The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1872-06-21

tues have YOU to OIler me! The mai
who has for years refused himself tn
pleasures of a happy home because
among all the good and true women b!
whom he was surrounded, he failed t,
find an ideal woman, combining in on
person all the virtues, with beauty an,
wealth superadded, ought surely him
self TO be able TO offer her-this pure
high-souled woman Of his dreamsl-il
himself all the high, manly virtues,
noble, unfaltering courage, life tone,
and tempered by the hard lessons of {
conquered adversely, a chivalrous re
speet for all womanhood, .. life KEEP
pure through manifold temptations, I
daring adherence to the good and tru
whatever might ensue. Have yol
these to offer me, Mr.. Lloyd-me, tn,
perfect woman of your dreams?"
She had risen in her earnestness, anC
stood before him now like a vision o.
beauty, the dark eyes flashing meath
their long, dusky lashes, the wealth o
golden hair-arranged that day in girl.
ish fashion-falling around her like q
halo, the fair, rounded cheeks flushing
and paling by turns. Never before had
she looked so lovely as at this moment,
when the tremulous, passionate tones
seemed uttering words of doom, as she
showed him the gulf which separated
them. For once in his life he lost his
self possession, and half stammered:
~ beg your pardon. l see my mis-
take, and thank you for your words,
harsh as they seem. But | have al
ways heard, have always thought, that
a woman does not think of these things
that she marries for home and protec-
tion. Because there was nothing
against my character and standing, l
fancied there was a great deal i'll my
my favor. But l believe l do love you
heartily and truly! Is it best to throw
away a love like mine?" and he turned
pleadingly toward her.
The color faded out of her cheeks, a
weary, dispirited look stole into her eyes,
and she sank into the luxurious depths
of an armchair. With this change Of
mood, she grew to look suddenly older
and jaded.
''Let me undeeeive you, Mr.. Lloyd.
l am by no means the perfect woman
you fancy me. Good as you think me,
I hate myself for the uselessness of my
life and for the evil l have been COM
pelled to do. If my past experience can
help you, and through you the woman
you will some day make your wife,
shall be more than grateful. When I
say am not perfect woman | don't
mean to say that am worse than most
other men and wOmen-only that there
are no perfect women any more than
there are perfect men. We can, how
ever, make ourselves better or worse
than we are by nature. You and /,
Mr. Lloyd" with light laugh, "have
perhaps made ourselves worse. Those
'perfections' in me which have won
your regard are the result of deliberate
study on my part, taught me through
my knowledge of human nature. How
old do you think me, Mr.. Lloyd?"
He looked at her in n puzzled way,
with his sensations i'm strange whirl, as
he answered:
''I have thought you about eighteen
or twenty. don't know this moment
what to think-you seem so different"
'TThat was not very sensible conclu-
sion on your part, Mr.. Lloyd. What
kind of life must any girl of eighteen or
twenty have led, do you think, to be
able to guard her words, her thoughts,
her feelings, as 1 guard mine? No,
thank Heaven! at eighteen l was diff
ferent woman! All, how often have L
wished that the good Lord had taken
me to Himself in those days! 1 did so be-
lieve in everybody in those days, myself
included But that dream was put a
sudden end to. Shall tell you, to cure
you completely of any lingering illusions
you may have held regarding me, in
what dreadful school l learned to seem
perfect woman? 1t was under the
tut1age of blows, insults and brutal
outrage from the man who swOre at the
altar to protect, cherish and bless =
for, Mr.. Lloyd, / am that dreadful thing,
divorced wifew
There was now mOurnful depth OF
woe in the starry eyes, around the sweet
mouth sudden lines of care seemed
drawn, and for a moment grey shad-
ows appeared to enwrap the graceful
form, but they passed in moment as
she went on:
"Don't think me quite hypocrite.
forget all can of that dreadful time.
The shadows of the life that led must
ever remain with me, but l hide myself
from every remembrance of it that
can. Even my husbands name is glad
~ ignored by me and my friends. My
cousin gives me the shelter of her home
and her own maiden name, which wa:
my mothers"
~ sincerely beg your PARDON" saiC
Lloyd, DER whose brow a cold dew haC
started as he thought of his narrow es
cape from marrying a divorced woman
"and since it must distress you, dom
tell me anything more"
"But 1 will, because think it may
perhaps cure you of some false ideas,
she continued. "I married this maj
with the truest, purest love for him
thought him so perfect, so manly, s.
true! He married ME for my beaut,
and innocence and / nnnr fool hecans