Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1905-02-11


for l knew you would not leave the
baby all the evening"
"Of course l could not" said the
wife, picking up her baby and the tray.
"You will have a beautiful day; 1 half
envy you the nice ride; but I'm sure
you need it, and if l were you l would
not write another word to-day. Just
lie down on the lounge and take a nap,
and you will be all rested and bright
by dinner time. If any one calls l
will say you are engaged you are, You
know, engaged for dinner and I'll call
you in time to dress. and bring you
some not water. Now take my adj
vice." and noddlng aud smiling, the I'M
selfish woman drew down the shades
and left him.
And this was but a sample Of their
daily lives.
Mrs. Briant, Lucy's mother, was a
widow of some property. After the
marriage of all her children she had
broken up housekeeping, and had been
making a long visit to each of her two
married sons, and now she wrote to
say If it was agreeable to Mr.. and
Mrs. Holland, she would come and
make them a visit of : few weeks.
OF course Lucy, who was the young
est child and only daughter, was de-
lighted. She came, all tears and smiles
and bushes, to show the welcome let
ter to her husband. OF course he was
not quite so much elatCd at the pros
pect; it was not to be expected he
should be; and most wives would have
resented his unsympathizing colducss;
but Lucy had such a pretty, winning
way, and then she had, all uncOn-
sciously, learned the habit of arguing
with him through his own interests.
Mother is so cheerful" she said,
"and so pleasant, you will find her
excellent company; and then she is
such a splendid housekeeper, and
knows everything, and Katie and l are
so inexperienced. She is capital
cook, too, and makes things go as far
again az l can. And such nice things
after she has been here you will think
l don't know anything; but I shall
keep my eyes open, and try to learn
her way of doing things. l did not
think half enough of it while l lived
at home. And then she has had so
much experience with children, she is
as good as a doctor; and l am such
little goose If anything ails the baby
but l shall feel as If he is all right if
| can pop him into mothers arms,
and l shall not have to rout you up
at night to go for the doctor every
time he screws his dear little face up
into a pucker; and then she is so fond
of babies dare say she will tend him
half the time; and think how much
more time l shall have to read to you
and make parish calls"'
In due course of time Mrs. Briant
made her appearance. She was deli
cate, pleasing, lady-like little woman,
with sweet brown eyes and marvel
ously sweet voice, that excellent
thing in woman" Never yet came
Nemesis in gentler form or more al
Turing guise; but it was Nemesis all
the same. She was an acute and OBJ
serving woman; there was quiet but
keen penetration in those soft brown
eyes, but there was no bitterness about
her.
She read her son-in-law's character
at once; the soft brown eyes went
straight through his shallowness down
to his selfshness and Incidence. OF
course her motherly instincts were all
on Lucy's side, who, she saw, was
dropping under a burden of care be-
yond her strength; but she never
thought of making her unhappy by
pointing out her husbands faults to
her; on the contrary, she always prais-
ed him wherever she conscientiously
could. treated him with marked defer
ence, and made him more comfortable
in a dozen little ways, while she was
all the time quietly loosening his wife's
bonds and transferring them to him.
"Mr. Holland" she said to him one
day, in her sweet, gracious way, Twill
you have the kindness to pick us some
peas for dinner to-day?"
me? l pick the peas?" asked the
astonished son-in-law.
"Oh, no, no." hastily interposed
Lucy; 81 will get them; was just 60
ing"
MY dear child, no! The vines are
wet with last nights rain; and with
your thin dress! l would not have you
do it for the world; and l am sure Mr..
Holland would not hear Of such a
thing"
mo, no! certainly not" said the rev.
erend gentleman; ''it is not fit for her,
of COURSE" though he remembered un-
easily how many times she had done it,