The Washington bee., 1895-10-12

hand but his touched it. So the spec
tacIe of Roberts horse hitched to the
palines caused no surprise. Coming or
going. he always carried some tribute
- remembrance and affection.
Several times he had observed an
other mourner who visited lot near
his own. He knew her as poor lonely
widow. whose husband and two chill
dren slept there. Her silent. shrinking
movements, her grief, and the fact tnar
she was far along the troubled pathway
of life. gave her transient interest
and one day when a storm was ap-
preaching he offered her seat In MS
carriage. Such unwonted kindness
quite upset her, and she was silent and
despondent during the ride home. Sne
had known Mrs. Kester and 1ncluoeo
her in the few grateful words she said.
in such way as to please Robert mucn.
Praise Of his wife had always been an
open way to his esteem.
But the widow went no more to the
cemetery There were several reasons
for this First, the days were growing
cold, and she dreaded rheumatism.
Then she did not want that good man,
Robert Kester. to think that she was
lying in wait for him. And. too, she
had accepted home with family-a
cross. disagreeable man and his prim
wife-where in consideration Of three
meals a day and lodging, she was to act
as fousekeeper where no servant was
kept. Her property had been taken
from her by an unscrupulous son. and
she was obliged in her old age to work
for strangers.
Being a woman of education who in
her youth had enjoyed superior adyan-
tages, she felt that her sphere was low
eriug and closing her in. Being Chris
tian she accepted the changed condi-
tions Of her life with fortitude and
resignation. But a single petty act OF
cruelty and injustice raised her again
to the plateau of happiness.
Going out earlier than usual one
morning with his horse and buggy, Rob-
ert saw a bowed and weeping woman
vanish into the cemetery stile. He wait
ed a long time for her to appear, and
then he again invited her to seat in
his buggy.
All Green County was electrified when
they heard of Roberts second marriage,
and saw that plain, sad Mrs. Black
dressed in dark red-yes. actually red
bridal dress, experimenting Roberts
home, now hers, and looking like an
other woman in the sunshine Of her
new life.
Then he hadn't been unhappy before?
He hadn't repented of marrying q wo-
man much too old for him, and proved
it by rushing off to marry one much
too young? He had selected another
motherly wife, and asked nobody's per-
mission. And he went on living in the
same calm, rational way with number
two, who seemed to fit into all vacant
iiches as if she had been to the manner
born.
But the effect of all this on the people
of that locality has been most remark
able. Disparity of age is the rule now
instead of the exception. And 1t is al
ways on the brides side. The girls are
hurrying up the time when a young
man will consider them old enough to
marry. Instead of making themselves
younger when their ages are asked,
they invariably add years to their num-
Der. 50 that they will be considered suf-
ficientJy ripe In Judgment for marriage
with their juniors.
For these unequal marriages are won
derfuliy happy, filed with strong and
abiding friendship, q comradeship, that
indicates the true measure Of living.
Some one has said that real life never
arranges itself exactly like a romance
And as the value Of first youth Is not
appreciated until 1t has vanished. so
love produces a second youth Of the
heart-and with it time has no existence
years do not count-Mrs. M. L. Rayne,
in Detroit Free Press.