Year: 1874

girls hero But Mistress Carrie reckoned
without her host when she proposed to
make post-matrimonial lover of him.


He evidently did not believe in connubial
love-making. Philandering, as he called
it, was not to his taste. Oourting was
very well in its way. 1t had not been
without its shy delights, even for him.
But they were married now, and it was
time to settle down, and begin life as they
could hold out Their wedding-day was
in September and when the late October
winds blew away the sapless, withered
leaves, Carrie felt as if her hopes, which
had blossomed so fairly, where blowing
with the leaves, and withered as they, down
the wind. tg


She was conscientious, well-intentioned
little creature, and she tried her best to put
aside all these feelings, which she taught
herself to believe were morbid and un-
grateful. She was constantly striving to
justify Joseph, making little pleas for him
at the bar of her heart. He was nine years
older than she; it would not be natural for
him to have so much romance. OF course
he loved her why else would he have mar
ried her? What goose she was to expect
of big, strong, busy man the little soft
nesses which belong to and delight women.
Then she would try TO be brave make
pretty little toilet, perhaps; wear the dress
and the ribbons he had praised six months
ago; and meet him, her eyes bright with
hope, her cheeks pink with expectation.
Was he blind to all this--such an old young
man that the sweet devices of youth had no
longer for him any language? At any rate,
he made no sign. n


How dull, and prosy, and commonplace
were the long winter evenings which they
passed together. They got through supper
and were seated before the Franklin stove
in their little sitting-room, at six o'clock,
punctually and there for three mortal
hours they sat in unbroken quiet, he read
ing his newspapers through and through,
and she watching him, and wondering,
wondering, wondering whether life was to
60 on at this dead level forever. Punctual-
ly as the clock struck nine, he would get
up, light his lantern, and go his nightly
rounds among cows, and oxen, and horses
Then he would come in, take off his boots,
leisurely warm his feet at the open fire,
and 60 to bed. She grew to hate the pre-
else epoch at which he pulled off his boots
1t seemed to her that just up to that pass
she could bear on silently, but as if then
she must utter some outcry, or silence and
constraint would choke her


Once or twice she made some few for
lorn attempts to better the condition of.
things-brighten them up, if possible.
Once she planned the beguilement of a
little supper. Having made all ready be-
forehand, while he was out upon his eve
ming round she stewed some oysters and
brewed some coffee, fondly fancying her
small feast would be success but the
wise old young man would not see the fun
He did not believe in oysters at bedtime
they would disagree with him, he knew
AS for coffee, he was sure single cup
would keep him awake all night; but if
Carrie could take such things at nine
o'clock, and not have them hurt her, he
had not the slightest objection. So, with
no heart to taste it herself, she carried
away her little treat and if few tears
cooled the coffee she had poured for him in
vain, he, at least, was none the wiser.


Slowly the winter wore away" the
long, sad season of SHOWS and SINS" Birds
came back from over seas, and began to
sing. Violets opened shy blossoms. Grass
blades sprang up greenly and even Carrie
HannafOrd frightened with the frightening
of nature, and began to remember that she
herself was young.


One day in May, her husband came to
her with the proposal that they should take
a summer boarder. He put the matter in
the most ungracious way, as is the matri-
monial wont of precisely this class of men.
AS she would be having hired girl any
way, he said-and he used, in saying it, a
tone which made her feel herself monster
Of extravagance-they might just as well
have something to keep her busy and this
boarder who wanted to come, this Mr..
Hugh Waring, would pay well, and make
very little trouble, He knew this, be-
cause three years ago, in his mothers time,
Waring had boarded with them for some
months.


OF course, Mistress Carrie consented
for what could she do else 9--and kept Sc
cret her own dissatisfaction with the pros
pect before her.