, and yet she is the gayest and the
merriest of you all"
"Rose, just imagine Toms ideal
widow, A broken hearted creature, all
Grape and pocket handkerchief, who
will be forever talking about her lost
darling"
my DEAR" said my mother again.
"The mater thinks it unlucky to talk
about my widow. How do you know
that it is not | who am to be the bereav-
ed one, bewailing the loss of my sainted
wife, and expecting sympathy and con-
ISOLATION from my sisters -
"Well," said Hilda after n few min
utes' reverie, II admit that it does sur
prise me to see Freda Morton, loving
and warm hearted as she certainly is,
appearing to feel the loss of her husband
SO little"
perhaps she disliked him."
"Rose disliked dear Mr.. Morton -"
"Oh, that is merely little convention
al way Of speaking of him; she evidently
considers it the correct phrase. 1t is
quite compatible with Indifference, if not
dislike
Il think she was fond of him." said
Hilda. "She avoids speaking of him,
as il it panied her to DO so; sometimes
even her voice chokes when she men-
tons him."
"And ut other times she makes the
most flippant remarks about him and
his tastes and habits. She certainly is
puzzle to me.
81 am sorry you do not care for her,
Tom; often thought how pleasant it
would be to have her as sister-in-
law"
"Your visions may be realized without
victimizing me-"
''Do You mean Edmund"
II do; think Edmund is very much
smitten, and that she knows it, and does
not object"
Il never thought of that" said Hilda;
they never seem to speak to one an
other"
"No, but when either speaks to some
one else, the other listens. Watch, you
will see"
81 would rather she was married to
you than to Edmund"
''Sorry l can't accommodate you.
Goodbye, mother, I'm off"
care you coming home to tea, Tom"
asked my mother.
Certainly, mother. 1 wouldn't miss
Mrs. Morton on any account"
Mrs. Morton and her sister, Mabel
Heath, had now been settled in Long
mede for some months. They had
brought letters from an old schoolfellow
of Hilda's and mine, who had now mar
ried and was living in Liverpool. Ma
Dti lltutu uhtt hti SibttI were utir
friends and neighbors of hers, she wrote,
and she was very sorry to lose them,
but they had now no reason for remain
ing in Liverpool, and their means being
diminished 10y their recent loss, they
were anxious to find some quiet country
place where they could live economi-
cally. She had advised them to try
Longmede, having heardm of it from
Hilda and me, and feeling that she
might trust to our kindness to make them
welcome. The letter was hastily writ
ten and seemed to take for granted that
the circumstances of the two sisters were
already known.
However, this was Ethel Fordham's
way; her letters generally were some
what incoherent. So Hilda and / went
at once to call upon the newcomers,
whom We found established in pretty
rooms in the house Of the late doctors
widow, who had managed to retain her
old home by letting part of it.
We were somewhat surprised to find
both sisters mere girls, Mrs. Morton, al
though in reality the elder, appearing
the younger of the two. They were in
striking contrast to each other, Mrs.
Morton being small, fair, and childish
looking, while Mrs. Heath was tall and
stately, with dark hair and eyes. Both
wore deep mourning, Mrs. Morton's very
becoming little cap constituting the chief
difference in their dress.