The Republican., 1889-02-02

| " u
first rate education, and she can study up
enough to take a school by next fall. Of
course you won't want her around after you
are married"
A deep flush came into Miss Martha's
naturally pale face; she dropped her eyes
and turned away from Mrs. Marsh with
some murmurcd excuse about making the
| flannel skirt she held into bundle to be
sent away.
The neiShbors agreed that Eva Norcross
could net have found better home than
she had at Miss Martha's. The little cot
tage stood in a'large garden, well filed with
! fruit trees and shrubs. Miss Martha had
| lived in the cottage with old Hannah for
twelve years. For three of these years she
had been engaged to Dr. Tom Edgecourt,
whose practice was yet too small to enable
| him to marry. He was year younger than
Miss Martha, and this fact often stung her
| very kecnly. She sometimes stood before
her looking glass and attentively studied her
| face, wishing that she was twenty instead
of thirty, and had the bloom OF ten years
before. Her hair was still glossy and
| abundant, her eyes still bright; but the
plumpness and bloom of her early girlhood
had fed forever
Eva Norcross found her new home a very
| quiet but not an unhappy one. She was
gentle aud timid, and did not care for the
society of girls of her own age. She liked
| nothing better than to lie in an easy chair
all day with book or some embroidery in
| her white, pretty hands which Miss Martha
| was not weary Of admiring. The dead
mother had INDUCED her one child, and
| never taught her to make herself useful
There was no need for her to be active in
the cottage. At the outset Miss Martha
had told her that she would be required TO
do nothing but study, Hannah being fully
competent to do the entire work of the small
establishment.
You must educate yourself to teach"
Mrs. Marsh said one morning as she entered
the cottage in her abr upt way and found
Eva embroidering a cushion. "You can't
live on Miss Martha all your life. Next fall
we will try to get you the district school at
Dodd's Corner.
Eva shuddered and grew little pale,
while the work fell from her hand.
IL have heard that the children at Dodd's
Corner were very rough with the last mas
ter" she said, in her SOFT low voice.
ga woman might have more influence
with EN- than man," said Mrs. Marsh.
Anyhow, it won't hurt you to try it a spell
Miss Martha" as that lady came in from
the kitchen where she had been making a
quaker" for old Mrs. Green's cold, ''you
must get the doctor to give Eva some
strengthening medicine. Yellow dock tea
would put new life into her."
DR.. Edgecourt called that afternoon for a
moment, on his way to make professional
visit. and Miss Martha told him what Mrs.
Marsh had said.
The young man sat down by Eva and took
her hand in his. Miss Martha watched him
closely, wondering if lie noticed how round
and white was the wrist OIL which he pressed
his finger.
"She is not SICK" he said, "all she needs
is fresh air and exercise;" and then he pro-
posed that she should wrap up and get into
his sleigh at the door and drive'with him to
the house of his patient, two miles away.
Cant you go, too, Martha" he asked
We will crowd you in somewhere"
Il do not care to CO." she said, and Tom
thought her manner rather cold and icpres-
sing. He did not urge the matter. for he
was easily wounded, and never asked her
second time to grant him favor. He was
not demonstrative lover, perhaps because
Miss Mortha never encouraged caresses.
She did not think it modest or womanly to
that Tom would be more affcctionate.
Miss Martha watched the couple drive
awav Tom bent to arrange the buffalo robe
more closely about his companion, and said
something which made them both laugh,
and Miss Martha turned quickly from the
window with pain at her heart.
'"Three years"n she murmured. ''It is
long enGagement and have heard it said
hot rDt l
if he has ever wished to be free again"
The ride proved Of much benefit to Eva,
who was brigher and gayer for days after.
Seeing this, Tom took her with him fire.
quently, never thinking that he was causing
his betrothed pain by so doing. He came
oftcner than ever TO the cottage, playing
chess and cribbage with Eva at the center
table in the evening, while Miss Martha sat
by with her sewing and wished she was
Eva's age.
"Do you think will stand any chance of
getting the school at Dodds Corner next
fall, DR.. Edgccourt!n asked Eva, one even
ing.
You surely don't think of applying for
it !" cried Tom. "Why. the children are
little hca;hcns. They throw ink bottles
and spit balls at the teacher and swear like
there
81 must work for myself. the girl said.
u can not consent to remain dependent on
any one"
"Wait until next fall comes before you
begin to worry" Tom said. ''lts only
March now, and something better may turn
up in the next six months
Eva as was her custom, left the room as
soon as the game of chess was over. Tom
always had e rev minutes alone with his
betrothcd before leaving the cottage.
Il am sotired of boarding. he said, when
after some uniDportant conversation he
rose to so. Il wish had home" and he
sighed.
Now was Miss Martha's chance to say
something cheerful, but the words refused
to form themselves on her lips. She was
very shy, and lately she and Tom had
seemed to be drifting very far apart.
Tom looked at her a moment, as if ex-
pccting ncr to speak, but as she did not do
| so he turned almost angrily from her, dark
red flush OF wounded pride dyeing his fair,
frank face. He wished he had not uttered
that longing for a home
20, l forgot to tell you," he said, as he
reached the hall door, THAT my brother Ar
mold is coming to Roseville tomorrow. He
has some affection of the head and wants to
put himself under my care for a month or
two. He will leave his law business en-
tirely in his partners hands. Poor Arnold