The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1873-08-21

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J In '.]''.! New York ny life, opened more
fully, l foand that I had many tastes,
many qualities which I was before M.
ewars : =. Of Through the Langs / x.s
introduced ! y. into society both fioe. and
! EIssn'on.ole. / vent ont, : great deal
With blz, Who vas by this time a hand.
some, brilliant young creature, much
admired and much sought after.
The winter passed rapidly, then sum-
mer again at Langdon Hill, and MIR.
Ayre still away, and his coming home
indefinite. Hie letters had begun to
lengthen about the time I first went to
New York, possibly from The fact that
I myself, viviied and amused by my
me-" acquaintsnoes aod plans, spoke
more fully Of myself. Once 1 asked
big when he would return. He an.
swered, vaguely. "When circumstances
will allow me-" The letters we're kind {:
those Of friend, not lover or hus.
band5@l saw no particular want 10
them until one day, Ashford Lang and
his sister calling upon me, she said:
II should think you would want to
go ont to your husband, Mrs. Ayre.
When our Tom vas there he was con.
tinually sending for LOU
1 suddenly flushed. I had not
thought Of it before. My husband had
never sent for me. I had always been
aware that there was something rather
odd in the circumstances Of my married
life ; but SO absorbed had I been in nv
ne" freedom, in following out my tastes
and ioclinatious with my ample means,
that I forgot or put aside thoughts
which in reality were more uniuterest.
ing than any others. Words now and
then from strangers, like these of Ca.
milla Lang, awakend me. When she
made this last remark she lifted he1
languid eyes with rare interest to my
face. I eolored, as have said, and
more vividIy as caught the searching
glance from Ashford. With effort !
| said:
"Mr. Ayro may return at any time.
The complications arising from the
death Of Mr. Carle have kept him be.
yond his expectations. 1t would bt
useless for me to attempt the voyage
when every thing is so unsettled. Mr.
my husband may return ang day
As 1 repeated this, again I caught
the searching. incredulous look from
Ashford Lang. He had noticed my
hesitation. I saw him exchange CLAN.
ces with his sister. l felt humiliated
A sense Of being neglected and forsak
en- came over me.
| Ny husband !! How strange it al
was. How different from others. B,
comparisons I now began to realize ny
singular lot. Ny husband! ! I said
over aud over. Why did be not re-
turn. Was it business really, or ha'
he repented his marriage? Why di.
he not send for me if it was the first
[ was not sorry that he did not, but
felt nevertheless neglected.
Ny husband! That thin, dark, old
ish man. l looked at myself that nigh
in my mirror. I was young, fresh
not beautiful like Liz, but attractive
I had good figure, and a fine air.
was called charming. l was conscious
| of this as fact. As I looked I though
Of my mate. The thin, dark, oldisl
man. Who should it have been ? In
stantly my mind shaped an answer.
man like Ashford Lang. My though
went no farther. I never fancied my
self iu love with Ashford. He and hi
three brothers merely served me a
models of brilliant, gracious gentlemen
They were not men to carry on intri
cate firtations with married women
They were too high.souled for that
Brilliant, gracious gentlemen, as I hav'
said. With them and their sister
learned what fine society meant. I BE-
came couversant With the best thoughts
the best books; with art and all spleu
did accomplishments. Standing befor
my mirror I thought over all this, an,
thought myself fit only for such . typ
Of men as they revealed. I sighed
The next moment I heard Lis's 60,
voice saying goodnight to Stuar
Lang. There was new tone in it.
went olt and leaned over the balusters
fShe Wa standing under the gas, move
lsss and rapt iu dream !; but her fac
was sad, some deep pain was breaking
its girlish smoothness. Was she il
love, and With Stuart Lang? Then
ran rapidly over my memory fo
favorable signs on his part. I tel
sure that it was : mutual attachment
Why that look Of pain then7 A littl'
love-cloud, I reasoned. Tomorrow O
the next day I should have him claim
ing audience Of me. But tomorrow
and the next day, and the next, ant
the next-a month or more, and Stuar
Lang claimed no audience of me.
was disappointed. There could neve,
come such another gallant fellow fol
Liz. My type for all that was NOBLE