The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1903-10-21
DANIELS
AWAKENING
BY Moude j.
.SuIHxjan
Copyright, I@1. by I. c. Mcclure


|s+s*s*s*e%s**
Though two women had called him
husband" Daniel Newcomb had never
been In love. His first marriage. with
cousin, had been Ia satisfy the terms of
his grnndfather's will. and the second
union WIS simply one of convenience.
Daniel Newcomb. widoWrr, had need
ed Il housekeeper, and Betty Rondale.
an orphan. too old To seek the shelter
of an institution and too trustful To he
thrown on the world. had needed II
home. 1t had resulted as such mar
riages usually dc diSastrouSly for the
woman
Daniel was satisfied with Betty. She
was pretty and economical, and she
made him comfortable. but Betty had
grown 10 love her stolid husband With
all the ardor Of n young and grateful
heart. Would he ever really care for
her? Could anything make her appear
lovely In his sight? She was asking
herself these questions as she stood in
Mrs. Yardwels millinery shop survey
ing the mass of lace and flowers that
rested on her sunny head.
Il tell you what. Mis- Newconib,"
said Mrs. Yardwcll. ready To close II
bargain. If Daniel don't like II or he
thinks Il too high priced I'll agree to
change 1t. Most all my hats are sold
with that understandin'. Husbands
have To be pleased now days
""fisn't the price. Daniels real lib
ernl. Ill take ii. answered BETTY merry
ously us she opened her purse There
was n wistful look In her hazel eyes as
Daniels first wife,"
prom the time she wns baby"
would she have worn n hat like
thisY"
Land, no. Them buttercups wouldn't
n looked well agin Mary Ellen's red
face, to say nothin of the peoples. Id
as soon looked fer tosseIs on clothes
line as 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"
SO Daniel says murmured Betty
as she left the shop. Her precious
head gear deposited carefully in the
wagon. she unhitched her horse and
started II 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 Ncwcomb's new wife is a read
takin' little thing, as sweet an pretty
as tother was humbly an stingy. I'm
afraid from what she said that Daniel
Is Mary Ellenln' her to death. Poor
little thing. do hope she Is happy"
But Betty WIS not happy Many
times since her marriage had she look
ed with tcur filled eyes toward the lit
tie burial plot beneath the evergrcens
and prayed that she might ill the
place In 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 Ellens.
Daniel was not dispensed. but the
difference In the women was so strlk-
unconscious of an uttered coInpa rison.
The first wife. II model housewife had
n faculty of making people feel uncom
Portable in her presence Betty's
household duties might be performed
trifie less religiOusly. the dust might
sometimes settle upon the parlor fur
niture, but the sunlight crept there.
l.. fnI
patibility.
ON one occasion the usual comparl
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 chntz and denims. She
had found some unused feather beds
In the attic and in them had seen the
possibilities Of coy 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 aud, lulled by the
luxurious softness. the remark was
lost In doZe. Thereafter II was his
fnvorite retreat and one not forbidden
him. Shade of Mary Ellen. How was
Betty TO know that the unused feather
beds and the darkencd 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 installing the
dlsapproval in his countenance,
you going to wear thatf' he
gasped
why yes. Don't you like it, Dan
iclF" Betty perched 1t Overwhelmingly on
her head.
ITS pretty enough. But how those
red flowers Will look agin the Grape
band on my Int! | vowed I'd show all
respect to Mary Ellen. and that band
can't come off in less than a year,
Amt you got no respect for appear
ances? Red peoples agin black Grape!
Oh, Betty. can't you understand how
feelf One look at the bright head and
the nodding flowers, and Daniel dashed
out toward the barn.
Poor Betty, She removed the hat
and fell weeping into chair. Yes; she
understood She knew now how lonely
he was. and she would show him that
she sympathiztd with him. Hurriedly
she wrapped mp the offending hend.
dress ana slipped from the house. 1t
was long. hot walk back to the milf
ner's, but her one thought was TO get
back TO Mrs. Yardwell.
Mrs Yardwell." she cried breath
lessly after what seemed mn eternity Of
walking, "I've come to change my bat
I've got to have mourning bonnet"
"lNor the land sakes"' exclaimed tie
milliner Hurried by curiosity. Have
you lost rrlationt didn't know you
had one"
Sort Of one" answered Betty. giving
a farewell pat to the peoples. Il want
the deepest dyed mourning you've
got"
t1.nc .on,, t,pnn Iur i,and heavy