The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1873-02-13

nlIeU Will vague glTIASH IaAClSS WHICH
Bertram pronounced "sickly nonsense
as he turned the leaves, anxious to find
entries of later date. The name of Vic
tor Hays occurred quite frequently.
''I love him as ! would a dear brother"
was written a year or two, after the
''sickly nonsense"
Then followed an account of their
parting before Victor went to Europe,
and it was not difficult to guess that from
that time Victor had been more to her
than "a dear brother" Conway then had
the pleasure of learning Kate's first i'm
preston of himself. 1t ended with
He is evidently well-bred, and is, so
far as l am capable of judging, a polish
ed gentleman. 1 am not a physiogno-
mist, but 1 am nevertheless of the opin-
ion that l am correct in saying that he
is not as Victor is, one of Natures noble
men.
"Flattering that; very murmured
Conway, considerably piqued.
His wounded vanity was soothed some
what when he read the next entry made
some weeks after her description of their
first meeting. She said that she liked
Mr.. Conway much better than at first.
| because he was so kind and deferential
to Papa and aunt Betty" Then she
spoke of Victor and of his first visit to
the farm house after his return. Of the
| slight misunderstanding at that time
which had all been cleared away at their
| next meeting.
"I would scarce whisper to myself
what l say to you my jour nal" she wrote.
Il am afraid that l think a great deal Of
Victor Hays"
Her husband was incensed at this. A
sensible man would have closed the book,
for why should he care whom she had
/ loved before she was his wife, or even his
betrothed? Conway however chose to
read on. She next gave description of
the party at Oakwood, simply mention
ing Victor's engagement.
'Mr. Conway told me of it," she wrote,
and of course he ought to know. Victor
was going to tell me himself think, but
l could not bear to hear it. -
The next date showed that she had not
made an entry for some months. There
was no account of her engagement or
,, marriage with himself,-merely a few
lines telling how she suffered when she
had for the first time seen her husband
intoxicated. There was nothing to show
that she had been angry with him, She
: spoke only of her grief and of her ankle
ty concerning him. This was a part that
Conway did not care to read; so he turn
ed the leaves until he came to the last
weeks before. 1t ran thus:
january 1Sth,-
A revelation was made to me to-day in
consequence of which l have been more
wretched and miserable than can de
, scribe. This morning / went to Mr.
Howard's studio to sit for my portrait
, and there, for the first time since my
marriage, saw Victor Hays. In conver
sation we both learned-incidentally-
the falsehoods-I can use no mildel
term-told US each by Bertram. 1 have
tried to love him and might have sue
ceeded but for this. Now my hear
seems turned to ice, and l can no longe
even respect the man whose name bear
He deceived his best friend, one to whom
he has often said-he owed heavy deb
of gratitude. He must have known tha
; Victor loved me, else why did he take 81
, much trouble to deceive him? It is al
; clear as MONDAY to me now. He ha
shown that picture of my mother will
the French sentence on the inside of tn,
} ! Ill 4laG -
What better proof could Victor want o
my devotion to Bertram2 Would that
had never known this. But it is a jus
retribution. l deserve it ALL and more
/ had no right to marry a man for whom
, felt not one particle of affection. TIL
: desire to promote the happiness of thos
who were so dear to me, caused me do SC
/ but should have worked my life ava,
> for them, rather than to have committed
a the great sin of selling myself for money
1 All how l hate myself for it. How oftel
? have 1 wished to wake up in my littl
J. room at home and to find the past
dream. One thing comforts me. l hav
S never deceived Bertram. He knows tina
: l did not love him, for he heard it from
my own lips thon hoped that coulc
g learn to care for him and now"
: The sentence had not been completed
Y and Conway paused.
/ By reading his wife's contempt for him
t the man had been punished for his treach
S ery, as she lad been punished for he
t loveless marriage.
Never until this morning had he doubt
. ed her affection for himself. We hav
# already seen how her indifference ha,
f been mistaken for maiden coyness Tha
any woman could love another man whel
d he was by, seemed to Conway phenomt
q non.
: Now that he had discovered his mis-
/ take, his modification was great
+ He did not say with Kate Il hate my
l. SELF" but Il hate her." which he di
from that moment most heartily. A fey
e lines at the bottom of the page NIGH
l, have softened another man, but the
r failed to have this effect upon him VIII
IS read them:
while writing the above was caIle
down stairs to attend to some househol
l affairs, and as passed through the ha
heard Rachael singing an old Scotc
r, song as she went about her work He
IS voice is clear and sweet, and she SCENE