GIRLS OF A FEATHER.

Auckland Star, Volume XXV, Issue 68, 20 March 1894, Page 6

GIRLS OF A FEATHER.

A NEW YORK STORY.

ST AMELIA E. BARR.

Aothor of 'The Beads of Tasmer,' 'The Alate of bhe Easter Bell,' 'Jan Vedder'a Wife,' 'Friend Olivia, Etc., Etc'

CHAPTER XlX—(Continued.)

CLEAR SHINING AFTER RAl>'

For a little time Ambrosia leb ib beat her on every side. She refused to keep bhe shelter of her home ; she would nob permit the slightest unusual public attention from hor husband. She told Roberb it would be a lew days' talk only; thab aa soon as bhe newspapers leb the affair alone, every bne else would do the same. In somo respects she was right. A few (lays' discussion o Sb. Ange's wrongs made bhem a phantom' a thing of pestilent vapour to the press* and the makers ot news blew ib oub of their road and passed on to newer events. Bub society thab is born of men and women full of suspicions and supersensitive respectability/was more implacable. Withoub absolutely cutting Ambrosia, ib made her fool that she was something of an intrusion. It had its Easter festivities to contemplate, and could not have ibs tranquil sense of propriety invaded by people who had been touched by a doubtful assertion. Every clay Ambrosia received some reminder that she had been accused. Her ynilb ->r innocence made no difference ; she had no business to be accused. Obher sinucresses were mora careful of their ways. No one really believed anything wrong of Mrs Carter, bub nearly everyone had some personal slight or dislike to pay off. And how perfecbly women pay such debts when bhey geb the opporbunity. Satan himself must look on wibh admiration. In such circumsbances; ib is almosb impossible for lukewarm friends or mere acquaintances bo avoid giving bheir conbributions bo the clear-ing-off. They may make fainb suggestions of probable mistakes or fainb reminders of bhe culprit's known good qualities, bub all demurrers of bhis kind aro smiled away into contemptuous oblivion. So ab bhis time Ambrosia had few friends ; for if ib be an almost impossible task to argue for a dog assailed by slander, how much more impossible to defend woman in the same calamity ! Doctor Carter had his own full share of bhe public disapproval. The controversy, ** pushed oub of the daily press, was renewed by Sb. Ange in the medical papers, and thus every week broughb a fresh accusation and demanded a fresh rebutbal. . He could not rid himself of the incubus. In addition there was a more tJhan wordy attack upon him professionally. Sb. Ange had secured the sympathy of some of Docbor Carber's patients, and had begun business on bho promise of their supporb.. His office was r.ob far from Docbor Carter's office, and bhough he cared litble for bho financial loss, bhe name in bhe window made his eyes flash and his hearb burn whenever he passed ib. And a professional fraternity has all the sma'lnosses of a feminino set. The members of it made cutting jokes and said illnabured things in a smiling way, and the familiarity of tbe offenders cook away none of the intended sting. In their essence they were just as cruel as the vacant shares and polite cuts, the courbeous chilliness or scornful recognitions of Ambrosia's friends arid acquaintances. Week after week Sb. Ange appeared to be steadily wasting away Doctor Carter's reputation and business. For ib is one of the most obvious characteristics of evil thab at firsb it has tho semblance of success. David fretted over ' tho man who broughb wicked devices to pass ' cenburies ago ; and in mosb lives of to-day there is a time when the wronged opon tha blessed Book ab the thirty-seventh Psalm, and let bheir bears downfall on ibs earlior verses, and lifb up bheir souls with gladness and contideuce on ibs closing promises. Roberb had nob found out this old consolation. He had only Ambr_osia, and sometimes she failed. One morning Ambrosia wenb bo bid Will and Louisa good-bye. They were going bo England ; and, after all, Bessie and Jack wore going with bhem. Louisa said she hated nob to be friends with her relatives. Bessie barl, said Fhe was 'so sorry,' and ib was nob right; bo be unforgiving. Besides, if they wonb to Ambleside and Grasmere without Bessie, it would nob be ab all like old times. Louisa hae 1 said theso bhings frequently to Will, and she had also added, wit.li a sigh : ' Amber is jusb a little impriident, Will, and I do think the lesson will be good fir • hoc. Married people ought bo be sufficient for oach obher. We are, Will.'' And how could Will rosisb such reasonable arguments ? S."> Will took his tone from Louisa; and when Ambrosia called ehe fejb this. Ab the bobbom of his hearb Louisa had pub thab fainb disapproval and ib chilled all they paid. Ambrosia could nob tel! how they liurfc her, hpw they disappointed her, how it was she was made to feel like a chidden child on probation. They wore bobh affectionate in manner. Why did she resent tlio manner? They both gave her bhe kindest hopes in the most unexceptionable words. Why, then, did she feel like flinging the words back from her? She left thoir presence wibh a sense of injury and indignation, and her hearb swelled and she felt as if it would break.

As her carriage passed down a street neat- her old home, a little church set back Jri a corner struck her with a feeling of familiarity, and n strong1 desire arose in hsr to enter ib. There was no reason to deny tho wish and sho alighted'and passed within the open door. Tho place was quite Gmnty bub she remembered it. There hisiil' the white imago of tho Crucified One, at Whose feet sho had fallen when sho was wearied and terrified with the eternities anrl veracities of tho philosophers, and longing ior a Heart to pity hur failings and Jovo her in spite of them. She had been a girl then ; she was a woman now—a womati wearing a crown of thorns that every friend pressed tighter on her brow. She went swiftly toward the pitiful, downcast face. She sank before ib on hor knees like one who suddenly meets the Cross in a wilderness. Sho wept and prayed and ' poured oub all her complaint,' and arose at last, justified and comforted. Then she perceived thab a priest was standing silently before the altar. She felb that he had been praying wibh her and for ber. As stie moved he came toward her. Bhe lifted her eyes to his eyes and he saw the light of comfort in them : and he said gently: 'Go in peace, my daughter.' Then ?he bowed her head and wenb oub (vith the blessing. Ib was the day on which the 'Medical Journal' came, and she had feared anobher attack upon her husband, and all the miserable hearbburnings and defences to follow. She no longer feared ib. She had a conviction that there waa a burn in th» sorrowful bide. Those who pray really, however seldom, know and are sure thab the very gifb of prayer includes tbe gifb prayed for. Evon bhe sense of loss and trouble she had broughb away from her interview wibh Will and Louisa had fallen from her. She wenb home cheerfully, and Roberb met her with a look of satisfacbion. He had bhe ' Journal' in one hand and he struck ib lighblv with tho other aa he aaid;

' Amber, my love ! They have refused to publish anything further from Sb. Ange. The edibor very properly says: "The fubure work of Doctor Carber will prove or disprove tbe allegations hia late assisbanb has mad.?." Thab is enough. Tfie future work! Amber, why did we nob think of | bhab before? I am conbent now. My I claims can sband well upon thia foundation. I fear Sb. Ange no more. But, oh, my dear, whab a sorrowful life I have led you lately !' She did not speak, bub Bho crept closer bo him and slipped her hand into his. And some womanly instincb told her nob to make light of hia confession. He had led her a sorrowful life. Ib was good and righb he should confess ib. Ib waa good that he should feel how unkind and unfair he had been regarding the girl Meba —good bhab he should feel he had been careless of her happiness, in his deberminabion to subordinate his household to the personal conveniences of his business. Ho had ofben called Ambrosia ' selfish ' and felt himself a little of a martyr to her selfishness; bub he saw clearly now thab no experiments were a sufficient excuse for subjecting hia wife bo the socieby of a man whom her insbinebs from bhe first had pronounced * dangerous.' He had nob been careful of her good name, and hia own had suffered. The rebribubion waa a righbeoua one, and he acknowledged ib wibh a manly and honesb regreb. Ambrosia was no less generous. Their explanations and concessions were really a new kind of courtship. Each sbrove to excuse the other. Eich desired to make confession easy and forgiveness sweet. And as they talked, Roberb had a bhoughb which sealed bhe renewal of bheir vows. 'Leb us go,'he said, 'bo bhe mounbains, bo the Cabskills, and bry bo learn each other better. Afber all this worry, I feel aa if bhe woods and bhe wilderness will be salvation. By bhe lsb of June you can have bhe house ready bo leave, and I will arrange my affairs. Then for three monbhs we will think only of each obher and of bhe fubure. We will pub all of tho pasb, bhab ia unhappy, behind our backs.'

• Dear, that will be lovely !' 4 You have loner wanted to learn how to ride. I will geb you a safe pony and teach you. Then we can ride together.' • Oh, Robert ! How happy that will make me 1 Bessie ia forever talking about her horsemanship. When she rides with Jack in the Park, she believes every person is there only to watch them.' •We will divide observation wibh her when Jack and she return. You shall also learn how to drive. 1

' Dear, you will make me the happiest woman in the world.' ' I will write to day and secure a cottage and then pub my business in such shape thab I need not come into New York during all our holiday.'

'And I will get the house in summer ordor and look after some dresses. I shall want some pretby dresses, Roberb.' *To bo sure you will gob all the pretty dresses you desire.' This plan, simple as it was, required a good deal of discussion, and in its consideration, all bhe hard feelings of the past were buriod. They felb toward each other all the loving kindness of their firsb espousals, and bhey were wise enough to give semblance and words bo bhe feeling. Ho greab is tho power of goodness. As the mosb beautiful tints and colours are procured from the tar which defileth all it touches, so now the goodness of honesb regret and confession brought oub of the vile droppings of slander and false accusations the sweetness of mutual confidence, the tenderness of renewed and chastened affection. The nexb day, Ambrosia had a visit from Clara. She was looking so lovely in a violet dresa and white bonnets bhab Ambrosia was compelled to say : ' How pretty you are Clara! No wonder Bessie bhoughb you too young for the posibion you had taken.' * So yon also have heard of that remark ? It was nob a kind one. Did Bessie call on you before she went to Europe V •No.' '■I told her she ought to apologise for hor interference with your affairs.' * She has nob done so.' * No. She thought you owed her an apology. If you had not told St. Ange to go to his wife, sho sayß there would have been no public exposure. She meant only to havo whispered the facb to Sb. Ange, jusb to make him more prudent, she says ; and Miss Salter was to havo leb tho mabber sift quietly bhrough our seb by telling ono person aba time. Then all would have been warned, and no one would have had to take the onus of giving a definite publicity to the scandal. She supposed then thab Sb. Ange would have disappeared, and so you would also have beed delivered from bemptation. This was her plan : bub as ib was, she says your disappoinbmenb and impetuous temper have been the source of great annoyance, having almosb made a scene in her house, and really put the disagreeable discovery on her. So sho thinks herself bo have been much iujured.' * Did she expect bo play wibh tire and nob geb burned?' * Yea. She expected it only to burn others.'

« She wenb to Europe wifchoub giving her lasb enberbainmenb?' •She made poor health the the excuse, but really, Mr Madison was so angry he would nob permib the proposed ball.' ' Has Uncle Madison ao much spirit left ? I thoughb Bessie ruled him with autocratic power.' •She has taken such cruel advantage of his love and goodness to her and Jack bhab she cannofc blame him if in the fubure he abtends a little to his own hapdiness.' •I think he ought to do so. He is a very handsome man, and as good as he is rich. Will he marry boforo Bessie comes home ?' *In ten days.' ' Ten days. Who -ia the fortunate woman?' 'I am bhe fortunate woman, Amber.' ( To be Continued. J