Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1890-03-19
HARvEY'S WIFE.
By Mrs. E. Burke Collins.

!
$50 Harvey's married, eli? Wal, ]
s'pose there will be change in the family
to be sure! And they do say he's married
a gal from the city, who's been to college OF
some other such fool place, and larned
chimistry, botany, philosophy, geology and
about the human body than she does about
MAXIM bread. Fine housekeeper she'll
make for your Harvey! Sister Layne, I'm
sorry for ye!
The speaker tai, gaunt old lady in a
scant gown of blue check, and huge white
sun bonneI-sunk into the big willow chair
upon Farmer Layne's vine-covered porch,
and began to fan herself with a big turkey
wing.
Mrs. Layne, small, slight old lady, in a
brown holland dress and white apron, sill
very haired, placid. faced, motherly body.
glanced up from the dish towel that she
was busily hemming, and smiled serenely
"Well, now, Abigail, I'm not afraid of
| Myra," she observed, quietly. "The girl
is little learned perhaps, but, then, judge
by her letters that she Is very modest over
her requirements. Aud Harvey thinks
there isn't another such a woman on the
face ofthe earth"
The visitor sighed lugubriously.
81 should think that would be a great
trial to youp' observed this female Jobs
comforter. "Y ou was allus used to havin'
Harvey look up to you as the fust and last
among women! There'll be a change, sister
Layne; thefe'll be a changeP'
Mrs. Layne laughed aloud-a charming
little laugh which did one good to hear.
s'Of course, I expect that, Abigail
| with cbn
be very sorry if Harvey were to care more
for his mother than for his wife. But
mothers love need not interfere with the
other love. And, any way, he and Myra
are married; he will bring her home to-
morrow to the old farm. and it will not be
my fault if she is not satisfied here, for in.
tend to do all in my power to make her con-
tented and hsppyp
"Humph! Wal, I'm sure 1 hope you'll
never regret it, that's allp' says Miss Abb.
gail Harris, as she arises to take her de-
parture. Her call has been fashionably
short, but then che has accomplished the
purpose for which she came, and that was
something.
The following day brought Harvey Layne,
only child of the worthy old couple who
owned Hillsdale Farm, home to the old
farmhouse, and with him tall, elegant
girl-his bride. Myra was not pretty; but
one glance into the fair, calm face, with its
serious brown eyes, which yet held a merry
CLEAN somewhere in their depths, and Mrs.
Layne held out her arms.
"My dear, l hope you will be happy hero.
We're plain people-father and but we
will do all we can to make you happy, for
Harvey's sake.'
''And for my own, l hope" she said,
softly, as she returned the old lady's affec
tionate greeting-after which she was duly
presented to her father in. law.
Grim old Deacon Layne put on his spec
tacles and deliberately looked her over, from
the golden-crowned head, with its stylish
hat and gossamer veil, and the neat gray
travelling dress with gloves to match, down
to the not too small foot cased in sensible
thick. soled boot which peeped from beneath
the dainty ruffle which edged her skirt.
''Humph! was afssrd you'd be all tied
up tight in corsets like fashion -patep'
grumbled the old 6eacon-"and you do
wear hump on your back! And that
dress and hat must have cost pretty
pennyr'
A blush crimsoned the girls cheeks, but
she smiled saucily up into the old mans
wrinkled face.
81 never lace," she confessed, mischiev-
ously; ''and the other objection is-really
not very large. Besides, Mrs. Cleveland
has decreed that they shall disappear alto
gether-though at present they seem to
have as many farewell appearances' as
Patti. AS for the dress and hat, l made
them myself, and earned the money to pur-
chase the material"
A hearty laugh followed, and somehow
this unique reception seemed to make Myra
Foe frrrl Of onrta sv11r
as insight into her ,dustrious and compet-
ent nature-cOmpetent to work, and too
energetic to be indolent.
AS the days went by the coming of Har-
vey'e wife began to work wonders in the
old brown farmhouse. She removed the
hideous ornaments from the parlor, and
substituted dainty creations of her own
painted placques, brackets and paintings.
A velvet lambrequin soon covered the eye
sore of a tall, painted mantel, delicate lace
tides, ornamented with gay ribbons, cover
ed the faded repp furniture. The green
paper shades disappe ared from the windows,
and pretty and inexpensive dlapery of deli
cate scrim took their place. The basket of
paper flowers vanish ed like magic from the
round table in corner of the parlor, and 10
its stead plush bound album upon plush
easel. Myra smiled when she arranged it,
for she knew that th is was common place in
the extreme; but any thing was better than
the paper flowers. Then beautifully en-
broidered stools and foot-rests began to be
scattered throughout the parlor. And when
the old deacon found how very com Portable
foot-rest proved to mis- tired feet-he wore
now pair of handsome slippers which the
same tireless hands had prepared-he was
never weary of praising this new comfort.
But one person remained unconverted to
Myra Layre's praise. All the young peo-
pie in town, except of course the inevitable
jealous few, were won at once by her kind
ness, her deftness, her educational acquire
ments. Everybody had pleasant word to
speak of Harvey Layne's wife, all save Miss
Abigail Harris. She alone remained un-
changed. She shook her stiff gray head un-
compromsingly over the praise lavished
upon the young wife; she treated her with
cold eiyility, and steadily refused to be won.
1t was case of the sternest prejudice.
s'She's whited sepulcher," the old spin
ster would say, grlmiy, fair enough outside
but within" and an ominous shake of the
head would complete the sentence. But
Myra moved quietly on her way. She
taught needle-work to all of the young girls
around who desired to learn. She was q
milliner, dress maker, embroiderer, all in
one. She trained the budding talents of the