The Penn's Grove record., 1897-10-08

mechanic nor a working person of any
sort in either branch OF the family"
'tThe dear old patrioti' cried the
girl. Then, suddenly realizing the
nature and degreeo Of the Wilton pride,
she turned to her husband with a
I; grave face.
Harold" she said, 81 have a con.
fession to make. 1t will shock you,
but think you ought to know it. I'm.
afraid you will scarcely forgive me for
not telling you before"
"Oh, GOMEZ" protested Harold. For
what could this elear-eyed creature
have to confess that would in any way
tax his powers Of forgiveness? To be
sure, he remembered, he knew moth.
ing Of her past beyond the fact that
she was the daughter Of a college pro-
fessor, but that had seemed quite
enough, and he had repeated the in:
formation to his relatives with no little
satisfaction when they asked the In
evitable question, "Who is she?" But
she was SO much in earnest that he
was compelled to listen.
81 was very youngwhsn we left the
city," she began. Papa had been
over-working in the college, and the
doctors said he must go to some quiet
| place on the seashore and rest for a
year or two; so we went 10 Hardacre.
1t is o mere fishing hamlet, and so
| quiet thet it seemed as if we had
reached the place
Where one eternal Sabbath reigns!
"The people were very kind to us,
| and the sea was almost at our door.
Papa liked it. He grew stronger every
day, and at the end of the second
summer he thought he was well
enough to go back. But while he was
making his arrangements, he was
seized with what seemed to be a faint
ing turn. But it proved to be-the
end"
The gathering tears made a break
in her voice, and Harold, in quick
sympathy, would have taken her in
his arms. But she drew away from
him.
"Wait till you hear the rest" she
said. "The doctor called it heart dis
ease. And before mamma had rallied
from the shock, news came of the
failure Of the bank in which papa had
his money. It was not large amount
but it would have supported us very
comfortably. After that poor mamma
had to struggle along the best she
could. She was too Independent to
go back to the city, and be a burden
to her friends, SO we stayed in Hard
acre; and by the time I was able to
be earning something, her health gave
way. And very soon she too was taken
from me,
'sShe had trained me for a teacher,
but the Hardacre school was supplied,
and l had not got the heart to go else
where. Hardaere was my home. L
had a piano, and mamma had thought
I might be able to get a few scholars;
but there was scarcely a family in the
place that could afford to pay for les
sons. 1t was the same with private
instructions of any kind, and l was
almost in despair. There was q man
who came there in mer rich
man, 1 think, for he always brought
his Garage and coachman he wanted
me to marry him, but 1 couldn't, for ]
didn't love him."
81 should hope notr"blurted Harold.
sI-"
"Oh, please don't interrupt me-"
she entreated, ''or l shan't be able to
tell the rest. My Hardacre friends
thought l was very foolish to refuse
him, knowing how little l had to live
IN but at last l found something to
do, something that brought me money.
But, o Harold, I ought to- have told
you before you married mel'
500 on" said Harold, visibly
bracing himself.
Perhaps" she continued, sit
wouldn't have been so easy for me
if Ihad not been so fond of everything
pretty and dainty. Actually, Harold,
strange as it may seem to you. I en-
ioyed it, for it's next to being an artist,
Harold, to be IA good milliner.
Serious as the confession had seemed
to her before beginning it, by the time
she reached the end the dimples we're
trying to assert themselves; but
Harold saw nothing but the tears on
the downeast lashes, and with a sud-
den rebound from q dread of he knew
not what, he caught her in his arms.
"You little gooser'he cried. "You
precious little, goose! What if
you had married that mani Some
girls Wouldn't have iiesitated q minute,
if they'd had to choose between mar.
rying a man they didn't love and max
ing bonnets for a living. You brave
darlingl'
''But what will your grandmother
say, Harold?"
81 declare" he exclaimed, 81 had
almost forgotten that 1 had a grand
mother. Suppose" he went on hest
tatingly, with kisses for commas,
Suppose we don't tell her. Poor old
ladyi she hasn't long to stay, aud it
isn't worth while to distress her. I'm
afraid she would almost think there
was nothing left worth living for"
SO they kept the dreaded secret to
themselves; and old Madam Wilton
lived ont the full measure of her days,
and died peacefully in her bed, not
knowing that the family had been a
second time disgraced. The House.
wife,