Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-16
THE FIRST CROSS worn.


hhnd and wife seemed more So"
"Well done, Kate" said Mrs. Huntington,
laughing. "you have nsed the word mem ouly
twice in that short sentence. Aud now you
have begging way about you, as If you were
| really in earnest to hear something about
married life before taking the fatal step. 1t
is we'll Henry is not here to see the Look Of
sadness in the eye Of his bre elect. He
might fancy her henri was full Of misg.v;ugs
instead of wedding fnery."
Don't laugh At me, Annette; talk with
me as you used TO da. love iienry, you
know, aud yet have many misgivirgs about
married life. l see ~ few who are really
happy in this relation--G mean happy Us
should wish to be. You seem to coue nearer
to it than my one clse. Don't you ever"
"Quarrcl? no. hpt often, now. We had our
breaking in. I believe it must come to ull,
| sooner or. later"
do tell me about IL, will you. Annette r.
eyes, if you'are very DESTROYS If il. fuu
may learn something from itS was TO.
mantle ghl, as !eu well know, Kate. Some
| few friends had, whom Lowell dearly, but
| these friendships dill not quite satisfy my
hiuLHk Ioy1 IL nAppened TINS his pessaa!;s M; -
we were first married, used t" ask myself
now, do find in this iiIe all which expect
cd to find? Am | us happy asI thought l.
should be? My hoart always Responded, yes.
and -more so. With US, the r.mance IN mar
rjed lie, if may call it so, held IN . long
time. For my part, was CONSCIOUS Of
pleasurable excitement Of feeling. when we
were together, enjoyed riding aud walking
alone wlth,him. The brightest hours Of the
day we're those in which we sat down aloue
together, to talk or read For long time
felt gentle restraint in bis presence. liked
TO be becumingly drussed, and 10 feel in tune.
When dull, made an effort to be social and
cheerful if he was present. had grea, fear
Of getting into the way of sitting dow stupid.
~ with my husband, or OF having nothing
to talk about but the children aud the butch
er's bill. made business of remem bering
every pleasant thing Which read or heard or
thought, to tell him, and when NIL these sub.
jeots were exhausted, VIC had encli Ut us n
Dobby we could ride, so that we were nrver
silent fer want OF something to say. Thusw
lived for q year or two. l wns very happy.
fthink people were often surprised to see us
ilo.tinue to enjoy each other society with 50
much zest.
But there was this about il. As yet I had
nothing to try me. We were boarding; tlad
no care, and his tenderness and interest was
q. sovereign panacta for the little ills and
roughnesses which must fall to US in our best
estate. This could not last forever. He be-
came more aud more occupied iu his business,
and u, length had u houseand buhy to look
after. THEN, for the first timc, our mutual
forbearance was put to the test, Hitherto,
VIC had been devoted to each other; ROW the
real cares of life pressed upon US so as cften
renlly to absorb our encrries T r,a the first
to feel the change. 1t seemed to me as if
something was overshadowing US. Sometimes
| would get sentimental, and think be did MT
love me rs he once did. As louk back now,
an convinced that here was my first acrony
step. Indulgence in these moods weakened
my resolution. 1t was an injustice to him Of
which ought not to have been guilty. 1t
left me, too, with wounded feeling, rs if
had been wronged, which began to affect my
spirits.
al had for some time carried about this
little sore spot in my heart. 1 kept the matter
all to myself, for WIS in part ashamed and
in part too proud to speak of it. Here was
another wrong STEP There is no security of
happiness in married lite, but in the most per-
feet confidence.
~There came n season Of damp, chilly
weather One morning | 60, up very irrita-
bic | had taken cold; my head ached, and
my baby had been worrisome during the night
In my kitchen had o cross, ignorant servant
glrl, and on this particular morning she had
done her very worst for breakfast Tho beef
steak was burned to a cindei, the eggs were
like bullets, the bread was half baked, and
the coffee, which was our main stay, was ex-
ccraole Ny husband was very patient With