Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1895-02-22

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The more SO MS she saw her husband
vas "at home" likewise. There 10 in
some houses IN unconscious atmosphere
OF domestic and social ozone, which
orightens everybody. Wealth can not
give 1t, nor poverty take Il away. As
they went into dinner, Mrs. Jardine lean
ing on Sir Johns arm, as the stranger
and the bride, she and Roderick smiled at
one another, satisfied.
1t was u recherche rather than a
sumptuous meal, not one of those where
the guests are evidently far less impor-
tant than the food. And it was short
an hour and a half being, the host said,
quite enough to spend over eating and
drinking. Also, not long after the ladies
retired the gentlemen followed them.
You see, having been much abroad,
we have adopted the best of foreign Gus
TOMS" said Lady S%ymington, smiling to
see Mrs. Jardineis smile, Mt the unex-
pected apparition of her husband behind
her chair. "Sir John likes n pleasant
evening. good talk and good music, quite
as well as n good dinner; and I like it
much better. Indeed, I am afraid 1 am
very fond of society,""
5 are We" said Rodcrick, looking
down on his wife's happy face. And just
as his host called him to join a group of
men. every II of whom was somebody"
or had done Something" he found time
to whisper: "You We're quite right, ST.
lencc; 1 am glad we came"
After that she watched him, talking.
listening and being listened to, holding
his w always with his habitual cour-
tesy, but nevertheless with the firmness
and sclf-respcct of n man who has cast
his lot in life, whose fate is fixed, md
heart is at rest, so that he ia now ready
for the work of the world. He stood n
good way from her, scarcely looking to-
ward her-what need? This mingling
with others made both feel only the more
kecnly and securely the sweet inward
tie-"my own, my very own!'
And she sat in her quiet corner. that
passionate ambition, not for self, but a
dearcr self, which in som womcn's hearts
is as strong even as love, woke up-no.
it had already wakcncd-but it seemed
to make itself felt to the very depths of
her soul, until there came added to it an
other feeling, reused by a few chance
words she overheard.
Eyes, n fine fellow, a very fine fellow,
indeed. What n pity he is married."
"Do you think so?"
Just swamped; every man is, unless he
can get that rara avis, n wife who is n
help and not n hindrance, not only Mt
home but in society,""
Hush! there she is-that quiet little
thing in the corner"
"Eh?"
Silence had sharp ears; ut least, she
seemed to hear by instinct every word
that was said about her husband. AS
the two gentlemen passed her they saw
only the composed face, the quietly folded
hands, but-she had heard.
Half an hour afterward Roderick, q
little surprised, but glad, saw her the
center of n circle. talking to all whc
talked to her, not only in her pretty, pre-
else English, but in French and German
there were several foreigners in this
cosmopolite house. Also, when request
ed by Lady Symington she went Mt once
to the piano and sung.
1t was II very simple song; their favor
! lite. ooh, Mamie, wilt thou gang wi mc?'
but after it came n hush, and Their nburs
of involuntary delight.
"Ycs. that is my wife," Silence heart
!, her husband answer to some one, very
, briefly, but she caught both the look AM
the tone. She went back to her scat
, all her nervousness gone. She could fac,
the world now. He was not ashamed O
3 her.
, Human nature is human nature afte
all. Many a good maj loves with patien
tenderness n wife very inferior to him
y self; many a woman upholds faithful,
before the world the man she has maj
ried, whom all the world sees, and won
: ders sometimes if she sees, is altogerhc
unworthy of her. This is right, noble
s but it is also a little sad. The perfec
: bond, the true marriage, must alway
be between those who not only love, bu
are proud of one another-as were these
, The evening slipped by fast, so fns
e that the guests were already leaving; bu
Lady Symington begged the Jardincs t
stay a few minutes more.
- "Weil, the moon is full, md our horse
will not catch cold by standing" sal
Roderick gayly to his wife. He was s
thoroughly enjoying himself that, for til
first time, he did not notice the littl
@ tired face. But Lady Syminton did, an
q put Silence in her own armchair. secure
round by curtains. above which hung til
sweet picture of the long-dead boy. Upo,
it the eyes of both women, the young an,
/ the old, met tenderly.
@ "Iic must have been so pretty" Silcnc
Ii said.
IA les. IAlIllOSl llhC Il uLSel, OF IL seem
r so now. He was n Christmas child
k This Christmas he would have bee
thirty-nine-no, forty years old. Ho,
h %strange!'
s The old lady spoke calmly. as old peopl
learn to do. And then, like one habitu
atcd to repress herself and think of other
only. she added:
s Your husband is not near forty YET
he could not be, for Henry Jardine maj
ried late i'll life. Sir John lost sight G
n him after that. but he was always yer
is fond of him. We thought him so clever
d so sure to make Il name for himself OH
y day. Perhaps his son WILL"
q II hope he will; yes, he SHALL"
"a The words were brief, but there was
le sudden flash in the eye, Indicating til
-, faith which creates the hope. and tn
!! will which brings about both. And the,
startled at herself. Silence shrunk bac
5 behind the curtains of her pleasant nool
I, glad to hide for IL few minutes after til
! efforts even of their happy evening.