The fall came, and Mabel wrote detailed descriptions of the

beautiful home Herbert had prepared for her; wrote, moreover, with

more feeling and animation, of the new and precious hopes of

happiness held out to her loving heart in the prospect of what the

spring would give into her arms, but said nothing of her aunt's

coming to her for the winter, or for an indefinite period, the

bounds of which were to be set only by her beloved relative's

wishes. The omission was trying enough to the foster-mother's heart

and patience, even while she believed the knowledge of it to be

confined to herself. She could still hold up her head bravely among

her kindred and acquaintances, and talk of the "dear child's" good

fortune and contentment with it; how popular and beloved she was

among them, and what an elegant house her generous husband had

bestowed upon her; could still hint at the instability of her own

plans, and the possibility that she might, at any day or hour,

determine to leave her native State and follow her "daughter" into

what the latter represented was not an unpleasant exile.

An end was put to this innocent deception--for, if any deception can

be termed innocent, it is surely that by which he who practises it

is himself beguiled--the blameless guile was then arrested by a

story repeated to her by her indignant hosts, as having emanated

directly from Mrs. Aylett. She had given expression, publicly, at a

large dinner-party, to her amazement and pity at the self-delusion

under which "poor, dear Mrs. Sutton" labored, in expecting to take

up her residence with Mr. and Mrs. Dorrance.

"My brother laments her hallucination as much, if not more than his

wife does," she said, in her best modulations of creamy compassion.

"But, indeed, my dear Mrs. Branch, they are not accountable for it.

Not a syllable has ever escaped either of them which a reasonable

person could construe into a request that she should become an

inmate of their household. So careful have they been to avoid

exciting her expectations in this regard, that they have refrained

from extending to her an invitation for even a month. Those who are

most familiar with the poor lady's peculiarities do not require to

be told how ill-advised would be the arrangement she desires. Mabel

is a thoroughly sensible woman, and too devoted a wife to advocate

anything so injudicious, while her husband is naturally jealous for

her dignity and the inviolability of her authority in her own house.

Mrs. Sutton left Ridgeley in opposition to our earnest entreaties

that she would spend the evening of her days with us. I was assured

then, as I am now, that she would receive the same love and respect

nowhere else. But she could not brook the semblance of interference

with her rule where she had reigned so long and irresponsibly. And

while we may deplore, we can hardly find fault with this weakness.

It must have been a trial--and not an ordinary one--to be obliged,

at her age, to resign the sceptre she had swayed for upward of

fifteen years."




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