The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1889-09-06

rich and beautiful, and with few touche!
of arrangement. are all that can be desired
but the rooms lack the element of cozines:
which should like to embody in a family
sitting-room, in which to spend our even
ings"
"Then you do not intend to spend your
evenings at Mime. AS ball and Mrs. Rs
musicale, and so on through the llstF' and
he looked at her with amused interest.
ssNot unless must" she answered. al
you wish me to, will try to please you, but
1 have had little opportunity for reading
and was hoping that you would help me in
selecting and digesting some of these books
which look so tempting to me. and her eyes
rested lovingly on a magnificent bookcase
filled with valuable books.
81 shall be only too happy to-" he replied
in tone of relief; "to tell the truth, society
is a consummate bore to me. unless taken in
homeopathic doses, but did not wish to pin
you down to my quiet life; now for your
idea of a room"
81 think had better not tell you," she
said, playfully: "Gracie and will surprise
you some evening""
He stood biting his lip in grave indecision.
81 think, Mrs. Falconer," he said at last,
shat there is such a room IN the house, but
it is never opened except when Mrs. Mont
ford dusts and cleans it; would you like to
see it,"
She looked in his face, and read the truth.
sit is your first wife's room," she said gent
ly: ''forgive me for touching on a subject
which fear has glten you pain"
mo, no, not that he said; .sthe room is
very dear to me, and when you have seen
it, you will read her character in it'll think"
They turned and went silently up the
stars to door which he reverently un-
locked, and they entered.
1t was a revelation of pure, sweet mind,
as everywhere the eye met light and deli
cate things; pink and white were the man
colors used in its adornment; the walls were
tinted pink, with cornice of ivory white !;
the windows were curtained in delicate
filmy lace, looped back with pink satin rib
bons; small bookcase filled with her favor
tie books; a cabinet organ stood in a corner,
with an open book on the rack; dainty, rest
full chairs, ornamented with laces and pink
ribbons, stood about in unstudied positions,
as if the owner had but just placed them
there
A little round table stood by window: a
wicker sewing-chair, with its lace draper
les, stood close beside it, and on the table
was a fragile work-basket, lace-trimmed
'kerchief lay beside it, just as the owner
had laid it down, and in the basket a little
chemise-for the infant visitor expected
by the young wife, the lace half sewn on.
the needle still where she set it last, and a
tiny gold thimble close by the basket.
From the wall above looked down the pict-
ured face of the young wife in its gilded
frame; a fair, sweet face, the index of a
loving and pure spirit. 1t was a pathetic
scene, and 1sabers eyes filed with tears as
she looked upon it; she held out her hands
to him in earnest sympathy, saying in low,
tremulous tones Il can never, never fill
her place in your heart, am sure"
CHAPTER ".
''No," he answered, gravely taking her
hand in his, mo one could do that; she, my
first love, holds sacred shrine in my heart
that none else can occupy; but, my wife, you
can fill your own place, and that is fast be-
coming a dear one" He drew her to him,
and, placing his arm about her waist,
pressed his first kiss upon her lips in the
presence Of the smiling face looking down
benignly upon them.
Love; it was the first time the subject
had been approached since their. first meet
ing, and Isabel wondered what love would
be like when it came. She had dreamed of
love. What girl has not, and thought of it
as turbulent, overmasterlng passion, I'M
bounded by reason or common sense. At
least that was the version of it given by the
story-writers, and she was positive there
was no such emotion in her heart for Mr.
Falconer.
He was simply friend-a kind, true gen.
had rescued her from her try
ing life of poverty, and brought her to all
these delightful things, and she respected
him above all men whom she had ever seen.
Friends may exchange a kiss, and she
raised her lips to his without a tremor, and
hoped for the day when kisses might be a
symbol of a sweeter, deeper feeling than
friendship.
''Mrs. Montford'' Isabel was seated in
an easy rocker in the housekeeper's room.
"Mr. Falconer has given me permission to
fit up one of the rooms to suit my own taste,
and have come to you for assistance, as of
course / wish to consult his tastes also, and
you have lived with HIM so many years
that you must know him well. 1t is to be
an evening room, where we can meet for
quiet rest after the day is over, and wish
it to be thoroughly restful and cozy."
Eyes, ma'am, l think I see what you
WISH" said Mrs. Montford, with her little
courtesy. She liked this new Mrs. Fall
coner, with her quiet ways, so far removed
from haughtiness or patronage, though
with the rest of the family below stairs,
she had alittle natural curiosity in regard to
the sudden marriage; she checked it per-
emptorily in the servants under her, and
she was by far too well bred to express it,
by word or look, in herself, yet she could
not help seeing that their relations were
quite different from those of the first Mrs.
Falconcr, whom she had tenderly loved,
with her husband.
In a certain sense this pleased her, for it
would have hurt her to see another taken
at once into the tender companionship en-
joyed by the first wife.
.Mr. Falconer likes bright, rich colors,
ma'am," she said, thoughtfully, shut he
despises fashionable fancy work." and she
smiled at the popularity. THE first Mrs.
Falconer never did any of it. Have you
SEEM" and she stopped, fearing that she
had touched on forbidden ground.
"Yes," replied Isabel, gently, reading
her thought; Il have seen it, and it is very
lovely and touching"
"Then, ma am, you have some guide as to
Mr.. Falconer's tastes" replied Mrs. Mont
ford; ''only, of course, you would not follow
that as model too closely. Mrs. Falconer
always had blooming plants in her room,
but they would not bloom for me after she
was gone, and 1 gave up trying to care for
them there" Tears came in her honest
blue eyes as she spoke, and she wiped them
away with the corner Of her ample white
apron.