Year: 1873

U
pumpkin blossoms She mado the pump.
kin blossoms attractive by telling him they
were a favorite Mexican salad, and how
baskets Of them we're tumbled down in the
market at Jalapa, high up on the table,
lands Of perpetual summer; and a plain
doughnut really seemed a little nicer when
she called II an alpistera, as the Spaniards
do. And Roger, Of course, did not miss
the dainties; though, to tell the truth,
Laura did herself; for she bad always been
the victim Of a capricious appetite, and
frequently, having been unable to eat at
the table, would aflorward be glad Of the
toothsome thing lclt in the pantry from
yesterday. But now she must take what
there was or 90 without--and she frc-
quontly went without Not that Roger
would not have been horror.strickcn at any
deprivation Of the kind, had he known il
but he never did till it was too late


But Laura was not person to do things
by halves and, having begun to economize,
she carried its system through to the last
results. Now that there was no fancy
cooking, certainly she could do the plain
cooking herself; and the cook followed
Nora, aud had been gone for weeks before
Roger found it out. Laura used to have
her Gre laid over night for kindline IN the
morning, and the table ready for Rogers
breakfast, whose smoke ascended in NOR.
ming sacrifice to him before he came down 4;
then she had the day before her for sweep
ing and dusting; the simple dinner was put
upon the table the moment she heard the
train leave the station and she had Just
as much Of the evening as she wanted 10
" clear away" in, for Roger never was at
home Of course, and always Of cinching an
old bargain or making new onc. But
Roger aid not murmur much when he did
discover the cooks departure He was
working hard, he thought, and Laura was
bis help-meot, and, when all was said, her
work was easier than his, aud without an
atom Of mental wear and tear about it ;
still he told her to he very sure and not
over6o herself


Books and music, Of course, went with
Nora and the cook, and all the pleasure
Laura had loit was the pleasure Of serving
Rogor-iho greatest Of pleasures, she would
have told her cousin Walters wife But
nevertheless, books aud music we're missed,
aud Laura felt her horizon narrowing about
her like the contracting walls Of the pris-
ouor's cell in the story. They took no
paper, and the ceased their subscription to
the book club ITS only for year or
two said Roger We can soon read up
again, aud have library of our own to
boot, by and by They had no company
they never took an excursion. AZ for pass
ing the night in town for the sake of thea
tire, opera, or conccrt-as for taking Laura
in with him to matinee-Roger would
have thought himself crazy to propose such
thing. "Time enough for all that, by
and by, he said. She sat at home with
her sewing in the endless, lonesome days
she saw other not long married people tax.
ing their pleasure as they went-going
down the street together, pleasant after
moons, with their luncheon baskets for the
sailing parties on the lake, driving by on
long summer drives, sitting together in the
twilight She wished, 10 spite Of herself
that her life and Rogers were the same as
that Of these other husbands and wives
who were in less haste to be rich, but was
sure it must be best, as Roger chose it.
Meantime she had enough sewing to occupy
her for she had become an adept in seating
trousers and binding collars and cuffs and
making vests out of the tails of discarded
coats, and putting new bosoms into old
shirts. And so another year and another
passed, and Roger had but one payment
to make on the house on the hill.


" | declare" said Mrs Clifford once, d"
wonder if Laura Gregory's satisfied with
the life she leads She never secs anybody
once in a dogs age, and nobody sees her
unless it's Of Sunday, or they meet her
wandering round in that old grave yard OF
the hill side. There she goes now Well
It's a pretty spot. used to 90 there my.
self when ! was single and-loyc sick.
don't believe she's had a new thing sine,
she's unmarried. Aud yet everybody says
Rogers making money and none Of hi,
name were ever called close that heard Of


There was reason in such copjectures, tC
be sure, if not right; for certainly Laurr
had had but one or two new things in thest
years, except some triAcs bought with th'
balance of her little trousscau money. Sh,
had turned her one silk gown upside dowr
and wrong side out ; she had made every
thing over, and she always flattered herself
that She would present very respectabl,
appearance, Till she stood in the fashiona
bly, dressed congregation, when she wa
often voxed and mortified enough--not fol
her own sake, but lest Roger should draw
comparisons, and think her clumsy and de
void of taste.


Il was only lately that Laura had taker
to wandering in the old bin side grave yard
The place was a taugle of blossoms au,
hriers birds and bees in the sunshine
bright aud lonely place, and just sad enougl


in its solitude to seem consonant with he
own feelings for Laura had lost her oil,
elasticity and expectancy Everything il
her life was right, because Roger liked il
but she no longer took much individual jo,
in it it was all something hard and sor
did, and Roger, buster than ever, hardl,
gave her look, hardly word. That h.


loved her Just the same she knew, though
it was all by fits and starts, but the waiting
for the expression Of that love was weari
ness She was afraid that when the tim
came in which he could rest, and look a
her, read with her. talk with her, d. will
her, he would have forgotten how-woul,
have ceased TO care to do it.


1" | don't know" she said, one afternoon
as she came down from the tangled grave
yard on the hill, Perhaps | shall COM
here soon, not 10 go home aud get Dime
} again. Roger doesn't seem to mind thi
cough, and hardly like to speak about


doctor; but then-but then be would mis-
, me so !" All, that al but then spoke vol
! umes il meant that Laura did not mucl
care, for her part, whether she went or not
! al shall have to ask you for littl


money" said Laura, one evening. Sh


had been hesitating and coloring and halt
ing in her speech for tive or three day
! past, as now it suddenly occurred to hin
while be stood hat in hand.


"A little money ?" said he, mischiev
ously. Couldn't you get along without it2
and he laughed. "When did you ever as
, me for any money before? Oh, Laura
: have | ever given you any money for you
own use in all these four years that W
have been married 2r


81 haven't needed any. dear. | had