far more lonely and joyless, because there was not
the faintest thought of a marriage with his first love; the young
wife's many household cares, and for Edwin himself numerous annoyances
in his new position, where the reputation of being a philosopher who
believes neither in religion nor in God, had preceded him.

They had passed honestly through all troubles hand in hand. But much as
these trials aided in strengthening the foundation upon which their
home was to be built, the happy rapture of joy, the unrestrained,
tumultuous delight with which young couples usually enter upon a new
life, had been lacking in them. Now all this was bestowed in
overflowing measure, when as Leah smilingly said, "they had really been
married too long to be so childishly happy."

True, they did not allow, the outside world to see much of the treasure
they had so suddenly found under their own hearthstone, and he who had
entered the sitting room on the following day would hardly have taken
the quiet young teacher, who was writing the first chapter of his
philosophical work, and the young wife, who was painting a study in
water colors from a bouquet of fresh roses, for two newly married
people, in whose hearts amazement at all the wonders of happy love was
still burning with a bright flame. But the first chapter did not
progress very rapidly, or the bouquet bloom speedily on the paper.
Every ten minutes the writer had something to ask the artist, and the
question generally concerned some childish folly, such as is usually
discussed gravely and thoroughly only in the nursery; or the artist,
who had gone out of the room a moment, could not as usual, on
returning, find the way directly back to her own window, but being
obliged to pass the other, her dress, with all its appurtenances would
catch on something which was no rose bush, but two arms extended toward
her like a sign post, that would not let her go until she had paid a
suitable toll for crossing the boundary line.

"Since we have discovered that we are in love with each other, like
ordinary foolish mortals, we can no longer abide within the same four
walls!" said Edwin laughing. "It is fortunate that we shall soon need a
larger dwelling at any rate. At least the neighbors will not notice it,
if we, from pure love, cannot continue beside each other."

He threw his pen aside, gave his arm to his little wife, and went to
the printers with her. Reginchen received them with eyes sparklin