The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1909-05-25

daughter. This was at the cost of
| another allowance from Toms estate,
for it was not fit that Toms mother
in-law should continue to earn her
bread poorly without her daughters
assistance, in poor little confection-
| er's shop. Beaufort managed all this
without even betraying the income Of
this poor old woman, or where she
lived, to the researches of the Lin
Edons, for Lady Car was very tender
of her boys name, even now.
And she was taken home-to Eas-
ton, which she loved, and said she
was much better, and was able to be
out on her husbands arm, and sit on
the lawn and watch the sun setting
and the stars come out over the trees.
But she had got her death wound
| She lay on the sofa for months, for
all one lingering winter after another,
smiling upon all that was done, very
| anxious that Janet should go every
where and enjoy everything, and that
Beaufort should be pleased and
happy. She asked nothing for her
self, but gave them her whole heart
of love and interest to everything
that was done. She had her sofa
placed where she could see them
when they went out, and smiled when
Beaufort said, always with slight
right to leave her, that he was going
to ride over to the club, or to spend
day in town. do; and bring us back
all the news" she said. And when
Janet went away with conjunction
to go to balls with her grandmother,
Lady Car was the one who explained
away all objections. "Quite pleased
to have you go-to have Beau to my
self for little, Lady Car said some
times, even little vexing her child;
but, when Janet was gone, urging
Beaufort to the pleasure he longei,
but he did not like to take. 1t is
just what wanted, that you should
go to town, and you can bring me
back news of my little Dem" Some
times they were even little piqued
that she wanted them so little-poor
Lady Car!
And thus quite gently she faded
away, loved-as other people love,
not as she loved-cherished and re-
vered, but not as she would have re-
vered and cherished; with husband
who read the papers and went to his
club, and got very gracefully through
life, in which he was of no Importance
to any one, and her only son banished
in frfno chootipO hi gonna lanai
was a good child, very good, but her
mother never knew how near this
child was to her in the shadowy land
where people may wander side by
side, but without the intervention of
words or some self-betrayal never
find each other out. Perhaps had
Janet found the courage to fling her
self down at her mothers side, and
say all that was in her heart, the
grasp of warm hand might have
brought her back to life. But Janet
had not the courage, and everything
went on in it's daily calm, and the
woman whose every hope had faded
into blank disappointment, and all
her efforts ended in failure, faded
away. The first summer Lady Car
still went out to dine, and walked a
little about the garden with her hus-
bands arm; the next day she was car
ried out to her sofa on the lawn. All
went so very gradually, so very softly,
that no one noted. She was very deli
cate. When that gets to be fully rec
ognized, there seems no reason why
it should not go on forever; not so
happy state as perfect health, to be
sure, but no reason why there should
be any change.
One evening she was out Of doors
longer than usual-a soft, lingering
summer night-so warm that even an
invalid could get no harm out of
doors. She loved to see the daylight
gradually fade away, and the stars
come out above, and over all the wide
champaign below a twinkle of little
human lights here and there She
took almost childish pleasure in
those lights, thinking as much of the
villages and scattered houses-identi-
flying their humanity low down among
the pillows of the wood or the sweep
of the upland slopes, and by its little
lights-as of the stars above. "The
greater and the lesser lights she
said, and then murmured low to her.
self, "Compensations," under her
breath.
What do you mean by compensa-
tions, Carry?"
II do not much believe in them, !"
she said. Nothing can compensate
for what one loses. 1t is better not.
Looking to the east, Edward, see
there are no lights, but only that
silvery, misty grayness, where any
glory might lie hidden only we see
it not. Now / have come so far as
this, think like that best"
$50 far as what, Carry?" Some
thing cold and chill seemed to come
over them like cloud. 1T is grow
ing chilly; you ought to come indoors,
my love-
"Yes, presently. / have always
been fond Of the lights--like baby;
but look the other way. You would
say at first there WIS nothing to be
seen at all; but there are all the
shades OF grayness from one tint to
another, and everything lying still.
putting out no self-assertion, content
| to be in Gods hand. And so am T..
Edward /.
@Yes, my love"
"Quite content I have had every