The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1896-08-21
Elnathan Withers'

EY4llSR Jyl have dinner ready
G%MTAS at six. We shall be
0l2GlAEsS1f just in time" said
M A@Jg@) Mr.. Withers, as he
20 GG6INM took his seat in the
G Va W@pM carriage that was
~ NdG. to convey him with
%a@AGGos his bride from the
TS~C depot to their
q home.
Constance was faded by her fort
nights travel, and dispirited almost be-
yond her power of concealment, but she
had learned already that her lord dis
liked to have whatever observation he
was pleased to make go unanswered.
'She is your housekeeper, I suppose?"
she replied, languidly.
"No-that is-she does not occupy the
position of a salaried inferior in my
establishment. / must surely have
spoken to you of my cousin, Harriet
Field"
mot that l recollect. am sure that
l never heard the name until now"
Her mother" continued Mr.. With
ers, in pompous narrative tone, was
my fathers sister. Left a widow ten
years prior to her decease, she accept
cd my invitation to take charge of my
house. She brought with her only
child, the Harriet of whom 1 speak, and
| TIE two remained with me until our
faInily group was broken in upon w
stGth. Harriet would then he~e
sought a situation as governess hit
eaS my objections. She is a woman Of
thlity-five, or Whereabouts, and l pre-
vailed over her scruples touching the
propriety Of her continued residence
under my roof, by representing that
her mature age, even more than our
relationship, placed her beyond the
reach Of scandal. For eighteen months
She has superintended my domestic af-
fairs to my entire satisfaction. That
have not alluded directly to her before
during our acquaintanceship is only to
be accounted for by the circumstance
tbat we have had so many other and
more engrossing topics OF conversa-
ton" He raised her gloved hand to his
lips in stiff gallantry, and Constance
smiled constrainedly in reply.
His endearments albeit he was less
rrofuse of them than a younger and
more ardent bridegroom would have
been, were yet frequent enough to keep
his wife in unfailing remembrance of
: his claims and her duties. He was, ap-
parently. content with her passive SUBJ
mission to these, seemed to see in her
forced complaisance evidence of her
pleasure in their reception. He was too
sedate, as well as too gentlemanly, to
be openly conceited, but his apprecia-
ton of his own Importance in society
and in business circles was too pro-
| found to admit doubt of the supreme
bliss of the woman. he had selected to
share his elevated position. Without
being puppyish, he was pragmatical;
without being ill-tempered he was te-
nacious in the extreme of his dignity
and the respect he considered due to
this. Had her mood been lighter Con-
stance would have been tempted to
smile at the allusion to his cousins age,
his own exceeding 1t by three years, as
she had accidentally learned through
the indiscretion of common acquaint-
ance He was sensitive upon this point
she had likewise been informed. She
had yet to discover upon how many
others.
Most young wives would not have
relished the idea of finding this inval-
uable relative installed as prime man
ager in her new abode. 1t mattered lit
tie to her, Constance said, still languid-
ly, who ruled and who obeyed. She
; had given UP so much within three
months past that resignation had be-
come a habit; sacrifice was no longer
an effort. Having nothing to hope for
she could sustain no further loss. How
long this nightmare of apathy would
continue was a question that did mo-
present itself in her gray musings
Having once conquered Nature, ant
held Inclination under the heel of Re
solve. until life seemed extinct, she an
ticipated no resurrection. She did no
know that no single battle, however
long and bloody, constitutes a cam
paign; that length of days and man,
sorrows are needed to rob youth o
elasticity; that the guest who fingers
longest in the human heart, clinglnt
to the shattered shelter from which al
other joys have flown, is Hope. 1t II
doubtful If she thought with any dis
! sinctness at this period. She was Ger
tainly less actively miserable than IL
that which Immediately preceded he
engagement. That was amputation
, this, reactionary WEAKNESS. How sh'