| Show THE SECOND WIFE CHAPTER 1 I I 1 was married the final vows had bad been anoren and elemin I 1 was no longer agnes park but agnes fleming flaming flemin flamin in I 1 was the wife of a widower of thirty ej eight g t and the stepmother of three children not net the first chosen first beloved bride of a young and ardent lover such as my girlish dream had pictured only a second wife the reflection was not sweet nevertheless it was the thou thought glit with which I 1 took rny my seat in the carriage which was to convey me to my new home the short wedding tour was ended andem and we were homeward bound bounds A long ride rids was still before us for the tha village in which captain fleming resided was twenty miles from the last railway stat station loti loii but he had caused ba own carriage to meet us there theme so I 1 began fully to realize that we were nearing home the road over oven which we journeyed was level and smooth and for a long time lime wound close by the bank of abroad river fields lay on one side stretching for awai away until they were skirted by low woods and hil hii hills s here and there a P white farmhouse stood looking cheerful and alm aim almost ostray gay in the afternoon sunshine the tile whole prospect was rural and every beautiful I 4 my gloom began to pass away soothed by the sweet influence of the summer Suri suii imer landscape and visions of future usefulness began begyan already to float through my brain 1 I had ample opportunity to indulge in these day dreams for captain fleming tired with the longside lon gride was half asleep by the tha side of his new wife I 1 was weary of taking the lead inthe juthe in the conversation and concluded to td leave leavo him to his bis meditations as lie he had left meto me to mine after weaving for lor myself a very mery profitable future 1 I looked for ittle ittie upon the past oh that mine eine had bad been BO no gay and pam ered erel childhood but looking bild blid flav b the I 1 contrary ont years of loneliness of weariness and of f so sorrow for four y years ears rhad watched atch edla eala a young beautiful and olf git gifted gilted ted led brollier brot lier iier hs as stricken ri with consumption he had ead wasted gradually g wily away bily nily we two were orphans the tha last of our race rabe and all in all to each other but at last I 1 saw paw him laid in the coff Boff niina inand all hd my love iid ild and lid hope were buried with efm I 1 no that I 1 had bad become sad and misanthropic no life and duty duly were not dead dedd and looking for ward I 1 saw that thai there was yet nanch ranch for ape me to do 01 planted sweetbrier and vio violets letson on harrys grav grave and then went wont out to act and strive the rest of the driving world about aybar a year after my brothers death I 1 diee met arthur fleming I 1 iad had lad beeh been ga so shu shut t out from the world by harris harrys sickness that ahad no lov iov ers and very few friends and I 1 hardly bali eidI d I 1 could ever amala azala feel an interest anany in any one b but ui arthur flemings kind hind genial liia lila manners an and delicate attentions warmed my be heart art to ta a new life ilfe 1 unconsciously my whole heart oil till the mbriar more ar dent for its lone long stillness was given to td this new 1 friend friand ii I 1 I 1 it was with bitter disappointment that Ilear I 1 learned bid fid he be had already been once marn mare married lod led abr I 1 could nut riot bear the of arival a rival living or dead dea dyet dyel yet set I 1 lov ed ad him and when lie he asked me m to become a al mother to his iiii motherless herless children I 1 accepted his haud baud feeling sure aurb that 1 I would win from from him bim ia time an affection as deep and stead steadfast fust past as my own nn his house was lonely his children poorly protected eda and arid he needed a wife I 1 had bad been recommended to him as one who would keep his house in order and be a suitable 1 companion for his children after a brief acquaintance lie he had proposed in due form almost home exclaimed captain catain fleming rousing lousing himself to look out of odthe the carriage win dow dov I 1 the tao words sent a thrill through ma ma and arid I 1 looked eagerly out through the twi twilight Ight shadows to the house we were approaching it was ws large and stood at a dle die distance tance from the village street and it seemed to me in d a rather desolate situ situation tion great trees swung their branches over tho ho gateway and as we rode beti between een them the wind made a singing I 1 I 1 soui soul sound id among the leaves but the tho lighted ipser windows shone chor cher cheerfully filly in the darkness seeming by their brightness to we welcome ledino me home r jane jana fleming my husbands sister who llad iad lad been bean his housekeeper since his cifes death caine calne came cama to the door to meet us the tile moment her cold fingers tode touched fled mine afelt I 1 felt feit that there would ba be no sympathy between us and abid when we had entered the lighted parlor and I 1 scrutinized her face I 1 was sura surd sure of bf it without a word she stood li be glde gide side sido me while winia I 1 took off my bonnet alid and gloves she carried them away then as silently walked into the room again leading the three children I 1 feel feal now dow jhb tha chill of her pr presence upon me tha the three ran into their fathers arms and embraced him affectionately arld and as us he caressed thein them 1 in re return turri I 1 perceive perceived ad that there was a fountain of warmth in his heart which could I 1 fea iea reachie rea chit would be enough to shield my moe roe from cold and darkness for ever this show of passionate fondness s made mande me glad and hastening to his side I 1 tried to win the notice of liis lils children to myself git it is is your new mother mo therl said lie she has cor come coma e to t a take care of you when I 1 am gone to s sea i e i a again ellen an and d may go to your mother moth er may a pretty blue eyed child of ten cama came shyly toward me rile and kissed my cheek but ellen the eldest merely gave me her hand hard ellen seemed to have imbibed something of her lier aunts lcy ley icy icv manner for she sat aloof and watched me coldly the little boy now lifted his head from his ills fathers shoulder and seeing that may stood by me roe unharmed ventured to approach me come to me harry said sald miss fleming with a frown was his name H harry arry I 1 caught him to my arms and held him closely so that he could not escape re to his jenious jealous aunt and I 1 thought though in my iny ecret secret heart that I 1 would make him like the harry I 1 had lost in an anstr nt the feelings that I 1 was a stranger had vanished my heart had wa warmed aimed so towards the little one whose auburn head nestled in in my arms my husband looked pleased and smiled giving his sister a gratified look and I 1 observed tiie the shadow of a smile smil feon fron on her lips but it faded ap again in as she glanced at ellen W when lan ian the clock struck nine miss jane lane rose and led the children to their chambers I 1 bade them therb good night as they went out but I 1 noticed that ellen mude made ao mo answer the next morning I 1 made a busin business f ess of going over the house and examining its conveniences the first step upon the th e broad gloomy staircase chilled me ire but bhea after vis visiting itina every room I 1 sat down in in the parlor again I 1 yas was nas almost discouraged cou raged such a dreary disordered house I 1 ne never in every chamber the curtains curtain hung shung over the windows like shrouds sall and the tha air was cold and damp as a dungeon there here bere was dust on the walls walla on the tha windows and the furniture there was gloom in every corner the parlor which r might 11 11 ll t have been a delightful room seemed like a sepulchre the furniture aa as well as the piet pictures were covered with canvas A locked bookcase stood in a recess and a locked piano was by the opposite wail wall f asked little may who had kept close by me all the morning why wh this was so aunt jane cosent like music she said and she keeps tha the bookcase locked because because she says wo we must mast not read books until we are older olden and is the furniture all covered the athe parlors scarcely ever opened answered may aunt jahe jane wants to keep it nice i well may I 1 said go now and ask au aunt nt lane for the tha chakey kev key of the bookcase 1 I want to see the books she ran quickly and returned followed by miss mias 1 i jane who delivered up the key to me with a dubious 1 kind hind ind of grace i 11 1 I will vill lock the bookcase when you have examined tho books maam said she 91 1 I dont allow the children to spend their time tirso in light reading what aro are they now readings read reache re adhe I 1 asked they learn their lessons she replied short ly 1 she disappeared and I 1 opened the bookcase which I 1 found to contain a most excellent election of books tile the best poets tile the best historians ians lans the best novelists and biographers were there making a library small but of rich value it was the first really pleasant thing that I 1 had found ilmy in my new home and I 1 sat an hour ilour or two glancing over one volume after another and rearranging arran gilig them on the shelves suddenly miss bliss jane looked in and in it a moment liar face was pale with indignation for there sat little may alay on t the he carpet buri burl burled buried edin in a charming old english annual miss bliss jane took look two steps forward and snatched the book out of the be chilis chil is s liand hand threw it on the table tilen led her by the tiie shoulder out of the tile room I 1 was mute with ammaz amazement ment at this rough government at first then I 1 sprang ull uli up and would have followed her had not tile the fear of an outbreak restrained me selfish creature I 1 exclaimed you are trying to make these children like yourself ruining them for all good or happiness in life in ellens sullenness and coldness I 1 see the tile fruit of your labor was arthur fleming blind when he left his bis children r e 1 n in your kee keeping pingy I 1 saw baw no more of the children until dinner when by question questioning luc luz I 1 learned that they had been studying all tile the morning with miss bliss fleming I 1 informed her that I 1 should sit with them in trie the aa as I 1 wished nl to see what progress they were making r tile the look with which she received this announcement plainly indicated that I 1 should be an unwelcome listener to her liar Ie lessons Esons and for a few moments my heart so failed me perplexed bv by her contemptuous glance that I 1 half determined to have nothing todo to do with tile the children but leave them to ber her since she phe lle ile lie was so jealous of them but my better spirit prevailed over me they are mlle mice now I 1 thought for I 1 am their fathers wife and all his are ara mine their interests must be mine after dinner miss bliss jane and the tile children repaired immediately to the chamber which was used as a schoolroom in a few minutes I 1 followed them and quietly took abdat at the deai deal she was drilling them in arit bending sending one after another to io the fhe blackboard ald aid and talking all the he time in a loud petulant tone ellen if you make fruch uc h awkward figures ill put you back to the beginning of the book may will you stand straight or be sent to bed decide now 11 cannot understand this sum launt daunt annajane jane si sigh sih h ea may sit down then until you can do you net explain what they cannot understand I 1 asked all that is necessary she j le plied piled 1 may could understand her sums if she attended to me an hour passed during which may alay silently aly hung lier her head over her slate and played with her pencil en cil cli miss jane of offering her no ei explanation laua lana laudation tion warry harry alternately counted with his fincers fingers ezers the buttons on his jacket and marks of a knite knife upon tile the desk ellen whose strong mind received knowledge almost intuitively studied her lessons quietly and without difficulty presently she gave her lier book to her aunt and recited her lesson perfectly very well ellen sm brid d miss bliss jine jane you may go into the garden to amuse yourself do they not play together I 1 inquired with astonishment not pleased with the idea of solitary mirt mirthless ness Wess exercises not unless unies they learn their lessons equally equal I 1 y well she answered Il larry harry if I 1 live tile tiie bo boy y is going to sleep stand in tile the corner harry until you oti oli are awake 1 harry colored and went to the corner rubbing 1119 illg bis bia bi eyes I 1 felt disgusted at the tile total lack of system tem order and justice which prevailed ill in this moek mock school iwas I 1 was growing frightened frighten edat at the work before me fearful that jane fleming had vows eown more tares than my weak hands could ever root toot out seeing that harry was crying I 1 went to him ai in the corner go away the She lie lle sobbed when I 1 laid my land hands 9 on his head go away you are aro not my mother ther I 1 male made no reply to this but ai sled asked him why lie he cried because I 1 am tired he answered and land you and aunt jane wont let me sit down doyn 1 I and aunt jane 11 harry arryl yes kyes lie he sobbed out aunt jane says sayi you are ara come coma here to lim lie lle always and will make me mind yon yoa itis it is not true I 1 harry harr 1 7 I v whispered 14 1 I love you and want cant you au to love lova me wont you love in P darling buthe but he only thrust out his bis little hand sullenly sli sll lenly aud and turned his face away from froin me ine jane jana now came enne forward forwald for waid wald and I 1 turned from the child with a sigh of disappointment but I 1 will be patient I 1 said to myself they have haie lieen been licen tau taught 11 ht to fear and dread me I 1 cannot at once onca make thein them love me The next Dext morning captain fleming left for a six ge ii in his ins new barque bacque the tile may blay fleming his parting with the ilie children was most tender and afe aff affectionate even tearful with me it was way wa kind hind after afier after he was gone gorle I 1 stole up to my room boorn and nd the morn morning ingin in bitter weeping and sadness what would become of me if I 1 abound fall fail in trying to make myself beloved by liis his n children elf rif if their hearts were irrevocably irrevocably y steeled against me would not hs bis own grow gradually colder and couer coWer towana ma n fearful prospect prop chaiten CHAITER 11 heard bard a soft tap rt at my e baor loor and little may aray entered siy Sly too tco had baj been crying and when she bins saw traces U aces of tears tars OB an she sha came gently me ine and aad crept tn totcy lap ID dayon you love loie father too toz sil sll sha asked ia her ber majiu fis yes darling I 1 love him I 1 answered gandi landi and I 1 want vant to 0 o love you all and beloved be loved by you now lie he is gone pone I 1 am very sad and lonely will you no not hot t love noe roe e may the child kissed me gravely but did not reply to the question aunt jane sent me to call you to dinner she eaid said slipping from my arms when wilen we bad had finished this lonely meal and the children and jane had gone upstairs to the afternoon lessons I 1 visited one or two rooms which had llad attracted my attention the day before one was the attic chamber where I 1 had ad noticed policed a heap of old packages which I 1 wished to examine lo 10 the corner stood a pile of old pictures some soiled some with broken frames but which on examination I 1 found worthy to be rubbed up and newly framed one especially won von my admiration it was a portrait of a youns and |
