The Rose-Garden Husband

o clear away every vestige of last week's slush, and had then itself most unselfishly retired down the gutters. The sun shone as if May had come, and the wind, through the Liberry Teacher's wind

ctually might be-on this day of day

accustomed bed-making way along the halls, with her woolly head tied up in her Sunday silk handkerchief. Even she looked happ

ered the room and took a pillow-case-corner in

the happy reception of her reply, grinned so widely tha

, Miss Braithways!" said Maggi

to the boarding-house piano. (She hadn't been able to do it long, because the Mental Science Lady on the next floor had sent down word that it stopped her from concentrating,

mured, rolling her eyes, "you cert

were fresh from a long night's sleep. And if that Mental Science Lady wouldn't let her play the piano, why, her thrilling tales of what she could do when her mind was unfettered were worth the price. That story she told so seriously a

without using hot water, for there actually was some. The Liberry Teacher found that she could have a genuine bath, and have eno

d then-she thoughtlessly curled down on the bed, and slept and slept and slept! She wakened dimly in time for the one o'clock dinner, dressed, and ate it in a half-sleep. She went back upstairs planning a trolley-ride

out. But it was only six. She had a whole hour to prink in, which is a very long time for

e you feel that you are not wanted in the least; these usually have a lot of gilt furniture, and what are called object

me-home. She felt contented and belonging even before quick-smiling, slender little Mrs. De Guenther came rustling gently in to greet her. Then followed Mr. De Guenth

ir, and hear about all the little lightly-treated scholarly day-before-yesterday things her father had used to talk of. She carried on her own small part in the talk blithely enough. She approved of herself and the way she was behaving, which makes very much for comfort. There was only once

me," she found herself saying quite simply in explanation, "and Father quoted

they both nodded little satisfied nods, as if she had spoken in a way that they were glad to hear. And then dinner was served, a dinner as different-well,

to share her interest with for so long-so long! She felt happily running though everything the general, easy taking-for-granted of all the old, gentl

ned himself, and Mrs. De Guenther folded her veined, ringed old white hands, and Phyllis p

about some clients of theirs, a Mrs. Harrington and her son: rather interesting people, from

to consider doing some work. I say may, but it is a practical certainty. She is absolutely alone, my dea

as c

them with the lighted look in her blue eyes. It all seemed to her tired, alert mind like some story she might have read to her children

r and son," said the Master of the House. "And Alla

a!" murmure

er husband explained. "My wife an

er could possibly desire for her son, personally and otherwise

a book,'" thought Phyllis irreverently. "And I

have taken up athletic sports so whole-heartedly; and when I add that Allan possessed charm, money and social status you may see that what he did would have broken down most young fellows. In short, he kept studies, sports and social affairs a

erest. Why, it was like one of her fairy-tales! She held h

as a very short while afterwards that he became engaged to a young girl, th

ht," said his wif

e and good spirits. They were both very young, but there was no good reason wh

But-where had she gone? "The

a case-"nearly a month before the date set for the wedding, when the lovers went for a long automobile ride,

on an unfrequented part of the road," said Mr. De Guenther, lowering his voice, "when there occurred an unforeseen w

ld in absolute inability to move by the car above him. Miss Frey, on the contrary, was badly

e old lawyer's precise and unemotional story. The boy-lover, pinioned, helpless, condemned to watch his sweetheart dying by

I'm old will be bad little children and good little children, and books and boarding-houses, and the recollection that people said I was a very worthy young w

was an invalid?

n doubt, had affected Allan's powers of locomotion." (Mr. De Guenther certainly did like long words!) "He has been unable to walk since. And, which is sadder, his state of mind and body has become steadily worse. He can s

Phyllis. "How long

the answer came conside

his wife, "s

acher, with a quick catch

that time in such suffering as this poor Allan had endured and his mother had had to witness! She felt suddenly as if the gri

k. He visibly braced himself

ld you not prefer to tell the rest? It is at your instance that I ha

dn't think it was quite a di

his wife, and took up the t

Braithwaite, how intensely

!" said Phyl

she does not see him. But in spite of this constant care, as my husband has told you, he grows steadily worse. And poor

feel if you had to leave an entirely helpless son or brother to the mercies of hired a

sked to act as nurse, perhaps attendant and guardian,

GRAVELY. "YOU WOULD NOT. Y

han a regular trained nurse?" she wonder

uestioningly

sweet directness which was sometimes hers. "Wouldn't

gravely. "You would not. You