The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1874-09-03
WOULD SHE OR NOT!
BY MARY KYLE DALLAS.

"Again !" SAID hose winner. "Well,
this is what all women must put up
with, | suppose; but l never thought
that l should be neglected"
She listened.
"Locked in his room again." she
said, "and after long days absence !;
and | am to go to bed and go to sleep.
What goose | am not to do that con
tentedly, and forget him who can forget
me so easily. How long is it since he
has spent an evening with me? Two
months at least. Oh |" she clenched
her little hand, chow little 1
thought when rranged that study,
and put the prettiest things in it, and
was so proud of it and so pleased with
it, that he would make it an excuse to
shut me from him. 1t did not use to
be so. When was Rose Luttrell, and
he made pa SO angry by staying in the
parlor uutil midnight; when he actu-
ally followed me about, and said that
every moment was wasted that was not
passed in my company-ah, well, / was
too romantic. loved him too much.
| should have remembered what Miss
Landon wrote:
If you would not suffer,
Be the one to give the pain
But you see, thought him so good, so
fond, so constant" She listened again.
"Mute as a mouse" she said.
Studying French, indeed as if l did
not know that he was n perfect French
scholar long before | knew him, and
that he never would have held the po
sition he does in that great importing
house if it were not for his French. No !;
he is tired of me, and shuns my so
ciety."
And Rose dropped her head head up
on her hands and sobbed bitterly. 1t
was unwise of her, for the sudden move
ment awoke the six months old baby in
the bassinette at her side, and it began
to wall piteously. 1t was necessary to
dry her own tears in order to dry his,
and crying is a great luxury to wo-
man before she has spoiled her eyes in
indulging in it. But though she stop
ped weeping, she went on talking in a
low tone, addressing the baby as though
1t cOnld understand ner.
"Blessed little SOUL" she said, "we
know what it all means, don't we? Be
fore you came / was light-footed girl,
but since then I've been very different.
| cannot dance. cannot run. | can
not even walk far; perhaps l never
shall If he had suffered in any way
for my sake, how should have loved
him for it; but he ceases to love me for
the very reason that should make him
more tender. Oh, why do women evel
marry? Why did not say no instead
of yes, and then he would hav9 loved
| me forever"
She lifted her head and looked into
the glass. :,
"I'm not ugly yet, nor old either,
she said, with sndden flash of he
black eyes. elf he no longer admire
me, other people may. Wives wht
| flirt are always more thought of by
their husbands than constant wives are
I'll"
eff you please'm," said voice a
the door, ga gentleman.
Rose started, and held out her hant
for the card the girl presented.
"Chauncey Waldo" was written up
on it.
"You may stay here with baby, Mag
gie," said she. "I will see Mr.. Waldo
Mr.. Winner is engaged"
She peeped into the glass again, anC
settled her crimped hair with her pinl
palms. Her dress needed no arranging
she was always well dressed in the
eveninp-and chen she went down into
the parlor, where Chauncey Waldo
who considered himself the most las
cinating man in the United States, sal
waiting for her.
There was no harm in going down
It was only right to go; but Satan
they say, is always on the lookout fol
ones weak moments; and 1T seems
likely that he sent Mr.. Waldo in the
nick of time. Roses vanity had beer
stnng, and she was anxious to prove tt
herself that she had not lost her power
of fascination. She proved it conclu
sively that evening.
Nothing was said, nothing was dont
that Mrs. Grundv could object to; bu
there are smiles that make the heart o
] lady.killer flutter, and smiles that pm
| him at distance by their very gracious
ness. Formerly Mrs. Winner had givei
Mr.. Waldo these latter smiles. 10
night she gave him the former. So tha
he dared to hold her hand little lon
ger than he had ever done before II
parting, and to say softly:
"May call again very soon? lhat'
to think of your being lonely"
For she had told lhim-yes. she hat
;ndeed-that 9" Mr.. Winner was foreve
shut lid in his study, and that she fan
c;ad she should die of ennui SOM
,, day." Which was true enough, bu. ,,, a,
nnwise statement for pretty youni
wife to make to Waldo.