The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-03-03
CHAPTER VII,
Continued.

1t is difficult to feel that sense of
humiliation, that overwhelming con-
seriousness of the superiority of an
other family, however closely con-
nected, to our very own, without a
little grudge against the happy, the
worthy, the fortunate. Carry loved
her sister tenderly, and Edith's hap
piness was dear to her; but the sight
Of that happiness before her eyes was
more than the less fortunate sister
could bear. She could not look upon
Edith's bright boy, with his candid
c~ountenance, without thinking with
a deeper pang of Toms lowering
brows, and that horrible look of in
toXication which she had seen in his
face; nor could she see her brother-in-
law busy and cheerful with his public
work, his table piled with letters,
blue-books, all the paraphernalia of
business, without thinking of Beau
forts dilettante ease. his dislike of
being appealed to, his "Oh, l know
nothing of business" Why did he
know nothing of business? Why was
he idle, always idle, good for nothing,
while others-oh, with not half his
powers!-were working for the coun-
try? 1t was still Carry's desperate
belief that no one had half his powers
yet sometimes she said to herself
that, had he been stupid as some
were, she could have borne it, but
that it was the waste Of these higher
qualities which she could not bear.
Even this little refuge of fancy was
taken from her on the occasion of a
meeting about some country move
ment, to which her husband was
called as the guardian of young Tom,
and when he had to make a speech
much against his will. His speech
was foolish, tedious and ignorant
how, indeed, should he know about
the affairs of a Scotch country
while John Erskine held the matter
and the attention of the hearers in
his hand. 81 thought Lady Cars new
husband had been a very clever man"
she heard, or fancied she heard, some
WV ooy 90 thC pCOplC N1oPSl0So. Il
haps she only fancied she heard it,
caught it in a look. And how they
applauded John Erskine, who did so
well!-oh, she knew he did so we'll,
the master of his subject end of the
peoples sympathies; whereas what
information could poor Edward have,
what common interest with all these
people? Poor Edward! Carry's
heart contracted with an ineffable
pang to think she could have called
him so.
She loved Edith all the same-oh,
yes! How could she fail to love her
only sister, the person mort near to
her in all the world? But yet she
shrank from seeing Edith, and felt
at the sound of her happy voice as
if she, Garry, must fly and hide her
self in some dark and unknown place,
and could not bear the contact Of the
other, who had the best of everything,
and in whose path all was bright.
To %sympathize with ones neighbours
b~lessedness, when all that makes her
happy is reversed in ones own lot,
is hard, the hardest of all the ex-
ercises of charity. Garry said to her
self that she was glad and thankful
that all was so well with Edith; but
to hide her own face, to turn to the
wall, not to be the witness of it, was
the best thing 10 do. To look on at
all, with the aching consciousness of
failure on her own part, and smile
over her own trouble at Edith's hap
piness was more than she was able to
do; yet this was what she did day
after day. And she read in Edith's
eyes that happy woman's opinion of
Tom, her verdict upon Beaufort and
her disappointment in Janet. Though
Edith said nothing, Carry knew all
that she could have said, and even
heard over intervening miles, and
through stone walls the Poor Carry"
which her sister said. Her heart
tainted within her to realize every
thing, yet she did it, and covered her
face and covered her ears not to hear
and see that pity, which she would
neither have heard nor seen by any
exercise of ordinary faculties. But
the mind by other means both sees
and hears.
Edward" she said to her husband
suddenly one day, I'VE must leave
this place. I cannot bear it any
more!"
He turned round upon her with a
look of establishment. Leave this
place! But why, my love?" - said.
His surprise was quite genuine. He
had not then, during the whole of her
martyrdom, acquired the faintest in
sight into her mind.
There is no reason" she said
hastily, "only that I cannot-cannot
bear it any more"
But is that not a little ~unreasona-
BILE, Garry? Why should you 90
away? 1t is only the middle of Sep
TENDER. Tom does not get back to
school for ten days at least-and
after that"
Edward. I Tate the place. You
knew that I hated the place"
Eyes, my love; and felt that it was
not quite like my Garry to hate any
place, especially the place which must
be her sons home"
II never wanted to come" she said.
land now that We have proved-how
inexpedient it was"
Don't say so, dear. I have told
you my opinion already. The best