The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1899-09-07

part of her neighbors? Why should she
submit to parsimonious skimping and
cheeseparing, to living with only one
servant when several other women had
two, to all the little shifts and mean
nesses poor Harry had declared to be
necessary? It was his business to pro-
vide for her needs. Her father had al
ways supported her in style; why
couldn't Harry do the same? True, she
knew when she married him he had
nothing but his pay. He told her every
thing, but she had never taken thought
for the morrow, though she had taken
perhaps too much thought Of what she
should wear or eat or drink. Laura low
ed the good things Of this life and had
been freely INDUCED throughout her
petted girlhood, and now, in the days
when every woman seemed turning
against her, purse, cellar and larder
were empty and her husband gone on a
stupid foray to the mountains. None
could say when he would return or
what new sorrow would meet him then
Other men managed to earn money or
make money somehow outside their pay
Why should she, whose tastes, she said,
were so much more refined, be mated
with one who could only spend?
There is time when many a homely
face becomes radiant with beauty too
deep for sallow skin or heavy features
to hide and when really winsome
face becomes we'll nigh angelic, but
even as Laura VIM bent over her Sleep
ing child or nestled the unconscious lit
tie one in her bosom the sullen fire of
discomfort, thwarted ambition and
wounded self love smoldered in her
deep, slumbrous eyes. There were
hours now when Baby VIM was left
to the scant care of the household nurse,
while the mother took the air upon the
piazza during the day or fitted about
from parlor to parlor along the row at
night. She was restless, nervous, as all
could see. She frequently assailed
Brayton with queries for news, always
decorously asking first if couriers had
come or were expected from the COM
mand afeld, yet speedily coming back
| to the real object of her constant
thoughts, the now much honored off,
Ger, her next door neighbor. For three
| days after he was pronounced able to
| sit up she did not succeed in seeing him
at all, though SO many other and, it
should be explained, much older women
did, but that did not abate one whit
her determination that he should speed
lily see her.
just what her object was she herself
could not have told. It was an instinct,
an impulse, a whim perhaps, but he
who had been her lover and was reject
ed had dared to gaze into her face with
| eyes serene and untroubled, had met
| her but half yelled references to old
| days with polite but positive indifer-
ence. She had nothing to ask of him,
| she told herself. She meant no disloy-
atty to Harry, no wrong of any kind.
Not bit of it, She had treated Bar
clay very badly. She had done him a
wrong that was much greater in her
own estimation than it was in that of
any one Of her neighbors, among whom
the women at least considered the loss
Of his inamorata a blessing in disguise,
but Laura fully believed that Barclay s
heart must have been crushed in the
| depth Of his woe, and that it was now
her duty to make friends again-per-
haps in some way to console him, not,
Of course, in any way to which Harry
could object; not, Of course, in any way
to which the post ought to object, but
,-well, even to herself, as has been said,
she could not entirely and satisfactorily
explain her motive. It was impossible
therefore that she could hope to do SO
to anybody else, and yet she had dared
to write to him. It was only a little
note, and yet with all its inconsistent
cies it said SO much:
DEAR CAPTAIN BARcLAY-I cannot tell YOU
my distress at hearing Of your again being Sc
verely wounded, especially at time when
had hoped to have you meet and better know
my husband but now in his distressing alb
sence I, who more than any woman at this
pest am anxious to show my sympathy and
sorrow, am practically helpless Do tell me il
there is anything can do, though am sure
can't see what is left for me, with no cook OF
kitchen, and Mrs. Frazier and the Misses Fra
zier sending such loads Of things really
envy them and Mrs. Blythe the privilege Of
their years in going to see you personally, 70,