Year: 1877

THE DOCTOR'S CONOUESTS
I was almost angry, and felt thorough
ly annoyed when [ received the letter
from Dr. Grahame couched in such
friendly terms, aslzingme to allow him to
make my house his home for the win
ter, while he prosecuted some medical
investigation task full OF painful diff
ficulties, and one which would keep all
his energies on the strain during the
whole day.


''I so long for some quiet nook" he
wrote me, ''where I can crawl away and
rest after my days toll, and have such
dread of strangers. I know, were my
old and dear friend Arthur alive, he
would open his doors to me, and so I
feel that his wife will do no less.''


What could do? I could not refuse
him, and yet I could but look upon his
coming as a sort of intrusion. had be-
come SO used now to my lonely way of
living, that I was almost happy, at least
I was content; and then in three months
more my two darling daughters would
return from school, and they, too, might
not care to find stranger in their home.


All this I thought and felt; but 1
wrote the letter of welcome which
brought him at once-glad and at rest
to find "home," he fastened to tell
me.


Years had made their change in him
as well as in myself, I thought, and he
looked much older and more careworn
than when last I had met him Cat the
death-bed of nay husband) to whose side
he fastened at the first knowledge of his
illness.


All yes, his great kindness and ten
derness to me and my little daughters at
that dreadful time could not be forgot
ten, and so I made him welcome and
when, day by day, he grew into my life
and way of living, we We're very content,
and I grew to look for his coming at
evening with something like interest,
and then after tea he would read to me
while I sat quietly sewing some pretty
things for my darlings, and little by
little I studied the great man during
those long winter evenings. and learned
to know him-not only great in name,
but noble, brave and grand by nature.
None others that I had ever met
seemed to combine such manliness and
strength with such thoughtful tender
ness and almost womanly gentleness.
No one could blame me that I dared to
hope he might love one OF my daugh
ters. 1 who knew his great soul, his
generous nature, knew that naught but
happiness could be the lot of the woman
so blest as to become his wife, and my
heart yearned for such happiness as
this for my children.


And now the school days were over,
and 1 waited to introduce him to my
pretty daughters, whose fresh young
beauty made the pale mother look older
and paler than ever, I thought, as I
stood with an arm around each while /
told him how 1 hoped they might be-
come great friends. Yes, the school
days were over, and now, 1 had promised
him all along, when I fancied he was
wearied with the quiet old house and
me, all would be changed. The dreary
halls would echo to the dancing feet of
youth and beauty, and the girlish laugh
ter would ripple through the cold par
lors whose doors were rusty upon their
iron hinges. No more evenings in my
sitting room, with no one but me, a Sc
date woman of six-and- thirty.


Oh was glad for his sake, and SO
happy when he answered my anxious
question of ''Are they not beautiful,
Doctor Grahame % Yes, they are
lovely indeed d-more lovely than even
their mother has painted them. We
shall be very happy, our little family"


All I wished it with all my heart, and
surely if he could withstand the beauty
of Mays laughing blue eyes and golden
yellow curls, Katie's brown eyes and
witching ways must capture his stubborn
heart


1t was quiet spring evening, and
left them seated together on the widS
piazza, and slipped away to my quiei
room, where I listened to their merry
laughter as it foated out upon the still
air


They were happy, and I :? Well, the
change from the loneliness of the pas
two years to the Joy of having my tive
darlings once more with me had made
me strangely sad, from sheer happiness


l thought / had often heard of JOY tha


killed, and somehow l felt as if my
heart would break all that long evening
and it was long, SO much longer,