The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1889-02-02

| tage stood In a large garden, well hlled 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 Edgncourt,
whose practice was yet too small to enable
him TO marry. Ele was year younger than
| Miss Martha, and this fact often stung her
very keenly. She sometimes stood before
her looking-gass 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 fled forever.
Eva Norcross found her new home very
quiet but not an unhappy one. She was
gentle and 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 DO 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 embrodering 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 a little pale,
while the work fell from her hand.
| II have heard that the children at Dodd's
ter" she said, in her soft, low voice.
"a woman might have more influence
with 'em 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 herr
DR.. Edgecourt called that afternoon for n
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 ir he noticed how round
and white was the wrist on which he pressed
| his finger.
"She is not sick" he said, 'all she needs
posed tnat she should wrap mp and get into
| his sleigh at tho door and drive with him to
the house of his patient, two miles away.
Cant you go, too, Martha" he asked.
I'VE will crowd you in somewhere"
81 do not care to CO." she said, and Tom
thought her manner rather cold and iepres-
sing. He did not urge the matter, for he
was easily wounded, and never asked her a
second time TO grant him a favor He was
not demonstratve lover, perhaps because
Miss Mortha never encouraged caresses.
She did not think it modest or womanly to
do so, yet she often caught herself wishing
that Tom would be more affectionate.
Miss Martha watched the couple drive
away. 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 Il pain ut her heart.
'rhree years ~ she murmured "It is
long engagement: and l have heard it said
that men are not patient walters. | wonder
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
oftener than ever to the cottage PLAYING
chess and cribbagc with Eva at the centcc
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 ut Dodd's Corner next
fall, DR., Edgecourtr' asked Eva, one even
ing.
"You surely don't think of applying for
it ~ cried Tom. "Why, the children are
little heatnens They throw ink bottles
and spit balls ut the teacher and swear like
troopers No, no; we must not let you go |
there"
81 must work for myself the girl said. |
81 can not consent TO remain dependent on
any one"
"Wat until next fall comes before you
begin TO worry" Tom said ats only |
March now, and something better may turn |
up in the next six months"
Eva, rs was her custom, left the room as |
soon as the game of chess was over. Tom |
always had few minutes alone with his |
betrothcd before leaving the cottage.
81 am sotred of boarding." he said when,
after some unimportant conversation he
rose to go. II wish l had home" and he
sighed.
Now was Miss Marthas 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 moment, as if ex-
pccting her 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 home
80. ! forgot to tell you" he said, as he
reached tho hall door, ''that my brother Ar
mold is coming to Roscville tomorrow. He
has some affection of the head and wants to
put himself under my care for u month or
Jwo. He will leave his law business en-
-irely in his partners hands. Poor Arnold
He has other than physical troubles, There's
IN old saying that women are at the bottom
)f all mischief, and men are such fools
sometimes Goodnight, Martha;" and the
loor closed loudly
For some minutes Miss Martha stood where
ne had left her, one hand bearing rather
heavily on a small nall table. Could he
)nly have known what stress she laid upon
MS careless words! She mechanically re-
jeated over and over the last sentence he
lad uttered, and remembered the bitterness
)f his tone. Then she walk ed slowly into
lhe small parlor again, and dropping on her .
fnees by an easy chair, buried her face in
lhe soft cushions.
Eva noticed that Miss Martha was very
1ale and di5trait the following day, and was /,
lot looking her best when Arnold Edge. /,
court came with Tom TO call. She had never ,
'een this brother before, but he was so like :
rom in every way that she liked him at !
Ila