The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1888-02-18

tea, and later on to quiet game of ten
mis-. Mrs. Morton soon proved herself
an excellent player, and she and Tom
fraternized over the game. Tom made
no secret Of his admiration for her, and
Hilda and ] soon decided that it would
be very pleasant if Toms widow, as We
Toms wife. Now, however, Toms man.
ner, even more than his words, put an
erd to this castle in the air, leaving a
new field Of speculation in the sug-
gestion he had thrown out concerning
Edmund.
Edmund was surgeon, and had been
for some years on board ship. He was
now ut home, recovering from a some
what severe illness, and looking for suit
able employment on shore. He was far
ouieter and more reserved than Tom.
and the possibility of his being attracted
by the pretty little widow never occurred
to any of us. Now, however, enlight
ened by Toms hint, We watched him
closely, and before the close of the even
ing had discovered that Tom was right,
and that Edmund was absorbed in study
ing her every movement and listening tC
her every word; while she, on her part,
was fully conscious of his admiration,
and did not apparently dislike it. II
was rather disappointment to us, as We
would have preferred her marrying Tom
however, We resigned ourselves to the
inevitable, and began to speculate OF
the course Of events and make plans fol
Edmund's future, with Mrs. Morton al
his wife.
One day not lone after this we called at
Mrs. Morton's lodgings to ask her and
Mabel Heath to join us in q walk.
The ladies were upstairs, the servant
said, and she asked us to wait in the
drawing room while she went to seek
them. The drawing room door was
partly open, and We went in without
making any noise. There was q deep
bay window at one side of the room
looking into the garden; it was partly
screened off by heavy curtains and con-
tanned writing table and couple Of
basket chairs We did not at first per-
ceive that this recess was tenanted, but
presently we saw, by means of the re-
Election In an opposite mirror, that
Freda Morton was standing by the table
arranging the contents of her little writ
ing desk. Presently she took up small
case, evidently containing photograph,
and looked long and earnestly at it.
Then she raised it suddenly to her lips
and Kissed it passionately many times.
Hilda and l waited breathlessly for a
few moments, then / moved across the
room and greeted Winifred as though
We had Just come in. She came for
ward to meet us, her radiant smiling self,
although could see there were tears in
her eyes. After few minutes she went
upstairs to put on her bonnet and to
look for Mabel, and then Hilda and l
stole over to the table on which we could
still see the little case lying where Freda
had put in down. Our first feeling was
surprise at seeing the photograph of
young man, having always supposed
Mr.. Morton to have been middle-aCed,
if not elderly. Indeed, We had inferred
as much from various little speeches
made by the girls.
We were so absorbed in the contem-
plation of the photograph, that we did
not perceive Mabel's entrance until she
stood beside us.
"Oh," she said, $50 Freda has shown
you that. Is he not a handsome man Z"
Every handsome said. "What a
terrible grief his death must have been
to Freda,''
An odd sort of look came over Mabel's
face.
People get over such things" she
said. after pause.
"Was he fond of Freda9'
Exceedingly fond of her, and she of
him. But here she is, as her step was
heard on the stairs. "Put down that
picture, Rosa"
And Freda came in, dressed for walk
ing, in her coquettish little widow bon
net.
"How cool and comfortable you girls
look in your hats :" she said. 81 think
| must get one, too, and leave off this
horrid bonnet. I'm sure, dear. Mr..
Morton would not like me to get sun
burnt. Would he, Nab"
"You know BEST" said Mabel, short
ly. 81 certainly think you ought to get
the hat she added, after a moment
During the walk Freda WAS the gayest
of the gay, laughing and talking inces-
sanity. As We parted from her at her
own door, she said:
$50, Mabel tells me that you have
seen my husbands picture. What do
you think of him p
| muttered some commonplace about
the portrait, in the midst Of u hich Freda
suddenly snatched away herhand, which
she had left in mine, and ran into the
house.
One day my mother and were sitting
at work in the drawing room, Edmund
being seated, book in hand, in a low
chair, which was partly concealed by
counle of tall nalrns Snddenly Hilda