The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1894-02-03
GRACE HORIZONS TRIAL.

A FACE fresh and bright as a new blown
"A rose picked before the sun has shown on
it; eyes soft and dewy and tender red lips
that quivered with feeling az Ghace Horton
hung upon the shoulder of that happy fellow,
her husband, aud called him all sorts of fond
names, emphasizing each with a earess which,
having been three years marri, d. he received
with proper resignation He had just re-
turned from the store, and was seated in one
OF the most comfortable easy chairs that
ever welcomed mans worried limbs.
well puss, " he s8id at last, what is it?
Whv am | so unusually favored this even
ing?'
She laughed softly.
You naughty boy-how sharp you arel
suppose you have not forgotten that next
Monday is my birthday"
'Aha-and you want present, ! suppose.
Well, don't ] always give you one?"
Yes, Charlie, with another kiss. "But
want something special this year-something
you will not give me-"
Try me and See"
Grace stole her arms around his neck before
she spoke.
4 Ndhu W ldht - NIUE tHllu III 0eOIRle =
place
ooh, Gracel'
You know, dear, Doctor Hall said that if
George had lived she would always be lame
There's little girl next door who is hurt Just
as my poor baby was, and she hasn't any
mother. They are to send her to the aims
house tomorrow. 0 Charlie II want her
She looks like Georgie-let me be mother
to the poor little thing!
1T is impossible-quite impossible Grace
ask me anything but that | couldn't bear
to see another child in Georges place. Don't
/ ask mel
The two were silent for a time. Presently
Charlie began to talk of other things, and
having succ-e ded in drawing Grace into an
| interesting chat congratulated himself upon
! having easily induced her to renquish her
whim. He was deceived, however, in sup
posing that she had relinquished it, The
next morning as he was leaving the house,
she stood on tptoe to kiss him, and with her
tender eyes upon his face said:
George would have been "A cripple too if
she had lived Charles, and if you and had
died inst ad OF her"
Charles looked uneasy.
Il should have left money enough to have
taken care OF her, thank God!'' he said
But something might have happened to
the money, too"
Horton stopped hastily kissed his wife.
and went away without reply.
Grace watched him depart with a heavy
heart. She knew his prejudices on this point,
and had not expected him to yield them
readily. Still she was grievously disap-
pointed.
Two months before they lost a baby girl
Charles Horton had suffered acutely through
her death; but he had his business cares to
distract him, while Grace sat at home, among
constant reminders of her vanished darling
In some Of the. charities which she took
upon herself, she CHANGED upon this mother
less and crippled child of which she had
spoken to her husband. 1t reminded her of
her own little one, and gradually there grew
up in her an eager desire to adopt it. II her
husband would only consent! But he re-
garded the idea as almost a sacrilege.
She found time in the course OF the morn
ing to go out to see the orphan, but to her
keen disappointment found that she had al
! ready been taken away.
cts been adopted out" the woman said,
and that was all Grace could learn.
Gone without even a good-byl She had
grown to love the child so much that to lose
her was almost like losing Georgia over
again. Dropping her veil she turned away,
weeping as she went.
Charles Horton was tenderer than usual
to his wife that night, and all through the
ensuing week; but neither made any allusion
to the little orphan.
Her birthday dawned finally, and Charles
loaded his wide with gifts. Always lavish, he
had never before contrived for her so many
pleasant surprises. There was a new piano
and a set OF furs, iewelry and brie-a-brac;
! and all through the day Charles watched his