The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1872-03-21
been to look fox him." she answers, in

>.
o. devil-may-care voice, ayerting her
eyes.
"Lcnoro y L cry, reproachfully,
"what is the good of keeping up this
attectation with me? 1t is all very we'll
before Sylvia ; but have you forgotten
that night at MorIaix, when you came
and told me all about ?''
III remember" she answers, with
hard laugh "and how pleased you we're
at being walked out Of your beauty
sleep, aad how kind and complimentary
you were about him."
II was not kind" [ answer, rather
crest-tallen. II was sleepy, and very
lll-na'ured, and rather envious but l
am not ill-nat1red now. I would help
you, if 1 knew bow and, though you
! are determined to hide it from NC,
kno" what you are feeling"
''Then you know more than do my
selt," replies my sister, quite collected
ly. "l give you NY word of honor, at
| the present moc;cnt I feel absolutely
nothing"
am not generally short of words,
but can find none now.
"Wh'n first got that" she contin-
ues, nodding her head toward note
which lies open on the dressing-table ; /
"you know l had been buoying myself
up with hope all night, because he came
back here, instead of gcipg straight
away-I thought it a good sign-but
when l got that | think l must have
gone mad for five minutes-do people
ever go mad for such short time ?-l
found myself down on the hearth-rug,
beating my head against the floor. That
Was wise, was not it? So likely to bring
him back. Jenima !" (grasp,ng my
arm with her burning hand), II am 60
ing to tell you secret; if could have
found any thing to 90 it With, I should
have tried to put an end to myself, l
should have done it in a bungling,
journeyman way, and very likely, when
got into the other world, 1 should
have been sorry that | had not stayed
here still, T should have tried but
you see" (laughing) :'it is difficult for
the best intcptioncd person to commit
suicide with cake of Windsor soap or
back hair glass !"
"Leno'e:" l cry, aogrily, "you
trlshten me ! WY do not you cry ?
Why do you laugh wish you would
net loo; so odd ".
"Do lcok old ?" she says, using
anl going over to the long cheval glass.
""e]l, YES" (makipg derisisc bow to
her Own swollen, disGgured imagc), "a
charming-looki pcrson-the belle of
the ball l always told Pau" Ga sharp
contraction Of the muscles of her flce
, as she speaks his name) "that l looked
nothing without my plaits."
l stand stupidity staring at her, with
my hands olaspcd.
"1f you want to ask any questions,
now is your time," she continues, calm
ly; "it will be back on me just now
rushing, tearing back but for the mo-
,, mcnt feel as little as you do, or, if
possible; less ; | say over, paul is goae
and then Charlie is gone" and the one
fact seems as little affecting as the 9th.
er"
q ''Lenore, are you speaking truth p I
cry, iacredulously. "You look as if
you were! Tell me, if you are sure you
can bear to do it, how was it? You
? know I am qqito in the dark. How did
it come about? ?"
, "Incomratibility Of opinion about
Mr.. Scrope," she answers, with j forced
= laugh then, sinking down on the floor,
hiding her face in the folds Of my
, gown like child: II do not think will
? tell you, after ALL" she says, moaning
"when ones ship has gone down, what
IS the good of going into the details OF
the wreck ?"
At the last word she breaks into tu-
multuous weeping.
- "Perhaps it has not gone down." say
= I, eagerly. "Who knows Let me
- see the note. May p stretching out
my hand to take it.
!: "It you like" Then, laughing again
,r painfully between her sobs: at is mol
so affectionate that one need be asham'
ed OF showing it,"
- pick it up eagerly. 1t is not very
!, tidily written, scratchily rather, and
shakily several of the little words ere
left out:
"Dccem,ber 18Th, 81 A. NJ.
l.. II would not have come back here
y last night, if could have helped it;
II but it was unavoidable. l shall, at
e least, not intrude upon your sight again
as shall be gone hours before you are
J. up. l will send back your letters in g
! day or two also, if you insist upon it
your photographs. Do not send back
any thing Of mine-it is the last favor
&c ask of you. P. LIE NJ"
y l touch IGNORES heaving shoulder
/. 'Look up" I say, chcerfully. 81
; am in better spirits. There is hope p
IS She lifts her heavy head.
a "Hopc of what p
" Poor soul The tears are running
fiat races down her cheeks, coursing
e down her nose, and making hot wet
!s spots on the breast OF her smart rose
g dressing gown.
It "Hc is angry" I say" smiling
O Hthere is ,luavs homo whom man ;s