Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-09-03
CHAPTER III.

haexard and worn, and, entering Tie
white cottage softly, paused at MS
half-open door and looked In. The
pleasant parlor was full OF light ano
warmth. A round tea table, covered
with spotless damask, stood In the
center of the room. Faint doors Oh
toast and tea pervaded the air. Inc
doctors chair-chintz covered ano
very plain, for he was poor as d
church mouse-waited in the hottes'
corner, with his rusty dressing gown
scorching merrily on it The crownihs
glory of the scene, however, was q wo-
man sitting on the hearth frolicking
with a child.
A girlish creaturE as dimpled and
round as a baby herself. She had loos-
ened about her shoulders a radlan'
shower of long blonde hair-hair tnat
seemed alive in its ripple and lustre'
and in 1t her 2-year-old Moppet was
playing hide-and- with the little
mother. Holding his breath, DR.. Cow
er stood In the shadow Of the door ans
watched them.
Into that yellow snare-that silky
snarl of light and splendor-plungeo
the laughing child, her angel race
peering out from it directly as from an
aureole.
softly" warns Dimple, "softly
Moppet;; If you pull the least bit
shall 60 for the doctors pill box.
Back darts the little face. Moppe'
is swallowed up in glory. Suddenly
out of her marvellous haircut OF q
tangle Of lustrous ripples and ringlets
she thrusts forth bare foot, white
as milk and curled up like rose leaf
The little mother seizes and covers II
with kisses.
BLESS me! The other, too, Moppe'
both feet, darling; come out, quick!
There's a big bear watching us from
the door; let us run!"
And run they do, straight into the
doctors arm, where mother and chllo
get mixed in delicious confusion.
Moppet Is released directly, and pat
tefs to a corner and drags solemnly
across the carpet the doctors slippers
After this exploit she takes little rest
on his knee, where she sits hugsine
the bare white foot and leaving it,
mate in a scarlet slipper, to swing like
a blossom in the freight
my dear boy Is tired tonight" signs
Dimple, kneeling on the hearth by the
chintz- covered chair, "and there are
wicked wrinkles between his eyes
An, how hateful 1t is to be poor!
None of that, you absurd Dimple,
saws the doctor. 'T hate ingratitude
I feel now like Adam before the fail
Here, look in my eyes. Are you grow
ing tired of a partnership Of poverty?'
She lifted her long lashes and look
ed up at him
II think 7 need not answer that,
she says; my dear boy knows. But
money is very nice, Philip. One gets
tired of pinching and worrying some
times-of seeing ones husband wrink-
led and gray before his time. One
would be glad of riches, not so much
for her own sake as for his and fol
Moppets."
His tired face puts on look so full
of trouble that she grows sorry in d
moment for her words. He even rises
with Moppet in his arms ,and takes
turn or two across the room, squeez-
ing the child to his breast.
"Dimple, my blessed little wife," ne
bursts out, hotly, hurriedly, don't talk
like that-don't! You rouse devi
in me; 1t tempts me to something thai
I cannot, will not do; that I have
sworn never to do-sworn solemnly
You don't understand, and I would
rather you did not. Let 1t pass; bu,
my darling must be content with such
goods as the gods provide; she must
take her boy as he is and make the
best Of him-a poor, plodding doctor
who will work for her. live for her, die
for her, If needs be-"
She went up to him and, being much
the shorter Of the two, twined hel
fingers in the button-hole Of the dress
ing gown and gazed up in his face.
Philip, you are hiding something
from met
He changed color, but only for al
instant.
True; my hankering for supper
Pardon me, but is not that toast grow
ing cold?"
And / have actually suspected yol
of the same thing before today"
81 don't like that word, darling" h
answered, gravely; trust and believe
me instead l could never keep from
you anything that you would be hap
pier to know. Be assured of this, nov
and in all the days to come"
Then they sat down to tea. Th'
meal over, and Moppet carried off t.
bed, DR.. Cover lighted a lamp on tn
mantel.
"Oh," pouted Dimple, 'you are OF
now to your stupid books, and no on
must disturb you till midnight, a
least.'
Don't sit up for me-" he answered
Late nOQrS 90 we'll eHOuSu loi q 6liH
zled fellow like me, but are destruc
tive to such eyes and dimples a
yours"
He took up his lamp and departe'
to his study, which opened on the 9th
er side of the hall. 1t was small
plain room, marked by the severe sim
plicity that characterized all the doc
tors household arrangements. HI
lighted a fire in the CRATE with his owl
hand, gathered his books from tn
shelves overhead, placed his lamp ol
a baize- covered table in the center o
the room and sat down to his tediou
night studies.
A strong, patient, over-worked man
as one could see. Now that he wa
alone, in his face appeared a haggar,
WEAKNESS absolutely startling. H
sighed deeply as he opened his books
and in his dark eyes-the only beaut
of his keen, nervous face-was far
off, troubled look, as If his thought
had travelled an immeasurable dis