The Lamar register., 1903-04-22
CHAPTER 1.

staring into space with a harassed ex
! preston in her dark blue eyes. 1--WE
must take them in"
at is exceedingly kind of you to
suggest it, Emma" replied her hus-
band. The same idea had occurred
to him. but he had refrained from
putting it into words, for he realized
that the burden of establishing three
orphaned children in the house would
fall almost entirely on his wife. The
additional expense would be very
small consideration: the important
factors in the case were the care. wor-
r. and responsibility necessary in
volved. He would doubtless have
deemed it his duty to propose the
plan himself after time. had his
wife not done so. but this spontaneous
offer gratified him, and, moreover.
confirmed him in the belief that EN-
ma was one of the kindest and most
unselflsh women in the world.
ut is your duty, Harold" she said,
with a somewhat tragic air. And
what is your duty is mine. There Is
10 other way of looking at it. We
must send for them at once"
so it seems to me-" he said. de-
oidedly. "Ill start myself tonight.
shall scarcely be in time for the fun
eral but there'll be a lot of things to
lie attended to afterward. and the
children may have no one whom they
can call upon. Then l can bring them
East myself.
1T will be excessively inconveni-
ent. of course" continued Mrs. Stage
still staring into distance. THE two
boys we can send to boarding school.
will write to Mr.. Sampson to-mor
row, to see IL he has any vacancies
for next term. l shall have to put
them all In the blue suite. The bare
idea. though, of having three pairs of
muddy boots tramping all over the
house on my new carpets and polish
ed floors and destroying all the fresh
ness of the chintzes and the furniture
in my beloved blue suite. makes me
feel positively Ill. There's no help for
1t, though, that I can see, except to
insist on their going up the back
stairs" She spoke now rapidly and
Incisively. Having definitely settled
that the children were to be taken in.
sEe was bent upon formulating as
soon as possible, the necessary ar
rangements. Her agile housekeeper's
mind foresaw a thousand complica-
tons which her energy yearned to
grapple with and solve
"Why not put Eleanor into the
spare room and the two boys into the
play room. II you think they would in
jure the blue suite? You could easily
make them comfortable there
"And what would my own children
40 for a play room, I should Ike to
know? No, no, am not going to
Rave little Harold and Posie's com,
fort interfered with, now that every
thing is working smoothly In my
nursery. In the blue suite the three
Baldwins will be by themselves in
connecting rooms; and If they catch
anything there will be some chance of
getting them out of the house before
the children are exposed. Parsons"
she said to the servant who had an
swered the bell. Il wish yom to send
Nolan, ,"-referring to the chore man
the firsr thing tomorrow morning
to inquire why Hastnett q Haley
have nat sent the mattresses for the
bedrooms in the blue suite. as they
promised Mr.. Haley told me him
SELF" she added to her husband.
that they should be in the house
week ago.
Harold Stagg WAS quite content. as
well as used, to leave to his wife the
settlement of all household details.
He reserved the exercise OF his own
authority for serious emergencies,
when it 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 promptness. which he
could well afford to do. as he was
wealthy. and had a live and flourish
ing business. 1t was relief to him
that Emma took such a vital interest
in everything appertaining to the
adornment and sanitary welfare of
their home. Although they had re
Gently moved into large and mag
nificent establishment. the cares ioci-
cent to refurnishing 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 determin-
alton before a final choice is arrived
at. She was. moreover, u rigid dis
ciplinarian on the, subject of plumb
ing. keenly appreaensive of sewer gas.
and eloquent as. to the Importance of
traps and other appliances for ito 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