Year: 1877




'It seems so strange to me, Clarence, that
with your ideas and appreciation of culture
and literary abilities you should ever haye
married Emma, for she has not an aspira
tion above her cooking stove, nor a dream
beyond making nice pudding. You, with
your talents might have married such
different person" and the lady sighed as
dolefully as il she was preaching a funeral
sermon. Really, she was trying to strike
death blow to her sister-in-law's happiness
by appealing to the egotism of the brother
whom she had always found willing slave
until he married Clarence Gray was one
OF the men who believed themselves capa-
BILE OF doing anything, but who really never
accomplish the slightest bit of meritorious
work He was Slways planning and talking
about articles, reviews, criticisms, novels,
histories or biographies that he intended
writing but beyond short paragraph now
and then he in the little evening paper, he
had never succeeded in proving 10 the
public that he had any literary ability,
though his friends, especially the female
ones, including his sister, looked upon him
as second Byron or Macauley. Generally
he preferred the cynical, sneering poet
for his model, but sometimes he
would study enough dates to be
entitled to the historians rank. He had in
herited some property, from which he de-
rived an annual income that only by eco
nomical use was sufficient for his family.
He never saved anything in fact, he was in
debt when he married, but his wife was
prudent and quietly denied herself COM
forts that he might not be worried over
petty economies. His mother was ''won-
derful woman" She was president OF two
or three societies, manager of an orphans
home and the bright, shining light in her
church as in her social circle. She had had
great hopes for her only son, but none were
ever realized, and yet she continued to hope
and plan for future years His sister Mar
tha was precise, well educated ambitious,
and had always believed that Clarence
would marry an authoress, woman who
would not only incite him to literary work,
but wonld be able to furnish the brain CAPT
tai. The moment she saw Emma Allison
her heart sank, for she knew there would be
no need for future castles in the air. Clar-
ence would never be able to draw on her
Imagination or knowledge for the cherished
enterprises, and she detested the young
bride.


The home was cosy and. nice. The new
pretty pictures on the walls, good books on
the shelves, bright flowers at the windows
and the canary bird singing in the sunshine
sung blithely. The rooms were scrupulously
neat, the parlor dainty, the dining room
clean and sweet but the kitchen bore off
the palm, il was so deliciously tidy and nice.
Nothing 10 displease the most fastidious
taste was ever allowed, but Emma sang
about her work. sweeping, busting, baking
and broiling always cheerful and contented.
This was her ideal home; she desired moth
ing beyond 1t, and so long as she had her
husbands love she was well pleased to be
busy for his comfort and welfare from morn
ing until night She read and wrote lit
tie, works of fiction or jingling rhyme, and
letters to her family in the far off eastern
home, but her whole heart was in her hus-
band and her housekeeping. She humored
his every whim. always consulted his taste
in dress or food, and was withal the cheriest,
brightest little woman that ever promised
to love and obey. when Martha's shadow
.darkened the door, and her cool sarcasm
vithered her happiness. She had come 10
see for herself before she spoke TO Clarence
of his lost opportunities. She had come to
criticise the wife and she found, az
q prying woman always can, room for re-
mark. Emma, frank and outspoken, chat
ted away freely, discussing every subject
art:ully proposed by the other lady, declar
Ing her liking for crochet work and Pud


dings, and her dread of scientific lecture!
and deep books" She had never read
either Ruskin or Darwin, could not repeat 4
Line Of Milton or Shakespeare. and in fac