Rocky Ford enterprise., 1903-04-24
MRS. HAROLD stage.
Copyright OaHd 5 "
CHAPTE Err I.

outcome OF some minutes OF revefie,
during which she sat tapping one OF
her feet neTyOusly ON the carpet anu
staring into space with harassed ex-
precision In her dark blue eyes. I'VE
must take them In
lit Is exceedingly kind OF you to
suggest il. Emma replied her hus'
hand, The same idea had occurred
to him. but he had refrained from
putting IL Into words. for he realized
that the burden of establishing three
orphaned children In the house wonld
fall almost entirely ON his wife. The
additional expense would be Il very
small consideration. the Important
factors in the case were the care. wor'
r. and responsibility necessary in'
yolyed. He would doubtless have
deemed Il his duty to propose the
plan himself after a time. had his
wife not done so. bu, this spontaneous
offer gTaIlhed him. and. moreover.
confirmed him In the belief that En-
MA vas ore Of the kindest and most
unselfsh women In the world.
''It is your duty. Harold. she said.
With n somewhat Tragic air. And
what Is your duty is mine. There Is
10 other way OF looking at IT, We
must send for them nj once"
so II seems to me- he said. dc
oldcdly. 'Iil start myself tonight. I
hhall scarcely be In time for the FUN
"rah hut thcrc'il be "A lot of things TO
Lc attended to af,crward, and the
children may have no one whom they
al 4 hFlN h.n
East myself
''it will he excessively Inconvcnl.
cnt Of course continued Mrs, Stagg.
EtiIl staring into distance. The two
boys we cnn seEd to boarding school.
viii write to Mr. sampson ;o,mor.
rev. to see II he has any vacancies
for next term. shall have TO put
them all In the blue suite. The bare
Idea, though. Of having three pain OF
muddy boots trampIng NIL over the
house on my rev carpets and polish.
Cd noorH and destroying NIL the fresh.
ness of the chintEcH and the furniture
Ia my beloved blue suite. makes me
feel positively III. There's no help for
~. though. that I can sec. except to
insist on their going up tn. back
stairs" She spoke now rapidly aud
inclEivcly. Having definitely settled
that the children were TO be taken In.
fEc was bent upon formulating as
soon as possible. the necessary ar.
TanecmentS. Her rgIIe housckccpcr's
riind forcsaw n thousand compllca.
t:ons which her energy ycarncd to
srapplc with and solve.
Way no, put Eleanor Into the
spare room and the two boys into the
play room. II you think they would In
jurc the blue suIic7 You could easily
rake them comfortable there"
And what would my own children
40 for n play room, should like TO
know No. no. I am not going to
iayc little Harold and Posic's com.
fort intcrfcrcd with. now that every.
thing is working smoothly In my
nursery. In the blue suite the three
BaldwIns will tc by themselves In
connecting rooms: and II they catch
anything there Will be some chance of
getting thcm out OF the house before
the children are exposed. Parsons
she said to the servant who had an.
swcrcd the bell. II wish you to send
Nolan. referring to the chore man
the first thing tomorrow morning
to inquire why Hastnctt a. Haley
have not sent the mattresses for the
bedrooms In the blue suite. as they
promised. Mr.. Haley told me him.
self" she added to her husband,
',ha, they should be in the house
week ago ..
Harold Stage was quite content. us
well ns used. to leave to his wife the
settlement of all household details.
He reserved the exercise OF his own
authority for serious emergencies,
when 1t seemed to him that principles
we're involved.
The only part he took In the do.
nestle affairs was to pay the bills
with great promptncss. which he
could well afford 10 do, as he was
wealthy. and had a live and flourish.
Ing business. 1t was a relief to him
that Emma took such vital interest
In everything appertaining to the
Idornmert and sanitary welfare of
their home. Although they had re.
Gently moved into a large and mag.
uificent establishment. tho cares Incl.
cent to refurnishinE had not been al.
lowed to harass him. Mrs. Stagg
had strong convictions In regard to
carpets and curtains and ceilings and
dados, and the other crucial points in
house decoration which are so apt to
require husbands judicial dctermin.
alton before final choice is arrived
at. She was, moreover, rigid dis
cipinarian on the subject of plumb.
ing, keenly apprehensive of sewer gas,
and eloquent ns to tile importance of
traps and Other appliances for its in.
perception.
None but finished servants were
tolerated in her household, where
everything was conducted with view
to elegance of effect, and her eagle
eye was swift TO detect the smallest
infringement of her precise and elab.
crate domestic rules. In appearance,
she was tall, slim and nervous, with
fine dark eyes. vivacious brisk man.
rers, and rapid utterance. She had
reen married later than many of her
contemporaries. but she had been max
ing up for 1t ever since by her display
Of social energy.
Perceiving that his wife was en-.
a. 4. la.p pI4