Jewel Weed

The first months of winter were full of excitement to Lena. She

frequently assured herself that she was rapturously happy, but, while

intellectually she accepted the fact, no genial warmth pervaded her

consciousness. The entrance to her new life was too brier-sprinkled for

bliss. Daily to face her mother's mingling of complaisance, self-pity

and fault-finding; to meet Dick's friends, whom Lena, in her suspicions,

regarded as thinly-disguised enemies; to scrimp together some little

show of bridal finery for her quiet wedding; all this filled her with

mingled irritation and gratification.

Most aggravating of all were the persistent attentions of Miss Madeline

Elton. No one likes to be loved as a matter of duty, certainly not Lena

Quincy, whose shrewd little soul easily divined that this equable warmth

of manner, which she dubbed snippy condescension, sprang from affection

for Dick and Mrs. Percival and not for herself. Madeline set Lena's

teeth on edge, and it must be confessed that Lena often did as much for

Madeline, but each politely kept her sensations to herself. Miss Elton

always assured her optimistic soul that things would come out all right,

that love was a great developer, that small vulgarities of mind were the

result of association.

Lena, on the other hand, might have broken friendly relations once and

for all except that she found Miss Elton both useful and interesting. A

friendly and very sly conspiracy between Madeline and Mrs. Percival had

for its object the helping out of Lena's meager trousseau by certain

little gifts, and even of money delicately proffered so that it might

not wound a sensitive pride; and since Mrs. Percival was a victim to

invalidish habits, it fell to Madeline to act as executive committee.

But they need not have troubled themselves about delicacy, for Miss Lena

greedily gobbled everything that was offered to her, with pretty

expressions of gratitude, to be sure, but internal irritation because

the donors were not more lavish.

Madeline, who would have shrunk from accepting a gift except from one

she really loved, of course expected Lena to feel the same way, and

every one of these presents given and taken was to her an assurance

strong of a new bond between them. So they shopped together, and Lena

modestly picked out some appallingly cheap affair and said: "You know I feel that is the best I can afford." And Madeline would

whisper, "Take the other, dear, and let the difference be a small

wedding present from me. Won't you be so generous?" and Lena was so

generous; but she told herself that they were not doing it for her, but

only because they were ashamed that Dick should have a shabby bride. And

perhaps she was right. It is pretty hard to analyze human motives, so

you may always take your choice, and fix your mind either on the good

ones or on the bad ones, whichever suit you best. Doubtless they are

both there.