The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1892-03-02
that he would let me live in his house if

earnestly. May write to him"
"You may write," Mrs. Challock an
swered, after pause. "But did not
want to part with you till you we're
married, tell him that. And OIL Olive,
don't say much about your stepfather!
He might be worse man than he is,
you know; but it troubles me sorely
that he doesn't take to you. I've been
an unfortunate woman, Olive-very un-
fortunate"
eyes, mother; you were very unfor-
tunate in losing my father" Olive said,
quietly.
Mrs. Challock began to cry in noise
less fashion, Now and then she paid
this tribute of silent tears to the de-
parted, and blamed Providence, in her
spiritless way, for having removed him.
She always spoke of herself as a wom-
an who had been badly used by the
powers above, and went so far as to say
that an angelic guard ought to have
been specially provided for defense
less widow. When her mother was in
this mood Olive was apt to betray lit
tie impatience. AS Mrs. Challock dried
her tears she began to bewail her fate
in the usual strain, and the girl spoke
out at last;
"There is Mrs. Hooper, mother" she
said, "she was left q widow, and she
has never married again, and yet she
was no better defended than you
were"
"Oh! Olive" moaned Mrs. Challock,
shaking her head, "she was far better
defended than was. Not by angel
guards, perhaps, but by a plain face;
and a woman can have no safer protec-
ton than that"
Olive looked, half pityingly, at the
sweet, faded face by her side, and felt
that there was some truth in those
words. She knew that she herself had
more beauty than her mother had ever
possessed; Mrs Challock had often told
her so, but she thought, with q girls
happy confidence, that her defense was
sure and strong. Michaels love for her
and her love for him-this would be her
shield and buckler. She put her arm
round her mothers shoulders, and
spoke in q caressing tone:
Z "Then you will let me write to Uncle
d WakeP" she said. Don't fret, little
Q mother; Lucy says it will be best fol
4 me to know something of London be
fore go to live there as Michaers wife
n 1t would be trying for him to have tc
IS teach me everything"
= "Your father never thought it tria
d to teach me-" sighed Mrs. Challock, he
g head still running on the past; "bu
4. then he had wonderful patience. / onl.
ID wish had learned more. Yes, Olive
a you may write, and see what comes @
it."
ie But some time passed by before tha
q. letter was written.
re Poor James love troubles pressed 6
s. heavily on her mind that she fell IL
r, and Olive had TO help in nursing; an
then Mrs Challock herself grew sic
rd and claimed her child's care. Thes
er illnesses were not alarming, but the
ut changed Olives plans for awhile, an
be the summer seemed TO slip away uni
'e! wares. And just after the harvest ha
or been gathered in, and the sun shor
IS, calmly over fields that were shorn (
of all their wealth Of gold, Lucy Cromer
'r- life story came to an end.
he "Stay with me as much as you ca
ne Olive" she said, when she had given I
le- her place on the little couch downstair
81 have had friends and lovers, b,
.pt never one sister till you came to me-"
Ter So Olive spent hour after hour in Il
small bedroom under the thatch, AZ
DC sunbeams and wandering brcezes MAJ
it their way through the open lattic
m. There was n thick wreath Of ivy al
on roses round the window; the swalloy
we had not yet taken their departure, al
nd bird-notes and whispers of many lcav
came to her like familiar voices. Al
old Lucy, too, lay listening to the music
for the dying summer with a great pea
lev In her heart.
to They talked to each other in these Ia
nat hours more freely than they had ev
ear spoken before. All the shadows Of I
of past had been swept away from Luc.
Tho soul She looked back on the path th
ate she had trodden with such weary fe,
be- and saw it illumined with a divi
light. 1t was just the same path th
she had known always; there was I
,ch place where she had stumbled over t
ten sharp stones, and risen bruised q