Life's Little Ironies

nd twisted and coiled like the rushes of a basket, composed a rare, if somewhat barbaric, example of ingenious art. One could understand such weavings and coilings being wrought to last i

ad no maid, and it was almost the only accomplishm

une afternoon. It had place in one of the minor parks or private gardens that are to be found in the suburbs of London, and was the effort of a local association to raise money for some charity. There are worlds within w

ss-weavings, the white ear and poll, and the curve of a cheek which was neither flaccid nor sallow, were signals that led to the expectation of good beauty in front. Such expectations are not infrequently disappointed as

, and not at all sickly. The revelation of its details came each time she turned to talk to a boy of twelve or thirteen who stood beside her, and the

the interesting woman, who remained stationary in the chair till the way should be clear enough for her to be wheeled out without obstruction. As if she expected their glances, and did not

o inquiries made by some persons who watched her away, the answer came that she was the second wife of the incumbent of a neighbouring

the boy who walked at her elbow said that

last few hours that I am sure he

chool boy, with an impatient fastidiousness that wa

dding him to wipe that crumby mouth of his, whose condition had been caused by surreptitious attempts to eat a piece of cake

sad kind to all appearance. It might have been assumed that she was wondering if she had

village with its church and parsonage, which she knew well enough, but her son had never seen. It was her native village, Ga

reverend husband's first wife. It happened on a spring evening, and she who now and for

e, to tell them the sad news. As she opened the white swing-gate and looked towards the trees which rose westward, shutting out the pale light of the evening sky, s

, these two young people, in that elevated, calmly philosophic mind which is engendered when a tragedy has happene

now at the Vicarage, j

yes-I suppose!' she said. 'Everythi

but he placed it there again, and she yielded the point. 'You see, dear Sophy, you don't know that you'll s

e never even said I liked 'ee; and it

ry at you like the rest.' He stooped to kiss her a

. 'You ought to be more serious on such a night as this.' And she

ept himself still less in time with the rhythm and racket of the movements called progress in the world without. For many months after his wife's decease the economy of his household remained as before; the cook, the housemaid, the parlour-maid, and the man out-of-doors performed their duties or left them undone, just as Nature prompt

' said th

s asked me to

you want

me for me. And we have heard th

want to leave just yet, sir, if you do

soft presence in the room. What a kitten-like, flexuous, tender creature she was! She was the only one of

of the others did, and thi

village surgeon was called in; the vicar got better, but Sophy was incapacitated for a long time; and she was informed that she must never again walk much or engage in any occupation which required her to stand long on her feet. As soon as sh

red on his account, and he exclaimed, 'No, Sophy; lame or no

ked her to marry him. Sophy did not exactly love him, but she had a respect for him which almost amounted to veneration. Even if she had wi

ed on the tie-beams of the roof, there was a marriage-service at the communion-rails, which hardly a soul knew of. The parson and a neighbouring curate

n the south of London, and as soon as possible the couple removed thither, abandoning their pretty country home, with trees and shrubs and glebe, for a narrow, dusty house in a long, straight street, and their fine peal of bells for the wretchedest one-to

intuitive. She had now been married more than fourteen years, and her husband had taken much trouble with her education; but she still held confused ideas on the use of 'was' and 'were,' which did not beget a respect for her among the few acquaintances sh

ength after the accident, and she was mostly obliged to avoid walking altogether. Her husband had grown to like London for its freedom and its domestic privacy; but he was twenty years h