Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1897-07-01
had, as his father expressed it, "all
creation to roam in

Often as Mrs. Maberly sat on the
veranda, the white capped nurse came
by, drawing the exquisite baby carri-
age, in which sat fairy princess, SO
white and sweet, so wrapped in fine
fabrics, rich laces and lovely carriage
blankets, that the little woman Won
dered more and more who her neigh
Dor could be. One day she met the
nurse and child on the road. She had
been to the unpretending cottage on
her left where she occasionally bought
eggs and cream of the good farmers
wife who lived there, and she stopped
as the carriage came towards her.
ST must have glance at that beau
tiful baby!" she said, placing her bas-
ket of eggs on the ground. 'sWhat q
lovely child! how old is she?"
Sixteen months, :" said the nurse,
with broad smile, that someway look
ed familiar to Mrs. Maberly.
81 don't know as I ever saw quite
as lovely baby" said Mrs. MaberlY,
smiling down upon the child, w..se
great blue eyes were fixed upon her
face. Glow I wish I dared TO kiss
her! But babies are SO capricious. s."
"Shell let YOU said the girl.
''Mabel, kiss the lady"
The cherubic little lips came toget
her at once in charming pout tina
made them look more than ever like
two ripe cherries.
"You perfect darling!" exclaimed
Mrs. Maberly, as she received and re-
turned the coveted kiss. 'sI'm dead
in love with you. Whose child is it?"
she asked, as she resumed her basket
| and prepared to move away.
"Why, ma'am, is it possible that
| you don't remember me?" was the
astounding form of the girls answer.
Remember you!' exclaimed Mrs.
Maberly with unfeigned establishment,
and then it slowly dawned upon her
that the face she was looking at was
not unfamiliar.
eyes, Tn changed, of course, cause
| it's years ago since you used to come
to Miss Mabel's for to stop in your
vacations. Don't you remember the
old plantation down in Georgy and the
old hands? TIM old Marthy's daugh-
ter Marthy, that used to be laun-
dress, and I'm growed up, you see."
7" Old Martha Mabel the old
plantation down in Georgia. Mrs.
Maberly felt dizzy as she heard the
well-remembered names.
"You soc Miss Mabel married q
Northern gentleman, after all, and
came here to SETTLE"
ssAnI al, CHI orr novt-6nnF
neighbour said Mrs. Maberly in a
faint voice. She felt dazed. II think
I understand how one might be
knocked down with feather" she
said, in speaking of the matter to her
husband afterwards.
"Mabel-Georgia," she kept repeat
ing to herself, "and she is my next
neighbor! If I had known it would
never have taken the house."
The brightness had all died out of
her face. She wanted to ask some
questions, but would not allow herself
to do So The nurses chocolate
ored face was on a broad grin. How
much did she know of the state of af-
fairs between these two women who
had once been the closest friends?
'No, I would never have taken that
housed" she said over and over, as she
moved on, still in dazed, startled
mood, that even the sight of her beau
tiful boy, waiting outside the gate for
''mamma," failed to change. A cloud
seemed to have been suddenly thrown
over the gray stone cottage. Vines
and flowers and all the belongings
were as if they had never been. Mrs.
Maberly turned her face resolutely
away and went into her own house.
90, dear-I have found out at last
who our next-door neighbor is!' she
exclaimed, as her husband entered the
hall, where she was awaiting him that
evening.
"You don't seem to be very much
delighted over the discovery, was his
reply 81 met the gentleman to-day
in business affair. He is very genial.
It seems his wife is something of an
invalid, and seldom goes out.
Elm so glad p exclaimed Mrs.
Maberly, with heartfelt emphasis.
'That don't speak much for your
Christian charity" said Mr.. Maberly,
/ smiling.
81 don't mean that TIM glad she is
sick, but that she seldom goes out,
said his wife.
'sThat will make it encumbent on
you to call on her, won't it,
'.I'll never call on her, was the re-
ply, delivered with almost spiteful
energy.
why, what on earth has hap
pened?" her husband asked, now really
puzzled. Heretofore you have
seemed to wish for her acquaintance.
I'm sure I have heard you wonder why
she did not call. .
Very true, but then I did not know
who she was-now do" and she mar