Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1903-11-03
DANIELS
AWAKENING
BY MoGde j.
.SuiIiJon
Copyright. 1913. By 7. G. Mcclure

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Though two women had called bin
Husband" Daniel NewcOmb had never
been i'm love. His first marriage. with 0
cousin. had been to satisfy the terms Of
his grandfather's will. and the SECOND
union was simply one Of convenience
Daniel Ncwcomb. widower. had need
ed housekeeper. and Betty Blondale
an orphan. too old to seek the shelter
of IN institution and too truStful to Dt
thrown on the world. had needed q
hunie. 1t had resulted as such mar
riaycs usually do -disaslrously for the
woman.
Daniel was satisfied with Betty. She
was pretty and economical, and she
made him comfortable, but Betty had
grown to love her stolid husband with
all the ardor of young and grateful
heart. Would he ever really care fol
her? Could anything make her appear
lovely in his sight! She was asking
herself these questions as she stood IN
Mrs. Yardwclls millinery shop survey,
ing the mass of lace and flowers that
rested on her sunny head.
81 tell you what. Mis- Newcomh.
said Mrs. Yardwell. ready to close q
bargain. If Daniel don't like it or he
thinks it too high priced I'll agree to
change it. Most all my hats are sold
with that understandin' Husbands
have to be pleased nowadays"
"'risn't the price. Daners real lib
eral. III take it." answered Betty nerv-
ously as she opened her purse. There
was wistful look in her hazel eyes as
she asked. Did you know Mary Ellen.
Daniels first wife?"
"From the time she was a baby"
would she have worn a hat like
this?"
Land. no, Them buttercups wouldn't
"a looked well agin Mary Ellen's red
face. to say nothin' of tile poppies. Id
as soon looked fer tosSels on Il clothes
line us fer posies on Mary Ellen. Even
if she'd been inclined to wear 'em. she'd
have faltered at the cost. She was eX-
tremely prudent"
$50 Daniel says" murmured Betty
as she left the shop. Her precious
head gear deposited carefully in the
wagon. she unhitched her horse and
started it toward the trim farmhouse
by the river. Mrs. Yardwell watched
her until her slender figure faded from
sight. Then she went into her work
room.
"Sereny," she said to her helper,
"Daniel Newcomb's new wife is Il rea!
takin' little thing. as sweet an pretty
as t'other was humbly an stingy. I'm
afraid from what she said that Daniel
is Mary Ellenn' her TO death. Poor
little thing! do hope she is happy.
But Betty was not happy. Many
times since her marriage had she look
ed with tear filed eyes toward the lit
tie burial plot beneath the evergreens
and prayed that she might fill the
place i'm her husbands heart formerly
occupied by the woman sleeping there.
Her husbands approval of her was
gauged by the way her actions tailed
with Mary Eilen's.
Daniel was not displeased. but the
difference in the women was so strlK-
ing that more than once he was quite
of an uttered comparison.
The first wife. Il model housewife. had
Il faculty of making people feel uncom
Portable in her presence. Betty's
household duties might be performed Il
trihe less reiiSiouSiy, the dust might
sometimes settle upon the parlor fur
niture. but the sunlight crept there.
too. and her very nature radiated com
patibility.
On one occasion the usual compari
son remained uneXpresSed. Betty had
called her husband into the brightly
lighted parlor and pointed proudly to
the old sofa piled high with pillows
covered with chintZ and denims. She
had found some unused feather beds
in the attic and in them had seen the
possibilities of cozy corner such as
she had often admired in the shop
windows. Before Daniel could utter
the customary "Mary Ellen wouldn't
have done that" she invited him to
test its comfort. and, lulled by the
luxurious softness, the remark was
lost in doze. Thereafter II was his
favorite retreat and one not forbidden
him. Shade of Mary Ellen. How was
Betty to know that the unused feather
beds and the darkened parlor were the
pride Of her predecessors heart?
1t was with many misgivings that
she called Daniels attention to her
new hat. There was no mistaking the
disapproyal in his countenance.
"You-going- that" he
gasped.
.'Why. yes. Don't you like it. Dan.
iel?" Betty perched it bewitchinSly on
her head.
ITS pretty enough. But how those
red flowers will look agin the Grape
band Oh my hat! vowed I'd show all
respect to Mary Ellen. and that band
can't come off in less than year.
Amt you got no respect for appear
ances? Red poppies agin black Grape!
Oh. Betty. can't you understand how |
feel?" One look ut the bright head ana
the nodding flowers. and Daniel dashed
out toward the barn.
Poor Betty. She removed the hat
aud fell weeping into Il chair. Yes: she
understood. She knew now how lonely
he was. and she would show him that
she sympathized with him. Hurriedly
she wrapped up the offending head
dress and slipped from the house. 1t
was long. hot walk back to the MILL
ner's. hut her one thought was to get
back 10 Mrs. Yardwell.
"Mrs. Yardwell." she cried breath
lessly after what seemed an eternity OF
walking, "i've come to change my hat.
I've got 10 have Il mourning bonnet"
"For the land sakCs!" exclaimed the
Nilliner. Hurried by curiosity. Have
vou lost u relation? didn't know you
had one"
"Sort Of one" answered Betty, giving
farewell pat to the peoples. Il want
the deepest dyed mourning you've
got"
HOOD E4RM
C-~~o4 ErAe0