The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1896-07-25

happened in his beloved London during
the three weeks he had been away. Some
times he looked up with smile, and read
her out bit OF news and asked how her
mother was, and the boys, and at last,
finishing off his tea with sigh of satisfact
ton, he handed her his cup to refill.
GLOW perfectly delightful it is here he
said, looking round on the beautiful scene,
and then letting his eyes rest lovingly on
his wife: 'and think you look charming
pouring out tea,' he added, with Il laugh.
Fancy paying your wife compliments
after having been married month"; she
smiled; GU are not keeping up your role
of old married man.
cant do that at the expense of truth,
he answered; land you know | always had
to say out what thought. Do you have
tiny frown, sweetheart; what's the matter?
no bad news, I hope" he said, quickly.
''Oh, no, she returned. "rhis is letter
from Olga, and she always rubs me up the
wrong way, somehow. She says y pre-
sumo you are having perfect time; now
tell me what is the crumpled roseleaf in all
this happiness?-fo one there must be"
And thought for a momont, if ever one
should come, if it could 90 on like this
always without changing. 1t seems to
good to be true" she added, in low
tone; "but there is absolutely not even a
crumpled rose leaf so far.
"No, DEAR he said quietly, bending
down and kissing her hands: ''there is no
serpent in our Eden
1t was only afterwards he remembered
the bitter irony of fate that prompted those
in their letters and themselves. The men
were downstairs in the cabin, and no one
noticed the tiny black adder which had
c"ept from the basket OF flowers, and was
now summing himself on the deck just be-
hind Molly's chair. The warmth Of the
sun made him quite lively, and he began
creeping about, and gradually disappeared
under the chair.
Suddenly he sat up with a sharp cry.
"Oh! Harry, something has hurt my foot,
She said; and, looking down, there lay
across her instep the little snake, its head
firmly fixed into the silk stocking With
a muilled exclamation of horror Harry tore
it off, and flung it into the sea; the pretty
white foot lay bare and seen through the
rentin the stocking were three tiny red pune
steps in a mad Hurry. Williams, Will
Jams, he called; you must 20 on shore at
once-do you hear? Mrs. Ashley has been
stung by snake, 90 and bring a doctor as
quickly as ever you can" Coming back,
he took up the huge basket of flowers, and
pitched them overheard; then, taking poor
Molly in his arms he carried her to her
cabin, when her maid bathed the poor little
foot. 1t was swelling already, but there
was no pain.
''I'll sit on the deck till the doctor
comes Harry" she laughed. please
don't worry | don't believe it was any
thing but a common adder
But when the boat brought the doctor, in
about an hour he looked very grave.
Il cannot say anything for some time
yet, he said, after examining the sting.
Il don't like the entire absence of pain.
Can you not describe to me what the snake
ar ,1Ior Jonl- eI lilo
But poor Harry had flung it away with
out looking and was in such state that
he could absolutely remember nothing.
Gradually Molly got worse, the swelling
increased, and terrible numbness, which
crept slowly right over the body, set in.
The doctor stayed on, but more for the
sake of Mr.. Ashley, who was beside him
self with grief, than for Molly, who lay
quite still and quiet in kind of stupor
from which nothing could rouse her. About
six in the evening she awoke, and family
asked for her husband
''Dear love" she said, putting her arms
round his neck, ''try not to take it too
hardly, if Il but Harry left her and
rushed on deck.
Good God Wilson," he cried, to the
doctor, can't you do anything? Let's
have some one else, let's" his eyes fell
on the native who had brought over the
flowers in the morning, standing talking
to Williams, and in his frenzy, he turned
on him.
"You black scoundrel,' he said, going
up to him, ''do YOU know your carelessness
has killed my wife =? II she dies, I'll have
you thrown into the sea-
"Master Harry, said the staid Williams,
who had been with his master since he was
boy, "don't hurt the man; he's native,
and these native are sometimes very clever
with medicines; perhaps he can do some
thing for my MISTRESS
God bless you for thinking of it, Will
Jams" he said in broken voice: 'you tell
him, you can understand his jargon," and
he went down again to Molly.
Williams explained as well as he could
what had happened; and the man, with a
glimmer of understanding thought he