THE DAY AFTER

New Zealand Tablet, 5 November 1908, Page 7

THE DAY AFTER

She had been one of those beautiful girls, willowy of figure, golden of hair, pink of cheek, with clear grey eyes and a sweet dimpled chin.

She had married early. At~ thirty-nine the sheen of the golden hair was gone, her figure had lost its erectness, her color was faded. Now there was a pitiful stoop in the shoulders from burdens carried while too young, and there were grey threads, many of them, in her still abundant* locks. 'But still, there the same beautiful -clear eyes and the sweet graciousness:,that had ever characterised her was, if anything, more intensified:It had been a struggle, this life of hers, with this husband she had chosen. There had heen poverty and hardships and many sicknesses, and he was not one of those chivalrous, thoughtful men. He loved her, of course, but somehow he never told her of it.

He was too engrossed in his own affairs to remember that she might perhaps like to be remembered on anniversaries and at Christmas time. He never proposed a holiday, and somehow she grew not to expect it.

But hers had always been a family to remember the birthdays. As far back as she could remember, she could recall her mother as saying, ' Now, to-day is my little daughter's birthday. She must be good and happy, and mother will try to make it a day to be remembered.' And mother always had, all through her life until her hands were folded in her last long sleep. _

There was still at the old home the aged father and a young married sister. "

To-morrow is Elizabeth's birthday,' said Muriel, the young married sister, the night before. « I'm going out there to see her. Haven't you a birthday present for her?''

The old father looked up. ' How fond your mother was of birthdays!' he said thoughtfully. Then he added, 'How would some pretty china do? . To think of Elizabeth being thirty-nine and the mother of a family ! 'She was such a pretty baby. Our first. Yes, get her the china, Muriel, and of the finest. The way has not been always easy for my little girl.' ' Belle's going to send flowers,' said Muriel, ' and I've a fine birthday cake to go with the silk waist I've made her.' Elizabeth Wayland rose on her thirty-ninth birthday with a little flutter of her heart. Suppose he should remember and speak of it, after a11,.- this husband of hers. Very carefully did she prepare an especially nice breakfast; but he, engrossed in his paper, did not apparently notice it. After he had eaten, he put on his hat and coat, bade her his usual careless good-bye and went to his office. s.

' He has forgotten, 1 she thought" as she watched him walk to the car. 'Ah, well, I won't speak of it.' But somehow that birthday was not going, to pass unnoticed. 'Happy birthday, mother,' said Beatrice, her oldest, coming down half an hour later and handing her a pretty belt. Happy birthday,' exclaimed good Mrs. Starbird ,her next> door neighbor, bringing in a beautiful tray clothAnd then the postauui brought her a birthday greeting in the shape of a long letter from her old school friend,' telling her all the news of her dear old home town. • ~ 'To think that Mary Morris remembered it was my birthday!' she exclaimed, happily. ■ streefV 16 ™ 11 2°* ?* Unde Hinun '" wh ° " lived in the "«i street, came puffing in.

this •££ tt m yeWy eW lt WaS yy ° Ur birthda y« and sh « ««t this, said the old gentleman, handing her a bundle. «i guess if she d forget everyone else's birthday she'd remember yours. You always was her favorite,' , *

The something proved to be a handsome sofa pillow, ornamented and enriched by Aunt Lucy's most beautiful stitches. 'My! it's beautiful, Uncle Hiram!' cried Elizabeth, flushing with pleasure. ' And just what I wanted.' In the early afternoon Muriel came over." She kissed her oldest sister lovingly. ,' A happy birthday to the best sister in the world,-' she said. • • Just then a man drove up. ' Father sent you up a set of china,' she added,, ' and, dear me, here are the flowers.' She opened the door to receive the bo?. It was full of pink carnations. • ' Elizabeth,' she -said,"' Belle sent these with best wishes, for a happy birthday.' "" -~ « - »' Now, I'm going to stop to supper. Father, too, is coming over, and you are to wear this silk -waist in honor of the occasion. This is my gift.' " She arranged her sister's hair, her still beautiful hair, though sg^ thickly sprinkled with grey, slipped on the "silk waist, fastened it and adjusted her skirt. Then she bade her look. ' You ought to have a pretty brooch,' she said, ' to set it, off, '- It fitted to perfection, and the little pink stripe in it brought a tinge of color to the pale cheeks. c You look as pretty as a rose," said' Muriel fondly. ' Now, Beatrice and I are going to get supper. " I forgot to tell you that Horace ordered you some ice cream. He sends his love and wishes he could come too.' Horace was their brother. -. ■.-"„ Her husband came home at the usual time that night, J?ut the house was quite illuminated. - The table was set beautifully with the new china, with the carnations %as a centrepiece, and there was his wife in her ' silk attire,' sitting quietly with her father. There was chattering and laughter in the" kitchen. He looked" surprised. Just then MurieL came in. 'Didn't you know?' she asked. 'Why, we're celebrating Elizabeth's birthday.' The supper was perfect, the birthday cake was all it claimed to be, and there was ice cream and to spare for everybody. But Elizabeth's husband was unusually silent. He looked at his wife more than once. ' How sweet she was ; how good she had always been; how true and tender. And he? He who had wooed so tempestuously, loved so ardently, had forgotten — forgotten even her birthday.' After the guests were gone, the children in bed", '"he went over to her. She was sitting in her favorite low chair. ' Elizabeth,' he said; ' I foVgot ' , But Elizabeth only smiled. 'I knew you had,' she answered. And then all at onca he seemed to realise that his careless conduct of so many years had done its work. She did not expect anything of him. His neglect, his thoughtlessness of such 'long" standing had so dulled the keeness of her feelings that she could look and speak- quite calmly of his lack of care. No ; she did not expect anything of him. 'Why should she?' And then recollections came trooping back, and. he remembered. " - The beauty was dimmed now, -through servitude to him. The burden she had carried, the childreri"~she had borne him," the poverty and the disappointments and the" toil. And yet through it all, how sweet, how dear, how unselfish she had ever been. The next morning he took^his oldest daughter asid?. 1 Beatrice,' he said, ' yesterday was your mother's birthday. I did not give her anything. I forgot it But .yesterday I made a handsome sum of money, and to-day I'm going to buy her apresent. Have her put on that silk waist again, will you, and get something nice for supper.' And Beatrice promised. He went straight to her when he reached home. ' Dearest,' he said, ' yesterday was your birthday. You can't think how I felt when I saw your father and sister with their gifts, to think I- had none, and, though it -is the, day after, will you accept, with my love," .this?' And then he fastened in the lace at her throat a beautiful brooch of pearls. The loveliest, costliest thing she'had^yerr-'rknown. 'Oh!' cried Elizabeth, flushing into her old-time beauty .. ' And you remembered.' , Her husband put, his arms her. 'On the day after,* he corrected, smilingly. ' No ; I'm not going to make any' rash promises, dearest. Yoji know my careless ways of old, but through it all I've never^ forgotten to love my wife.- Shall we begin again_on the day after?' -- But Elizabeth only smiled.- Her wonderful, rare smile, and he knew then and forever how "she loved, him.