Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1895-03-08

put asleep, Janet's young sister being in
stalled us temporary nurse-maid. and a
very clever one; and baby's mother, her
grand silk dress replaced by q soft wooden
of Silence's-the two women were
nearly the same height-sat by the parlor
lire. Idle. certainly-Roderick remember
cd how Bella would sit for an hour
"toasting her toes" with her hands before
her-but apparently quiet and content.
ae went up and kissed her with brotherly
affection, saying something about his
pleasure in having her in his house.
Then you'll not SEN me back to mine?
You did not telegraph to MS you
said you would?"
"No."
"Nor write"
HOY could 1 write to my mother?"
said Roderick, with n mixture of pride
ana mo; whatever is done, you
must do it, not 1. We will talk of it af-
ter ner For he saw that Silence
had given herself the unwontcd trouble
or a late dinner, just to make Bella feel
things more like her own ways" 1t was
n little matter, but it touched the young
husbands heart. While he sat talking to
his sister his eyes were perpetually follow
ing the fitting figure of one who never sat
still-never knew what idleness was till
she had done everything for everybody.
THAT wife of yours makes me so COM
Portable" said Bella, benignly. "And she
is so clever. so inventive. really quite n
treasure in a small household. In mine,
now, 1 never could do anything myself as
she does. 1t must be very pleasant"
Only. perhaps, very %fatiguing. My
wife. come hero and rest, just for five min
utes." And as he kissed the tired face
he felt sure that the comfort" which
Bella so enjoyed had cost Silence some
thing.
Dinner passed. and the half hour after
ward. during which Roderick tried hard
to admire his new niece, and to make
things as easy and cheerful as possible
with his sister. When Silence-alwuys
Sllrnce-had put baby to bed, the three
J gathered round the cozy fire, listening
To the howl of the wind md the patter
of the rain outside, which only made most
peaceful the deep peace within.
What Il quiet, pleasant life You must
ave here, you two!' said Bella, with n
sigh.
They ookcd Mt IL another and smiled.
And are you SO very poor? What do
you live upon?"
FIRST, there is Blackhall. Then. my
wife has her income which cousin Silence
left her, and l earn mine. We put tho
two together-marriage should be n fair
partnership"
But it is not" broke in Bella; sit is
mere slavery, unbcarablc slavery. Oh,
that mine was ended! Oh, that I We're
frec!"
Rodcrick took n hand of his wife and
sister. LET us have a little talk together,
and face our position, which is not an
easy one. Bella, what do you mean to
do?"
81 don't know"
"Thcn what do o wish me to dog"
II haven't the slightest idea. But. oh.
Rody, why bother me, when l am so
c~omfortable?"
just the old Bella-casy. pleasure-loving
dwelling only in the present moment
acting entirely OH her impulses. of which
both the good and the bad oncs were
equally transitory. There are many such
women. who please a great many men
as she had done; who generally find SOM
one or other to bear their burdens for
them, and so through life. as she OK
pressed it. quite Comfortably" But as
Rodcrick looked from one to the other of
the two beside him, he thought-no, he
loyalty refused to think-but he instinct
lively clasped his wife's hand tighter in
his own. Small as it was, and tender,
that was the hand for n man to cling to.
ay, and lean on-as, soon or late, men must
lean on women when trouble comes.
"Bella," he said. earnestly, "do you at
all understand"
what is called a grass widow" inter
rupted she, with n reckless laugh. "Mam-
ma must keep me, or give me my money,
and let me keep myself. My husband will
never give me a half-penny. And Silence
says l ought not to ask him. She has the
very oldest notions, that wife of yours"
Roderick pressed the hand he held.
"Have you two been talking together?"
"a little"
"And you have told her everything?"
"Everything-made q clean breast of
it. A pretty story, isn't it, Silence? But
it's at an end now, thank God" said Bella,
setting her teeth together. "Even n Worm
will turn ut last"
"Shall you not go back to your husband?
that is, if he will take you back?"
'"Trust him for that. He knows OH
which side his bread is buttered; all the
Thomsons do. They were glad enough
to catch me, a bright, clever, pretty girl
yes, I was both clever and pretty once, my
dear-to be a sort of caretaker or keeper
IONGE ulilit Ac uGSuS q hGcUcI Wlcu III III
drunk. And n wife is the best sort of
onc-saves appearances. Thomsons as
we'll as Jardines would do anything in the
world to save appearances"
Rodcrick made no answer. He knew it
was true. The sight of his sister had
brought back the memory of many n boy
ish struggle, ~quixotic as vain, against the
predominant spirit of the family-a fami-
ly in which the first question that arose
was never 'Is it right?' or "Is it wrong?"
but only rs it expedient?"
This law of expediency. not righteous
prudence, but petty, worldly wisdom, had
been at the root of Bella's marriage.
Those who had the making of it, would
they not on the same principle do their
best to prevent its being unmadc? He
felt sure his mother would. Anything.
everything. she would sacrifice rather
than be talked about" as the world
would talk. if there was a public separa-
tion between Mr.. and Mrs. Thomson
two people who, in their own opinion and
that of their reSnocfive in miles hold srch