Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1890-02-28

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| that probably he wished to speak to me
| alone.
! / found this was the case.
| He was busy writing when | entered,
| and he begged me to sit down for mo-
| menU until he had finished. 1 thought
| he looked a little more cheerful, and his
! lace had lost that worried, anxious ex-
| preston.
! Presently he turned to me with a smile.
! Now for a chat, Miss Fenton. Do you
| know, DR.. Myrtle thinks my wife decided
/ ly better to-day: the children have done
! her good, and she says she has enjoyed
| her talk with you. DR.. Myrtle particular
/ Iy wishes her to be kept happy and
! amused. We have all pulled such long
| faces lately, and of course it has done he1
! harm. Now you seem to suit her-you
| always have, you know, and 1 cannot
/ help thinking that it would be a good
| thing for her if you could sit with her
! sometimes, and bring Joyce or Reggie
| That would be cheerful for her, eh, Miss
| Fenton?"
at could easily be managed" l re-
turned, with alacrity, for this idea pleased
me greatly. I'm the morning the chill
! dren 90 out, but l could bring them down
! by turns in the afternoon, and leave the
| other child in Hannah's charge. | am
sure it would do Mrs. Morton good to see
| Reggie playing about the room, and Joyce
| will be quiet for hours with her doll OF
! pencil"
| Let it be tried, then, regularly, and
| will give my orders to nurse" he said, in
! his quick, business-like way. Then all at
| once he stopped and looked at me inquir-
ingly.
| !; 4 of 10
! morning, Miss FGntOn?'
/ told him that | thought her looking
| extremely i'll, and that for long time her
delicacy had alarmed me-
You have not seen-she would not let
you see l mean," correcting myself
chow greatly she has overta1ed her
strength; she has been failing over her
| days work some time, and this illness is
the result"
THAT is true" he returned, in a low
voice, and then he looked up in his keen
! way.
do You know this for certainty!
Has she ever complained to you, Miss
FenUonr'
"Not in the way you mean," I replied,
| eagerly. My mistress never complains,
she is far too patient for that, but she has
! let me see plainly that so much gayety
wearies her, that she feels far too tired to
! go out night after night. 1 am sure 3
! quieter life spent more with her children,
would be better for her health"
l was half afraid had said too much,
as | saw him knit his brow and his face
! grow dark with anxiety.
"Oh, but that is impossible" he said
| quickly, almost impatiently. I'm our
| position a quiet life is impossible There
| -;,I Il, no
must see that for yourself, Miss Fenton
| would gladly insure rest for my wife
! if | could, but l must see what is to be
done"
| saw that he meant to dismiss me, but
/ | fingered for moment | was afraid
! he was displeased with me. but when
| limited this he looked ut me quite aston
| ishcd.
"Oh. no, am not at all put out by
! what you said; am only busy; and OF
| course my wife's illness is Il great anxiety
| On the contrary, | thank you for your
! kind interest. 1t is quite true what YOU
said see it for myself; but | cannot de-
| eide what is to be done" And then l left
| the room, feeling easier in my mind.
| could not have borne to pain Mr.. Morton;
| my respect and liking for him had in
| creased very much since my first &C
! quaintauce with him. No, he was blind
! no longer; but. as he said himself, in his
| position q quiet life was almost an impos-
| sibility.
But was yet to learn that a strong will
| can achieve what is well-nigh impossible,
| and that when Alck Morton had set him
self to solve the problem of his wife's over
taxed life he would probably not be un
! successful; but first he must nurse her
| back to health
| put off my visit to Aunt Agatha for
! some days, that we might try Mr. Nor
| tons experiment, and every afternoon [
| took my work and sat in my mistress
| dressing-rOom, often until evening, while
Joyce played with her dolls beside her
| mothers couch, or Reggie trOtted about
the room on numberless baby errands,
learning new words every day. and re-
| hearsing them proudly.
Mr.. Morton would snatch a minute tC
| look in upon us, and satisfy himself that
| his wife was not Overfatgued.
| | think he must often have gone away
with lighter heart when she looked UP
at him with her eyes shining with happi
ness, and tiuge of color in her face.
! "Our son IS growing quite Il big boy,
Alicll," she would say, us Reggie stumped
| up to them with headless doll in his
arms, and she had always some little
! speech or anecdote to relate, to which he
would listen patiently. She might talk
about the children as much as she liked,
! but when she spoke to him of his work he
! would refuse to answer.
| Never mind my work, Violet" heard
! him say once. 81 want my wife down
! stairs again: that is a subject closer to
! my heart" And | believed him. No
| work, no ambition could have replaced
| her; with all his faults, she was the dear
est thing in life to him.
think all this made her very happy,
| for there was always such a cOntented
| look on her face so no wonder she grew
better and stronger
II think illness teaches one to value
one blessings more" she said to me one
| Sunday evening, when the children were
| i'll bed, and | was still sitting with her.
| 81 am afraid | have been very discomfort
| ed, and have wanted my own way about
| things. | used to long for aquiet country
| life. No, never said So" as | seemed in
| clined to interrupt her, but the wish
! grew almost morbid. Perhaps my long
! rest has done me good, but l do not feel
bit afraid now; l don't think | shall feel
| so tired over it again. | see it is the
place PROVIDENCE mas INTENDED LOT me-
and by and by l shall have longer rest
| still"
| / saw what she meant; life was strong
within her, and she did not believe she
| should die; she was only girding herself
| for the daily struggle, making up her
| mind to fill her place nobly. But l knew
| she had no cause to dread the future; her
| husbands strong arm would iuterpose be.
tween her and any great difficulties; she
| would not sink again because her days
| work was too heavy for her.
| CHAPTER XNII.-UNCLE KEITH.
had been obliged to defer my visit to
| Aunt Agatha for more than fortnight
and it was not until an early day in Octo
! Der that | could find leisure afternoon
! believe that only very busy and hard
worked people really enjoy a holiday
| listless aud half-occupied lives know moth
ing Of the real holiday feeling and the
joyousuess of putting ones work aside fol-
few hours of complete idleness.
| felt almost as buoyant and Gght-heart
ed as a child when l caught sight of the
old bridge and the gray towers of Al
Saints. The river looked blue and cleaI
in the October sunshine; there were barges
floating idly down the stream; Il small
steamer had just started from the tiny
pier; two or three clumsy-looking boats