New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-03-07
TIE Oxrr1 of the Balance.
BIZ MARGARET JOHNSON.

She had always loved him eagerly. passionateIy.
as Few sisters perhaps. love even only brother
They had been comrades pIayfellows. companions
from the time he began 70 toddIe-he two years
older than she. proud OF her and devoted 20 her
She did not marry very young simply because. as
she frankly admitted, her sutors were not nearly
as nice as Jim. and she could not bring herself
Ike any one who fell below that iuvsriable stand
ard Of comparison.
When az last she did say yes IL was TO a man in
every way Jim's opposite except I'm that Of being
a thoroughly good fellow man grave. plain.
practical and quiet. very much in love with her.
and ready. for her sake. n adopt her delightful
brother JiT's business required him 10 travel
good deal. but whenever he came back il was to
her
She was very happy with her husband and with
the little daughter who came to them after year
or two; but her happiness was more and more OF
the staid and quiet kind. She grew like her hus-
band. as women will. the years passed. falling
into his sedate and prosaic attitude OF mind. and
losing some OF the briliancy and animation which
, Jim. however. was the link. that bound her. TO
her youth He was unchanged. With his coming.
the sound or his elastic step, his ringing voice.
came back all the brightness and gayety Of the
U.s. J{4Ily lheE renewed the old intercouTse
aLsI ciu!sh associations their old jokes and by
words; their old mutual attitude toward people
If Was scsrcaiv, les. me lsila' IN ms qIe{ way.
and happlest when they were together.
marriage after ffteen such years IsarTV
broke Helens heart. she knew il meant practical
y the losing OF him out Of her life RE wO,lId
sin be the aTectionate and faithful brother. but
where The new wife was stranger Her
LoLnalngs would De his her interests. her friends.
neT associations. her life The old days were over.
She was too wise and deep hearted woman
10 cherish any petty jealousy she made the bride
heartily welcome. rejOCed honestly and openly in
tears IN secret.
lie, HeIen continued 70 miss him keenly and con-
stantly- How keenly, how constantly. she
was borne steSdiIv vyestvari 1000 ~ 5s aS S
and ETief stricken home. The OF her sister
in-law,s sudden death had come TO her a be-
Il cannot believe IT." she cried to her husband
Il cannot! Ii was all so beautiful, right
perfect IN every way-their hOme-their Hfe-Jim
was happy-and have Il broken of
short IKE this-ended forever, in momentl IL
seems Just ike some dreadful mistake-somebody
giving the wrong order. and throwing whole
lovely design into woful wreck and ruin!''
filed her mind during her hasty preparations for
think. other considerations crowded into her busy
brain The thought, This gives my brother back
to me-" came again and again, throwing curious
brightness over all the haze OF pain and grief that
HIS wife's family were nothing to him. nor he to
T Sar eS Se not5 IIs 1o I11nI ' 5
r,rco re- y,,-r, i-,r,si,ye ta-5srer,o, o0J ~
cold reticence Of theirs. Now that Katherine was
gone. there would be nothing bind him them.
that they might claim the babyI
dream for a moment ot putting that precious
charge into any but hersI He would never
give ~ Up entirely 10 any Jim not that
kind OF Besides. during the two short months
Of its existence he had grown exceedingly fond OF
the child, developing a capacity for parental az
lection which surprised Helen not little. She did
not herself especially for children. general
principles; but Jim's chid-Jin's little daughterl
She would bring II UP with her own Alice, and 10
should be a and powerful Ink to bind her
brother 10 her more closely than ever Poor little
motherless mitet 1t should never know the lack
OF a mother-she and Jim would see TO thatl And
wherever his child was there would be his home
and his heart.
The house ala not look like the house OF mourn
inE. The blinds were all up Jim's sster-in-law-
her name was Nary-met Helen at the door. She
had done everything there was 20 be done She
was very calm and self-COntained. and Helen felt
miles away from her IN spite OK their common
sorrow.
The baby was 70 be chrlstened that afternoon.
Jim was upstairs IN the nursery now. with the
child Helen's heart tightened with passionate
feeling She longed 10 leave this quiet woman.
and TO rush those two whom she loved, 20 claim
tharn-hers, But while she still sat. controlling
herself a step sounded on the stairs. and Jim
why. Nell yor, here," he said. almost IN hts old
voice And Helen ashamed OF the sob which
broke from her she saw his face-so changed
in these few short days-so worn as with Griei
and watching. ,-.,
Jim was very quiet and unselhshly concerned as