He did not dare look up from his newspaper for a while, for he realized that he should experience agony at seeing the beautiful, radiant face of his second wife opposite him instead of the worn, stern, but altogether loving and single-hearted face of his first.

He was glad when Maria came down-stairs, and looked up and greeted her with a smile of reassuring confidence.

Maria's pretty little face was still tear-stained, although she had bathed it with cold water.

She also took up a sheet of the Sunday paper.
"Did you see Alice Lundy's new hat in church to-day, dear ?" Ida presently asked her, and her manner was exactly as if nothing had occurred to disturb anybody.
Maria looked at her with a sort of wonder, which made her honest face almost idiotic.
"No, ma'am," said she.
Maria had been taught to say "yes, ma'am" and "no, ma'am" by her own mother, whose ideas of etiquette were old-fashioned, and dated from the precepts of her own childhood.
"It is a little better not to say ma'am," said Ida, sweetly.

"I think that expression is not used so much as formerly." Maria looked at her with a quick defiance, which gave her an almost startling resemblance to her own mother.
"Yes, ma'am," said she.
Harry's mouth twitched behind his paper.