The Princeton union., 1891-03-19

her daughter to be particularly fond.
and set it down on the table as if she
were testing the strength of the dish,
and said, ~ wonder if your mother is
afraid you'll not have enough to eat
here. One would think you were
child at boarding SCHOOL, .."
Emma controlled herself by strong
effort, and made her no reply, simply
taking the gift from her hands with
nod Of Acknowledgement. Every day
brought her some petty annoyance;
and her father-in-law, who was old
and childish, being quite as trouble
some as his wife in these respects, it
required all Emma's love for Harry
to carry her through.
She still adheres to her determina-
tion, however, to conceal her trouble
from her husband; and though he
noticed she was less vivacious, per-
haps he thought the mantle of mat
ronly, dignity so becoming to his
wife, that he felt no disposition to find
fault with it. In the meantime, old
Mrs. Hall being confined to her room
with q violent influenza, the reins of
government were very unwillingly re-
sighed into Emma's hands. What
endless charges she received about the
| dusting and sweeping and cooking,
ending always with this soliloquy, as
the door closed upon Emma's retreat
ing form.-''I am agoose to tell her
anything about it. She's as ignorant
as a Hottentot,-it will all 60 in one
ear and out the other" And the
old lady groaned in spirit, as the Wis
ion of the nose OF the tea-kettle point
ing the wrong way; or the sucepan
hung on the wrong nail fitted through
her mind. Emma exerted herself to
the utmost to please her; but the
Cruel was always mot quite right"
the pillows not arranged easily behind
her back, or she expected to find "bed-
lam let loose, when she got down
stairs, and various other encouraging
representations OF the same charac-
ter.
Emma, said Harry one day, ''how
should you like living five miles out
OF the city? | have seen a place that
just suits my fancy; and I think o.
hiring it on trial."
Emma hesitated. She wished to
ask. "Does your mother 90 with us?"
but only said, II could not tell,
dear Harry, how I should like the
place till saw it; but should fear it
would take you too much from me.
1t would seem so odd to have five
miles distance between us for the whole
day. Oh, Pam very sure I shouldn't
like it, Harry"-and the thought OF
her mother-in-law clouded her sunny
face, and, in spite OF herself, a. tear
dropped on her husbands hand.
'Well, dear Emma, now Pam very
sure you will like it,"-and his large
dark eyes had a look she did not
quite understand, even with all her
skill and practice in reading them;-
''and so Pm going to drive you out
there this very afternoon; and We'll
see,'' said he, gaily kissing her fore
head.
Thither they accordingly went.
"Oh, what little paradise, Harry!
Look at that cluster of prairie roses!
What splendid old trees! See how
the wind sweeps the dropping branches
across the tall grass! And that little
low window latticed over with sweet
brier; and that pretty terraced flower
garden-oh, Harry"
'Well, let us go inside, Emma;;"-
and applying a key he held in his hand
the door yielded to his touch, and
they stood side by side in ittl rus
tic parlor, furnished simply, yet so
tastefully. Tables, stands, and mnn-
tel covered with vases, sending forth
fragrance from the sweetest Of Wild
wood flowers; the long white muslin
curtains looped away from a window,
whence could be seen wooded hill and
fertile valley and silvery stream.
Then they assembled into the chambers
which were quite as unexceptionable
IN their appointments. Emma look
ed about in bewildered wonder.
but who lives here now, Harry?"
Nobody"
"Nobody? What q tease you are!
10 whom does all this furniture belong?
and who arranged everything with
such exquisite taste? have been ex-
pecting every minutet to see the mistress
OF the mansion step out"
"Well, there she is," said Harry,
leading her gaily up to the looking
glass. 1 only hope you admire her
half as much as do. Do you think
I've been blind and deaf because I've
not seen my high-spirited little wife
struggling with trial day by day-suf-
ferlng, enduring, gaining the victory
over her own spirit, silently and un-
complainingly? Do you think could
see all this, and not think she was the
dearest little wife in the world?"-and
tears and smiles struggled for mastery,
as he pressed his lips to her forehead.
"And now you will have nobody to
please here but me, Emma. Do you
think the task will be difficult?"
The answer was highly satisfactory
to the husband, as the reader may
rest assured.