The Virginia enterprise., 1900-02-02
The GOOD IT WROUGHT,

''ly darling, it is entirely out of the
question"
Ernest Rodney parted the yellow, clus-
tering curls from his young wife's brow
as he spoke, and looked down at her
heaven-blue eyes with troubled light
in his own.
But, Ernest, why? She is a woman,
this aunt of yours, with all woman's
tender and feminine Influences" pleaded
Lucy Rodney.
''She is an old maid, Lulu, with all
| an old maids unuccountable whims and
! caprices. And l tell you she would
! never forgive ME if she were to know
of my marriage"
Lucy's brown eyes glittered through
nionientary tears.
Ernest l am sometimes tempted to
wish that you had never seen me-"
Lucy! My darling! Are you so soon
beginning to lose hope and courage?" he
| asked, almost reproachfully.
Oniy for your sake, Ernest. l am
happy, just as we are.''
Then. dearest, dismiss the one shadow
from your heart. We will! struggle along
aunt,s property becomes ours
Oh Ernest! it seems so wrong thus to
| creatures!''
He smiled and shrugged his shoulders.
1T Is the way of the world, my love-
And have certainly nothing to expect
from Aunt Esther during her lifetime
me Godspeed. If succeed in selling nv
picture, l will be back by noon. If not
why, then. shall just try again.
And so the young artist parted from
his pretty wife.
Lucy ran after him to the steps.
Ernest! Ernest! You'll be sure and
not forget to order the little cradle! Baby
came 50 near falling off the sofa last
night"'
I'll remember" said Ernest Rodney
He would have liked to spring into an
omnibus instead Of walking on that sui
try June morning; he would have en-
Joyed "A clgar-but he remembered Ln-
cy's darneu gown and menhel gloves
and resoutely buttoned up his slender
| purse.
mo-" he said to himself 1T is these
!ndulgenccS that drain away Il fellows
income; l must not give way to Il single
onc-not until l am richer than ut pres
| ent." p''
Nhlle pretty Lucy sat down by the
window, its seat filled in with roses and
| gcraniums, to sing her blue-eyed baby to
sleep. and contrive how she could best
turn her only black silk dress upside
down and Inside out, to make it seem
! like new again.
Newell 4 Moulding, furniture dealers
and upholsterers, had just struck 2, and
MIR: Moulding entered with brisk step.
boy cried he, breathlessly, to an
OvergrOwn specimen of the genus homo,
who was polishing bedstead back,
where is this cradle to go?"
:, Name of E. Rodney" the boy speed
lily made answer.
"Whcre?'
The boy scratched his head.
I'll forget, sir" he reluctantly re-
piled. But know the name was Rod
ncy."
You're blundering- headed dolt," Mr..
Moulding barked impatiently out. DO
YOU expect an article is to stand here
all day after being bought and paid for?
Give me- the directory quick
He whirled the pages over with his
nnger and presently came to a medita-
Rodney, E." he muttered between his
teeth, mo. - General street. Take #
around there at once. Martin. None of
your loahng around, now.
And Martin, shouldering the cradle,
started with promptitude.
Miss Esther Rodney sat at her worsted
work by the front window when Martin
toiled up the steps, his brow beaded with
perspiration. Now. Miss Esther was q
tall, thin old maid, with a brown face.
angular jaws and irregular teeth.
Bless my soul alive!" cried Miss Es-
ther, dropping the worsted needle which
was was about to finish dogs nose in gray
coming here for?' and she jerked up
the window. Boy! bow! there is some
mistaken '''.
Martin stared.
Name of b. Rodney, mem!" said he.
slanclng obviously at the door-plate.
which bore similar legend.
'Humphw shifted Miss Rodney. "what
on earth do you suppose I wSnt Wiz viii,
such an article as that? Who ordered
"Your husband, mem, 1 s'pose," an
swered Martin, hopelessly.
"Never had such a thing in my life,'
ret0rted the spinster, sharply
1T was young gentleman, mem, a
tall party with brown whiskers," ex-
planned Martin, name of E. Rodney"
sudden light broke in upon Miss Rod
ney,s bewildered BRAIN
Its my nephew, Ernest" cried she.
AS true as l live and breathe, it's NV
nephew Ernest. A cradle! Then hes
been and gone and married that artist 4
daughter, after oil. But III be- at the
bottom Of the mystery, or I'll know the
reason why.'
What be l a-goin' to do with the
cradle?' vacantly demanded the unsuc-
cessfui embassy of Messrs. Newell &
Moulding. after waiting in vain for some
further advice.
Take it to Jericho, for what / care, -
said Miss Esther sharply. "Only don't
bring it here We want no cradles in
this house"
Jericho being manifestly out of the
question, Martin took the cradle back to
the warehouse, where Mr.. Newell swore
at him, until he was out of breath.
And Miss Rodney, whisking on her
bonnet and shawl, hurried round to the
quarter of the city where she knew her
nephew had secured lodgings.
Married! and never to tell me-" said
she to herself. "A cradle, and never to
let me know. l wouldn' t have believed
it of Ernest. Some fine lady with folded
| hands and rings on her fingers, and a
nurse to take care of her baby, I'll 60
bail. Poor Ernest; he never did have
common sense about those things!
1t was pretty, one-story cottage, just
OH the edge of the suburbs, on whose
door Miss Rodney knocked-a cottage
ceived, the window glass was faultlessly
clear, and the muslin curtains daintily
white. No one answered the sound and,
pushing the door open, Miss Rodney en-
tered.
In little room, at the end of the
hall, Mrs. Ernest Rodney stood, her
sleeves rolled up, her pretty arms i'm
mersed in soapsuds, while with one foot
she gently agitated the bread tray on the
floor lin which lay blue-eyed baby,
wide awake and sm;lipg). Miss Esther
stood stin and gazed at the fair, cherry
checked little woman in her gingham
dress and checked apron, her curls pinned
back and her energies devoted SO ear
nestly to the task of washing Ernest's
collars and wristbands.
Not such a helpless fire lady az
thought said Miss Esthe, "A pretty
baby: too, and the very image Of DOOR,
dear Ernest when he was a child"
Suddenly Mrs. Ernest, thrilled by the
unconscious electricity with which ones
presence, however unsupported, win in
spire another, turned around -
Who are your she asked, with a
slight start. How came you here?'
Il am your husbands aunt, my dear"
said Miss Esther, quite gently. "Will
you come here and kiss me? Yes, YES,
you arc pretty--and you have q sweet.
Truthful 7 Hn 1,<I:o..,..F