Year: 1878

couple"


1 suppose something of my astonish-
ment expressed itself in my countenance,
for she smiles, and says: I am afraid
you think me very vain; but l cannot
help knowing that / am good looking,
any more than I can help being aware
that my eyes are gray, not black, and
that my hair is golden. 1t is gift from
God, like my talent, valuable one too
l think it, and own that I am proud of
it for my dear Franks sake, who admires
it so much"


Yes, this is Mrs. Ogilvie's peculiar
ity, as we afterwards discover-an in
tense and quite open admiration of her
own beauty.


At first every one is astonished at this
| idiosyncrasy of hers, but in little while
we all come to laugh at it; there is
something original and amusing about
it; and in all other ways she is SO
charming.


My wife, with whom she speedily be-
comes intimate, tells me that she is sure
she values her beauty more for her hus-
bands sake than her own. She evil
IDENTIFY adores him." says Mary Anne ;
"and he seems to think so much of her
sweet looks. She says he fell in love
with her at first sight, before he ever
spoke to her."


But Mrs. Ogilvie has many more at
fractions than are to be found in her
face. She is highly-educated woman, a
first rate musician, and pleasant and
intelligent companion, and more than
all she has a sweet, loving disposition,
a true heart at the core of all her little
vanities. She is very good to the poor
in our village, and often when am on
nv rounds l meet her coming out of
some cottage with an empty basket in
her hand, which was full when she en-
tered it.


In quiet little neighborhod like
ours such woman cannot fail to be an
acquisiti n, and. every one hastens to
call on her, and many are the dinners
and croquet parties which are inaugur-
ated in her honor. To the former she
will not GO; she does not wish to go out
in the evening during her husbands
absence-much to my wife's satisfac-
ton, who approves of women being
% keepers at home "-and it is only sell
dom that she can be induced to grace
one of the croquet parties with her
presence.


But when she does she eclipses every
one else. She always dresses in the
most exquisite taste, as if anxious that
the setting should be worthy of the
jewel-the beauty which she prizes so
highly.


She has been settled at the cottage
rather more than two years and IS be-
ginning to count the weeks to her hus-
bands return. We do not number them
quite SO eagerly, for when he comes he
will take her away from us, and we
shall miss her sorely. 1t is summer
again-a hot, damp summer; it has
been a very sickly summer, and my
hands are full.


az shall have to get partner, my
DEAR / said to my wife as prepare to
90 out. eff this goes on shall have
more to do than I can manage. There
is a nasty fever about which / don't
like the look of; and if we don't have a
change for the better in this muggy
weather, there is no saying what it may
turn top


at am glad all the boys are at school" !"
observed Mary Anne, and 1 think /
will let the girls accept their aunt's
invitation and go to her for a month"


cit would be a very good plan, and
I should be glad if you would go, too.
A little change would do you good"


And, pray, who is to look after your
asks my wife, reproachfully. "Who
is to see that you take your meals
properly, and don't rush off to see your
patients, leaving your dinner untasted
on the tablep


Mentally, I confessed that should
probably be poorly off without my Mary
Anne; but it is bad plan to encourage
vanity in ones wife, so l say, Oh, /!
should do very well by myself and
with parting nod betake myself to my
daily duty"


!" In the village meet Mrs. Ogilyie,
basket in hand. She doesn't look well
and say SO.


"You have no business out in the
heat of the day. / tell her. What
will your husband say, if he does not
find you looking your best when ne
comes back"
A shade comes over her face. All!
he would not be pleased" she says
rather gravely; che always likes to see
me look my very best and prettiest."
| "Well, then, as your doctor, l must
forbid your doing any more cottage
visiting just at present. You are not
looking strong, and going into those
close houses is not good for you.
will come and see you on my way back. y


Which do. / find there is nothing
the matter with her; she is only little
languid.


You had better send the children
away tomorrow morning, Mary Anne,
l say as soon as l get in. Mrs. BLACK
is very i'll, and l am afraid canno'
quite tell yet, but am afraid-she il
] going to have smallpox. Of course,
shall have her removed at once, II an
right; but it may prove not to be an
isolated case, and it will be as well tt
get the children out of the way.
shall try and persuade every one in thu
village to be vaccinated tomorrow.


"You will be clever if you manag


that" says my wife. "I am afraic
some of the people are very prejudicet


against it. You know when the child


rem were revaccinated three years ago


you could not persuade any of the vii


layers, to be done at the same time.
On the following day we dispatch tn


children early to their aunt's, under tn


care of an old servant, and as soon as


have seen them off go down to Mr.
Blacks. To my CONSERVATION, l fin
Mrs. Ogilvie Just leaving the house.
al have been disobedient, you see,
she said gayly: "but l promised t
bring Mrs. Black something early thi
morning; and she seemed so ill yestel
day that 1 did not like to disappoint he
But 1 am not going to transgress order
again-for Franks sake" she ado
: softly.


I gave an internal groan. Heave
grant she may not have transgresse
them once too often And l hasten I'M
5 the cottage, to find my worst fears col
/ firmed. Mrs. Black has smallpox quit
g unmistakably.


For some hours am occupied in MAJ
0 ing arrangements for her removal to Il
| infrmary, and in vaccinatiug such I
e my poorer patients as l can frighten {
s coerce into allowing me to do 50; and
| g. &c r ~, ,6la to nm N y