The Republican journal., 1901-03-07

Myrtle's happiness; yet at the thought
| that she was SO soon to be again left
alone her ewes filled with tears. Harold
knew intuitively of what she was think
ing, and throwing an arm careSsingly
about her waist he exclaimed, "Dear
Auntie, I am not going to take Myrtle
away where YOU cannot see her, for
winters we shall expect you to spend
with u.s. and in summer our vacation
will be with YOU Mrs. Hadley replied
with more emotion than Harold had
ever seen her manifest-and only once
before had Myrtle seen her SO affected.
''My dear children, for such you have
become to me, may God bless
you and keep you always happy. You
have brought sunshine into my dark
and gloomy life''.
AS the next term would be the last
that Myrtle would spend in the school,
it was thought best to keep the engage
ment secret until the close. Harold
wished the marriage to take place soon
after his graduation, which would be the
last of June. Amy extended wedding
trip would have to be postponed until
his fathers estate was settled.
Mrs. Hadley insisted that the marriage
should take place in her home and Myrtle
suggested that they would stand on the
portico facing the lawn in front and
that all her pupils might be invited to
witness the ceremony. Now while the
busy preparations are in progress let
us take peep into Harold's quiet, sub
urban home, a little retired from the
dust and heat of the city. Here Jane
Hadley, Harold's half sister, held sway.
In one respect she might be likened to
Martha, who was careful and troubled
about many things" She kept but one
domestic and watched and superintend-
ed the minutest details of her home,
feeling that should she be absent even
for day that the home machinery
would get sadly out of order She was
tall and ignifed-almost angular in
person-with piercing black eyes that
commanded obedience from all who
came within her realm, and possessing
that imperious, tyrannical pride that
with such tact and skill ever defends
itself, binding the beholder to any hid
den selfish motive, and convincing them
that her ways were just and right, how
ever much she might misrepreseDt
things. Her assurance and apparent
honesty made all see as her own eyes
saw.
Harold possessed her undivided affec-
tloll, dllu Ill IllIu dill lel dlHUItlOI dllll Ill
terest conferred TO him only was she
indulgent and self-sacrifcing Her love
for him and constant regard for his
wishes threw an impenetrable veil be-
fore his eyes, hiding from him her real
character. 1t is not strange that people
can live in close companionship for
years and not learn the real character
of each other? Had Harold been brought
up with other children, been taught to
| share his toys and by some self sacrifice
contribute to the joy Of others, his nat
urally affectionate nature might have
grown unseltish: but alone, and made
to think only of himself he had never
learned to submit his own will or pleas
ure to the interest of others. Refined
| and cultured, his intellect finely devel-
oped but not his heart Had he been
! called selfish:he would have scorned the
| idea and felt that he was terribly wrong
ed. and so would the community at
large, for no one gave more literally in
any charitable movement SO he was
called a generous, noble man. 1t was
only in the little things of every day
home life that his selfishness was APP
, parent.
ITO BE CONTINUED