Dr. Lavendar's People

ad of two weeks after it. Of course, Old Chester said many other things: it said it had always known they could never get along. William, who had very little money, w

? The field was his; the law allowed it, the Court awarded it. Why should he present a field to Amanda? Old Chester said this thoughtfully, looking at William with a sort of respectful regret. Very likely Lydia's regret was not respectful. Lydia was always so outspoken. However, it was all surmise. About the time that Amanda did not get the field the engagement was broken-and you can put two and two together if you like. As for Old Chester, it said that it pitied poor, dear Lydia; and it was no wonder William left town after the rupture, bec

s, she may have quarrelled and broken her engagement two weeks before her wedding, but all these years afterwards she had been faithful to the memory of Love! Old Chester knew this, for the simple reason that Miss Lydia, during all these years, had kept in her sitting-room a picture of William Rives, adorned with a sprig of box; furthermore, it knew (Heaven knows how!) that she kissed this slender, tight-waisted picture every night before she went to bed. Of course, Old Chester sof

a picture-book. I'm sure I can't afford to go round giving children picture-books. I told her so flatly and frankly. And then it was so trying, because, right on top of my s

lege of assisting her," it was exasperating to have a lamp-shade made of six porcelain intaglios set in a tin frame come to him the next day, with the "respectful compliments of L.S." But somehow, when, beaming at him from under her

Mrs. Barkley said

pointed out that her first

uilt, and maybe the whole chimney. He couldn't be sure about that, but he thought it probable. He said it would cost $100 to put all the things in repair-floor and roof and everything. But he w

d, "that by the terms of the lea

ydia to make repairs? She hasn't two cen

n't mix philanthropy and business," he had said; "the lease says the tenant shall make repairs. And, besides, I do not wish to be more

I am sure, is Miss Sampson; and if you will allow me to say so, sir, we do not in

immoderately. (None of the

him to do anything," Mrs.

ster said, "is that we all join together and

arkley exclaimed, startled; "

. But something h

collection for Lyd

d, stoutly. "And it isn't charity. Miss Lydia's friends

ey agreed,

'm sure," said Dr. Lavendar. "

t like to

m. Offer them

(except, of course, in purse, which is a small matter). She lived in a shabby and dilapidated cottage at the Smith gates, and every month squeezed out a few dollars rent to Mr. Smith; she was sorry for the Smiths, for they were new people; but she always spoke kindly to them, for she never looked do

-the poor creatures who do not care vitally for anything and who are without the spiritual muscle to manufacture an interest. These pathetic folk are occasionally made self-supporting by a catastrophe-grief or even merely some uncomfortable surgery in regard to their bank account may give them a poor kind of interest; but too often they exist miserably-sometimes, with every wish gratified, helplessly poor. Above the manufacturing class comes the aristocracy, to which Miss Lydia Sampson belonged, the class which is positively rolling in wealth. Every morning these favored creatures arise with a zest for living. You hear them singing before breakfast; at the table they are full of eager questions: Is it going to rain? No; it is

ch sky-blue natures. Certainly there were persons in Old Chester who envied Miss Lydia; at least, they envied her her unfailing joyousness-but they n

and joy and sorrow, if things are shabby? The fact is, the secret of happiness is the sense of proportion; eliminate, by means of that sense, trouble about the unimportant, and we would all be considerably happier than kings. Miss Lydia possessed this heaven-born sense, as well as the boundless wealth of interest (for to him that hath shall be given). "I don't want

ped in to see her, she could make him a cup of tea at once, without having to leave him alone. She was a little, bustli

iven Dr. Lavendar an apple, and put on

" the old man ruminated, eating his app

to sew. Amelia Dilworth told me that Mrs. Neddy can't bear to take a needle i

looking about for a place to deposit his core-("Oh, drop it on the floor; I'll

o sew, my mind roves over the whole earth. I don't want to brag, but I don't believe anybody enjoy

n't t

And I really couldn't go to church all day. So I just bought some beautiful, fine nainsook a

it might," sai

y; and added, joyously, "I'm embroidering the whole front

r the who

," Miss Lydia assented. "

d at the tea, "what do you suppose? Mr. William Rives-" Dr. Lavendar stopped and drank some

put down her own cup of tea and stared at him

r, scraping the sugar from the

ther lump," cried Miss Lydia; "don't w

I was rooting about in my pocket-book for a stamp-I wanted to post a letter just as we were leaving Mercer; and this gentleman very politely offered me one. I took

ran into the smoky front room and brought out his picture, regarding it with affectionate interest. "Did you know I was engaged to him, years ago, Dr. Lavendar? We thou

, at last, "you are the younge

e you don't think it's wro

dy's old, but that's not my fault. I'm not to blame for an old body, but I would be to blame f

o keep it from scorching and held the picture in her left hand and warmed the palm of the right; then in