New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-12-13
MRS. KEATS BRADFORD.
BACK IN BOSTON,
v.

~ was
"A. where the Tuttles lived. so late as S O'Clock
- ,he evening. 1t was ten minutes after that
IN, when MarInaduke sat up on bis launches
~" 's rrowJed. and then there came knock on the
back door
Mercy who en- that bep" cried Sarah Kim
Ill She ran to the glass and patted her hair ;
:. an. did so she said, Mother, do wish you'd
!. 20 the door. 1t can't lie Philip s late this
Mrs, Tuttle knew that her younger daughter
.as All the time intending to admit the visitor
h.rseh. so she did not take her hands from the
sourh she was kneading TO set to rise. She
...reIv remarked that it would take too long to
wash the -four on.
Meanwhile Rowena had raised herself upright
IN her chair She wondered if she could compel
an appearance of attention again before she had
hsd the opportunity to recuperate after the ex-
h.ustion consequent upon so many hours of George
Tswnshend and her baby.
The terrier had gone to snuff at the Threshold
When Sarah Kimball had patted her hair suf-
scently, she opened the door. Her eyes. having
inst left the light, could only vtaguely see the
form of a gentleman, who took off his hat From
the wag of Marmsduke's little tail it was evident
that he knew this gentleman, but was not going
70 be demonstrative. only polite.
is Mrs Bradford here?"
Yes, sir, primly from Sarah Kimbal,
swill she see an old friendp P" was the next
question.
Wont you walk in ?" said the girl
ROwena had risen and was standing in front
u her chair when Robert Soule entered.
II seemed to her she shook hands with
him that she was not thinking at all of the man
before her. but of her husband. She had last
s.n Mr. Soule in her Paris studio.
falt Inn 1ah1 fo
uess her hand forcibly upon her heart But
instead she greeted the newcomer with certain
sveness that not, perhaps, altogether sincere.
and which her sister. looking on. thought the
most wonderful perfection of manner. And yet
Rowena was very glad after the first moment. TO
se this gentleman. She presented him 70 her
mother and to Sarah Kimball.
The boys had gone to bed. They had gone in
the very midst of Mrs Townshend's description
Of the accident that might have happened with
the householder. They had yawned with such
beautiful freedom and persistence that Mrs Tuttle
had recommended them to retire. Although they
bad shuiled their feet a good deal, and made
some quite audible remarks on the way, the
story Of the householder went right on. and Rowena
had no intermission in the act of listening.
Now she was amused and gratiied at the way
Mr. Soule. when he had seen Sarah kimball and
herself seated. drew up his chair to the stove.
II was as if it had always been a strong desire
with him to sit on a hard straght-backed chair
In front of very hot cook stove in kitchen In
Hew-Enrland. He glanced at the two sisters.
he addressed some trifing remark TO the younger
one who replied with eager and fiattered interest.
He then talked a good deal with Sarah Kimball.
When Mrs. Tuttle at last brought her bread
dough Srom the buttery, where she had hurriedly
taken it on his arrival Mr.. Soule rose and put
the tins on the high shelf over the stove that the
mixture might rise during the night. Its ex-
actly as nv mother used to do down near Bucks
port in Maine" he said taking the towel from
Mrs Tuttle's hand and spreading it over the
dough.
He brought the rocker for Mrs. futile. He
stood until she had placed herself in 1T. There
WIS no formality in his way, only kindly, So
hdtous interest, far as one might Judge The
vvmen did not have to exert themselves to talk.
He talked and they spoke when they chose. Mrs
Tuttle in response to his recital OF how his mother
made what she called potato bread. was led to
give a somewhat long relation Of how she dld
it and the success she had.
Rowena sat looking at her mother with
slight smile on her face. She glanced now and
then at their guest. but he did not appear to
notice her glance. 1t was really wonderful how
the mothers weary, sad face frightened
After a while Mr.. Soue mentioned the fact that
Mr. Bradford had been his fellow-passenger on
the voyage home. He quoted some words OF his :
he spoke of the remarkably good condition
spiritually and physically in which Bradford ap-
reared to be- Mr.. Soule wished he were as
ht as his friend had seemed. He congratulated
the wife Rowena had learned TO control her
face since that time when Miss Phillips had
warned her TO do so. She did not show in the
least how she stung by the words she had
Just heard. She even expected herself TO give
Mr. Soule somewhat kinder smile as she replied
that she was so glad TO hear that Keats was
so well She had judged SO from his cheerful
letters
He is a real Bostonian, you know, MI Soule.
she concluded, and 1 suppose, if he were made
TO tell tie simple truth, he would acknowledge
that he had been greatly bored by his long
residence in Paris"
"Bored!' repeated Soule with sudden look
which told for more than his exclamation. and
which in spite of herself made faint color rise
TO Rowena's face.
She could not tell why, and she
knew IL was not true, yet she felt as if she were
neglected wife She had never experienced that
snsation before and she did not enjoy it. Per-
haps a woman may understand why, though she
was indignant with Mr.. Soule, she became yet
more gracious 10 him.
Gradually the talk set in between these two
exclusively. 1t ran on art and kindred topics.
Mrs futile and Sarah Kimball listened in dazed
way. They gazed at Rowena with thrill of
wonder and admiration. Mrs. Tuttle's heart
welled She wished that Mrs. Warner, and
&arthy s.. even the minister, might hear and
see her now. She did not understand her, but
She was unutterably proud of her. Sarah Kim
ball looked at her animated face, her intent eyes:
she saw the sparkle of the rings on her hands;
and yet Rowena was quiet, she spoke in such
low voice. her laugh rang in such subdued