Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1890-03-14

for him as tor me, so / conferred fnvsarr
with the prospect of the next day. Nv
mistress came up presently with SONS
beautiful flowers in her hand.
Roger mas sent you these, Merle. tc
wish you goodnight He was obliged IN
go early; but have a message 10 giys
you as well. He hopes that you will be
kind enough to listen to me very rarieDt-
ly. and that you will accede to our
wishes"
felt this was little solemn, and nv
face certainly fell when nv mistress SAID
very gently, that, under existing circum,
stances, her husband and she herself
thought that ii would be far better foI
me not to go TO Marshlands next week.
III IS very hard to part with you so
soon, Merle" she said, kindly: but for
Rogers sake we think it better to leave
you behind. You see, your position in our
household makes things rather difficult.
It Is quite true, as AIIcK says, that IN
MARI! ing you he is marrying a gentlewo-
man; but the Netherton and orion folk
are sad gossIps, and altogether things
would be somewhat uncomfortable for
you both"
II do not wish to put Mr.. Hawtry In an
uncomfortable position" said, with a
touch OF my old pride, but she shook her
head ut NE. still smiling.
1'You need not be afraid of what Roger
says; he simply glories in yoUr work. He
is quite willing to publish the whole thing
to the Netherton world at once. He told
me quite seriously just now that there was
not a lady in the place to compare with
you. He honors you as only true man
can honor woman"
The tears came into my eyes. Yes,
knew this. ! answered humbly that did
not mean to be proud: l would do as be
and my mistress wished.
"Then, if you are so generous, Merle"
she said, quietly, you will not come To
Marshlands just now, to involve Roger
in all sorts OF perplexing difficulties; or. at
least, if you come it must be as my guest,
and not as my nurse"
''Oh, no, 1 returned. shrinking back:
"I was not prepared for this"
''Then. my dear Merle, will you act as
sensible woman? Stay with Mrs. Keith
during our absence. and quietly prepare
for your wedding. Roger thinks in Octo
Der both you and he might be ready"
The idea startled me. What would
Aunt Agatha say? But l very soon found
Aunt gatha was quite of my mistress
opinion, and was almost as eager as Mrs.
Morton to smooth things as much as pos
sible for Mr.. Hawtry. After the first
shock of my surprise, | came gradually to
the same conviction. Mr.. Hawtry said
very little to me on the subject; on the
contrary, he laughed to scOrn the idea
that my service was derogatOry to him.
81 loved you first because you were SO
brave and observation-disclosures yOu
were unlike any other girl. Why should
you say such things to me, Merle?"
And after that | ceased to say them:
but how I honOred him for that manly
expression of OpiniOnl But his very gen.
erositv made demands on me. | knew his
home was solitary. and that he needed my
companionshp. He was too unseltish tC
press his wishes on me, but he evidently
no reasons for delay.
| yielded with good grace at last, when
! found even Aunt Agatha was against
me; but neither she nor Mr.. Hawtry
knew what it cost me to part SO soon
Wi h nv mistress and the children. 1t al
most broke my heart to see them go with.
mrs. Morris nad promised TO remain
until Christmas; but Hannah would be
married before then, and | wondered sad
" as [ drove with nv luggage to the cot
tage, who would replace me at Princes
Gate
"In the morning SOW thy seed, and in
the evening withhold not thy hand"
low those words came to me q month
later, when one of my old school-fellows,
Helen TranSOme. wrote to me and begged
me to use my influence with my mistress
and procure the situation for her.
knew her sad circumstances would ap
peal to my mistress feeling heart. Pool
Helen! hers had been a trying life. Hel
family had suffered great reve rses; from
wealth they had been reduced almost tc
indulgence. Her father had dieu, worn Out
with the bitter struggle, and her Lover
had given her up for a richer bride.
Helen had borne her troubles with
patience that bOrdered on LerOsm: but il
had broken the springs of youth. She
looked far older than her Years warranted
and much of her beauty had faded; but
she was fair and gentle-lOOking, with soft
manners, that seemed to win my mistress.
Her love of children was evident; she had
quiet influence with them that made it.
self felt.
"Miss Transome will never take youI
place, Merle" my mistress said to me, o
few weeks after Helen had taken up my
work: but she is very nice and kind tC
the children, and Mrs. Morris says | shall
be able to trust baby to her. l do be
lieve the poor thing looks a little happier
already. | went in just now, and heard
her laughing at something Joyce said
She has such a silvery, pretty laugh"
| knew that my mistress would sooI
take poor Helen into her heart, and / was
glad to think she had found such kind
refuge. We did not speak mueh of Helen
then: l was paying my goodbye visit tC
Princes Gate, for two days later l was to
be married.
My harvest had come already, and yet
the Iaborer had worked but a short time
in the vineyard, while others would tot
until evening. had done so little anC
reaped so much. Through the slanting
sunbeams | looked TO the distant home
home where, God willing, we should work
TnonthR not leading idle lives, but ShaT
ing Win OLucTS Il lItJle OIL our happiness
a nd where, out of our full hearts, we
should surely give praise continually
and as these thoughts came to me, seem
ed TO hear Rogers deep voice echoing
Amen"
rITF FN-D