The Argosy — page 299: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

278 An Incident on Fubtlee Night. “Or is there any other division of my time you would prefer ? ” asked honest Joe, smiling at this appropriation. ‘Well, it is mine, like everything else that belongs to you,” she answered playfully. ‘‘Oh, look at the boy, Joe,” she went on, ‘I am sure he knows ‘ Moosie,’ and loves her already.” This was scarcely possible yet awhile. But if he did not love the cat now, doubtless he soon would, for no child could possibly play with her soft, furry coat without getting to love her the moment he was capable of such a sentiment. It was gloriously fine the next morning, as everyone remembers, and Marjory’s plans were carried out to the letter. It may sound a dull way to spend a holiday to some folks, but one has only to be hard worked in a London office to understand the blessedness of absolute idleness on an ‘‘off-day” at home. To begin with, Joe came down to breakfast very late indeed ; and then he indulged in the additional luxury of loitering over the meal; reading the newspaper and smoking a quiet pipe after as he strolled round the garden with Marjory, who had joined him, bringing the gratifying in- telligence that the boy was asleep. After lunch the two walked over together to the common about a mile off, inspected the huge bonfire which was ready to be lighted as soon as it grew dark, and watched the sports of the villagers. ‘YT think I shall stroll up again after dinner,” Joe said. ‘* Shall you be too tired to come too?” ‘Perhaps not too tired, but I am going to let the maid go out this evening, so I will stay at home and mind the boy and the house.” ‘And isn’t she proud, too, of having a boy to mind!” laughed Joe. He was always teasing Marjory about her fondness for the child ; but all the while, silly fellow, he was every bit as fond of him himself. On that particular afternoon, when Joe and Marjory came home, the boy looked bonnier than usual. He had just learnt the art of smiling ; and as they came into his nursery together, after a race who could get there first, he greeted them with his new smile, and they smiled too, as they clasped him in their arms; and the nurse, with tact, slipped out of the room and left those three alone in all their happiness. What perfect happiness it was!—vunalloyed by any prescience of the heavy trouble which was so near at hand. ‘Thank God always for this blessed ignorance; for if coming events ad cast their shadows before them, then, indeed, the sunshine of our lives would be briefer than that of a December day. As soon as dinner was over the maid went out, and Joe said he was glad to see her go. ‘The way that girl glared at every mouthful I ate, as though she considered me the greediest being in the whole world, was enough to take away any fellow’s appetite !” ECORNIELIOOKS EO