Gloucester County Democrat., 1897-04-29

think 1t would please your father if you
learned some womanly accomplish
ments."
81 could make him more comfortableI
never knew what dreadfully rude
home we have till came here. Our
piano is in the kitchen, and papa's books
are everywhere. don't suppose young
ladies here have rife, revolver, riding
habit and hat, whip and fshing-rod in
their own rooms, but have all of these.
As for work-boxes and croehet-needles,
never owned either one or the other.
But if you will teach me, Cousin Clara,
will learn to sew and cook, and make
home pleasant"
And Cousin Clara, won from the first
by the bright, beautiful girl, willingly
taught her all she wished to learn. It
was only in brief snatches she could
learn. Sewing worried her; cooking
smothered her; housekeeping accounts
bothered her. Yet gradually she was
toning down.
Only the spirit of mischief possessed
her when Clarence was near. Knowing
all his fastidious tastes, all his indolent,
dilettante ways, she delighted to jar
upon the one, and shake him out of the
other. She reused new ambition in
his mind by her keenly-pointed sar-
casms at his effeminate pursuits. She
challenged him to races, shooting
matches, pedestrian trips, and fairly
drove him about by the laughing lash
of her witty tongue.
1t was curious to note how they came
by degrees to level. the one shaking
off unmanly Incidence, the other soften
ing masculine traits, while the little
winged god of love hid, laughing, un-
suspected by either.
Mrs. Parker found him out first. Low
ing Clarence above all else on earth,
her mother instinct taught her quickly
the reason of the change in him, the in
fluence that was giving him an erect
carriage, new light of energy in his
great dark eyes, an added interest in
the affairs of his own fortune, seeking
for channels where it might flow to
benefit others as well as himself And
reading the secret Clarence as yet did
not himself suspect, Mrs. Parker ex-
ulted in her heart to see how Myra was
just as surely bowing her free, frank
nature to the yoke Of love, softening
her manner, toning down her joyous,
ringing voice, training her hands to
womanly work.
Autumnal winds were scattering the
crimson leaves when John Delano came
to New York for the first time in ten
years, and was the guest of Mrs. Parker
in her city home, to which the family
had just returned. He came for Myra,
thinking Of her happiness to come back
to her free life, and she grew pale at
his loving carsss.
'What ais the child ?'' he asked, turn
ing to his cousin as Myra left the room.
''She was never SO quiet as that in her
life before
"You will know soon, John. No, you
may know now!" said Mrs. Parker,
pointing, as she spoke, across the han
to the library, where Clarence had risen
as Myra entered. just one long look
into the two faces satisfied the father.
"It will be well with her when am
gone," he said, half sadly; and when
Clarence came to him to win his con-
sent to wed Myra he received him cor
daily and gladly.
1T will be lonely in the old home" !"
he said, and Myra, clinging to him. be-
sought him to go back no more to the
solitary life of the past.
''We need you here" she pleaded; and
Mrs. Parker indorsed the petition.
After the wedding of the young folks
and their homecoming to the new
house Mrs. Parker insisted upon their
occupying, Cousin John fell into the
habit of spending his evenings with
Clara. They were SO lonely, these mid
dle-aged people, each deprived of com
panion of years. They missed the
'child" who had been the center of all
love for each, and, talking often of their
mutual loss and gain, drew their sore
lonely hearts into close communion.
until Myra, walking in upon her hus
band one morning. announced:
Claire, have been to see your moth
er, and father was there, and--guess 2"
"NVell, l guess that after this. who
ever goes to see my mother will be very
likely to find your father there"
You knew?"
Not word. Is it settled?"
"Yes. They insist upon a quiet wed
ding in church. and we can cease to fret
any longer about either one or the other
missing you or me !"
that had SO softened and improved Myra.
SO ennobled Clarence. had drawn the
bitterness of their early widow hooa
from the hearts of John Delano All,
Clara Parker, and shed benign lig
over two happy homes.-N. Y. Ledge