The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1910-09-16

she planned 10 make IL pay Tor her
entire setting out" as Aunt Marshall
called IT, Aunt Marshall gave her as
much as she could from her little
store and added there unto her bless
ing, which Joy felt enriched her more
han all her gifts.
JOY and Billy were married and
vent away to the city to go to house
keeping in a four-room fiat. Joy
proved TO be a marvellous little house
wife; she juggled with the dimes I'M
I'll they did the work of dollars; she
kept Billy's clothes in perfect order;
ner dinners were the best OF their
kind to be had. She never troubled
Billy with complaints or any demon
stration she simply loved-and wait
ed. In return Billy rather neglected
her. He was kind and appreciative,
yet he accepted her as a matter of
course His disappointment was still
recent enough to hurt
They had been married three years
then the baby came He was beauty
big, dimpled, merry, all smiles and
giggles and with adorable wooing
ways. They called him Robert, which
presently resolved itself into Bobby,
Then tor the first time Billy woke up
to the fact that Joy was Of real i'm
portance; she was his boys mother.
He planned and lived and saved for
that boy And Joy looked on, sitting
: her longing and trying TO be content
But il seemed a long time to wait.
When Bobby was four years old
Aunt Marshall died and left 10 Joy
the little house in Westmore and
few thousands of dollars, which were
all her worldly possessions. Then, for
the first time, Joy expressed the home
sickness which she had silently en-
dured SO long.
Let US go back" she pleaded.
"Westmore is better for the boy and
and you can have the money to start
in business with. You'll be sure TO
find some opening there"
Billy had fallen into the habit Of
taking Joys advice. He hated 10 go
back where Haroldine was; he had
all the seven years he had been mar
ried and away. He still sighed with
unutterable longing when he thought
of her. A mans first love dies hard.
Yet II came to pass that one day he
and Joy packed up their belongings
and set forth for Westmore. Very
quietly they entered the little house
r1rhio no
quietly, also, Billy began to look about
Tor way in which to make living.
He found II at last. A partnership IN
a good business was for sale and he
bought II it'll Joys money and what
he had of his own.
From the first day OF his arrival he
had been on the outlook for Harold
inc But HSroldine was not in West
more. He learned that her father had
died the year before and that she had
gone with some friends TO California.
1t was not known when she would re-
turn. People had forgotten that Billy
had ever been interested IN Haroldine.
Perhaps Haroldine. herself had forgot
ten. Certainly it ceased TO be living
reality to all save him and Joy.
The business in which Billy engaged
thriyed wonderfully. He had brought
to il the experience and now energy
that It needed. 1t was soon said Of
him that he was making money.
Women who, seven years before had
not known Joy, came To call upon her
and ask her TO their houses. They
made parties for her. Soon she was
drawn into such whiri of society
as Westmore afforded BY spring
Billy had decided that II they were TO
return any Of their social obligations
at all they must have a larger house.
He bought a lot In the fashionable
quarter of the town and proceeded TO
have q house erected upon IL. The
house was fnished and they were liv.
ing In Il whan Haroldine came home.
Joy heard Of her return first Then
Billy heard But neither mentioned
the fact to the other.
When Invitations came from Mrs.
Herbert Crosby for her MUSCLE on the
9th, Joy accepted them for himself
and Billy, knowing very well that Har-
oldine would be there. There was a
good deal of anguish, good deal Of
uncertainty in Joys mind the night
she dressed for the MUSCLE, but she
hid it all under a brave little smile.
She wore a black dress of jetted lace.
In those seven years Joy had grown
becomingly stout.
Men admired Joy and considered
Billy lucky fellow to have such a
wife. And Billy himself was proud of
her When he saw her that night
standing beside Haroldine, he felt a
pang of revelation as turned him sick
at heart. Haroldine was still Miss
Ross and with no immediate prospect
of changing her name. Her pale blue
silk looked too young for her; she had
grown visably thinner; her eyebrows
showed their penciling and her cheeks
their rouge. Beside joys fresh, young
matronliness she looked faded and
inane and overdone. And when she
turned to Billy with coquetish smile
he realized poignantly that he had
been a fool for seven years and