The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1871-05-11

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though the most far-seeing croaker of
them all would have found it utterly
impossible to predict results from thing
whose immediate existence was its con-
summation. They found great delight
in it, however, like
" The Juggling flend, who never spoke before,
But cried: Il married theep when the deed
was DER"
The younger people shrugged their
shoulders some pitying May Wharton
in the stormy life she had herself pre-
dicted for Park Lloyds wife; others
spending their sympathy on him, rea-
soning that, since he was the more
changed, he must necessarily be the
greater sufferer of the two.
But all the excitement and dissipa-
ton incident to their return had to come
to all end. The result was inevitable.
The quiet routine of daily life was be-
fore them, and they were forced to meet
it. Park plunged deep into business,
May into books, renewing her long for
saken lessons, her French and German.
Each sought as much as possible to
avoid the other; but their contact was
constant, and the very suffering it in
hicted was filled with an intense fasci-
nation. If they but met in the halls,
and exchanged a commonplace remark,
or came upon each other suddenly in
the garden walks, the presence would
cling to each for hours. Their very de-
sire to avoid each other constantly had
Numerically opposite effect. May,
walking in the garden, would catch a
glimpse of her husband under the trees,
and turn suddenly to go into the house ;
and he, having simultaneously seen the
flutter of her dress, and not wishing to
obtrude his presence, would seek to ac-
complish the same object by another
route, thus bringing them face to face
at the door step, when, with his courtly
grace, he would touch his hat and say
"Do not let me prevent your walk
ing, madam" and she would return to
the garden without speaking. Thus
each, in their strong effort to conceal their
hearts secret, confirmed the other in their
cruel conviction.
One evening May was in the drawing
room, playing the piano by moonlight
Quite unknown to her, Park sat ON the
closely-shaded piazza, a little to one side
of the French window, listening. His
blue eyes were full of such longing de-
spair as we would imagine an artist
would paint in the eyes of Tantalus
After while she ceased, and, driven by
her restless spirit, stepped out on the
piazza, intending to go into the garden
1t was so dark she put out her hand to
grope her way, and laid it directly on
his cheek. She started, with little cry
of joyful alarm, which he mistook for
horror and repulsion. He arose in
stantly, saying, in low tone:
"Your pardon, MADAM" !"
Then, as she, mortified and flushing
lest he had discovered in her tone what
for weeks she had been seeking to hide
turned quickly toward the house, he
added
"Do not let me disturb you. 1 am
going to the library" His tone was
cold.
She replied, with well-feigned indif-
ference: 81 was only on my way to the
garden, sir" and left him, walking as
far as the first rustic seat, there crying
as if her heart would break. "The very
touch of my hand is hateful to him." she
thought.
A few evenings later his mother was
| Will Jutuis Lucy W6Ic III unO I'LL
Park had wheeled a stool to the old la.
dy's feet, and laid his head upon hel
lap, and she was stroking his hair with
her gentle, motherly hands. May wa:
seated at some little distance, bending
over her worsted work. They had been
silent for space, when the dear, unsus-
picious old lady said:
Park, you are Just as fond of pettine
as ever. May, darling, does my boy
teaze you most to death with his loving
ways 7"
The blood surged to the wife's very
brow. She bent low over her work
The old lady laughed merrily, saying:
"Why, you little bashful puss!
thought, by this time, you were so used
to Park you would not mind his moth
er"
Park changed the subject.
Everything must have an end. WheI
things come to the worst they naturally
better themselves. Thus their fat,
reached its crisis. In the weeks tina
had passed Park had grown careworI
and haggard; whilst May, through con
slant excitement, stood on the yer.
verge of nervous fever.
One morning she was wandering
about in her restless way-her cheek
burning, her eyes unnaturally bright
her pulse bounding at fever rate-sh
happened to pass Parks room. Tht
door stood open. Impelled by an ire
sistible impulse, she crossed the threshold
and stood for the first time in her hus
bands apartment. The quick, guilt,
blush of an interloper dyed her cheeks
She closed the door softly, and turne'
the key. She stood for a moment mo
tionless, looking about with sort o
J frightened curiosity, in which pain ant
pleasure were strangely mingled, thel
moved about, touching the articles h
J was wont to handle with sort of ten
: der reverence; looking into the miro
, that was used to rejecting the face sh
had not looked at, save by stealth, fo
weeks handling the brush that ha
, pressed the curly locks her fingers ha
, longed but to touch with sort of bite
jealousy toying with each article of tn
} toilet, even once peeping into burea
drawer, and starting back with suddel
fright as if she had been detecte
thief. At length the over-wrough
J nerves relaxed She threw herself int
his easy-chair. and cried as if her hear
> would break. Love, with wild, rushin
: tide, dashed aside every obstacle, eve
} pride. She felt as if she could fin
herself at his feet and implore him
: love her. In the excess of her grief sh
arose and hurriedly paced the room. 1
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