interrupts that wonderful
system of contrivances whereby the mother's nature and being shade off
into that of the child, and her heart enlarges to a new and heavenly
power of loving.

When Lillie was sufficiently recovered to be fond of any thing, she
found in her lovely baby only a new toy,--a source of pride and
pleasure, and a charming occasion for the display of new devices of
millinery. But she found Newport indispensable that summer to the
re-establishment of her strength. "And really," she said, "the baby
would be so much better off quietly at home with mamma and Kathleen.
The fact is," she said, "she quite disregards me. She cries after
Kathleen if I take her; so that it's quite provoking."

And so Lillie, free and unencumbered, had her gay season at Newport
with the Follingsbees, and the Simpkinses, and the Tompkinses, and
all the rest of the nice people, who have nothing to do but enjoy
themselves; and everybody flattered her by being incredulous that one
so young and charming could possibly be a mother.

CHAPTER XXVII.

_CHECKMATE_.

If ever our readers have observed two chess-players, both ardent,
skilful, determined, who have been carrying on noiselessly the moves
of a game, they will understand the full significance of this decisive
term.

Up to this point, there is hope, there is energy, there is enthusiasm;
the pieces are marshalled and managed with good courage. At last,
perhaps in an unexpected moment, one, two, three adverse moves follow
each other, and the decisive words, _check-mate_, are uttered.

This is a symbol of what often goes on in the game of life.

Here is a man going on, indefinitely, conscious in his own heart that
he is not happy in his domestic relations. There is a want of union
between him and his wife. She is not the woman that meets his wants or
his desires; and in the intercourse of life they constantly cross and
annoy each other. But still he does not allow himself to look the
matter fully in the face. He goes on and on, hoping that to-morrow
will bring something better than to-day,--hoping that this thing or
that thing or the other thing will bring a change, and that in some
indefinite future all will round and fashion itself to his desires.
It is very slowly that a man awakens from the illusions of his
first love. It is very unwillingly that he ever comes to the final
conclusion that he has made _there_ the mistake of a whole lifetime,
and that the woman to w