The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1877-10-25


with her who had come so near being
his wife! But then Louisa Harmon
could never see anything that was not
forced upon her. Having never heard
Of his engagement to Clara, how was
she TO know what an awkward position
she had put them in, all out of good
will?
Louisa, said Virgie Ormsby, when
the two were alone together for a mo-
ments, "did you not call your cousin
SOphie?"
eyes. Why?" said Mrs Harmon.
81 thought she was a tall, coarse
featured brunette, with deep voice and
tragic manner, and ! am sure that her
her name was Letitia."
-,"Hush :" exclaimed Mrs. Harmon,
cautiously, "you are thinking of my
cousin Franks first wife, a dreadful
creature! can't imagine how you
ever heard of her. He married her
when he was a mere boy and in fit of
ilitp'AiNdliOll FllN W &c a. lOh viz NOiil
and married him for money. His rela-
tives came to his rescue, and not only
brought her off, but so thoroughly
opened his eyes to her character that
he never saw her after his unlucky
wedding-day. Why do you know she
was so wicked, so desperate that she
not only vowed vengeance on the
uncle and cousin who were foremost in
Franks defense, but actually tried to
kill them ~
"Did he get divorce?"
"No; that would have made the scan
dal too public. Fortunately for him,
the creature died (of delirium tremens)
about five years ago"
"And then he married again"
eyes; but not Immediately. He and
Sophie have been man and wife scarcely
two years"
"And in those three years of freedom
Frank never once thought Of poor, dear
Clara Inconstant creature" said Vir-
Slt W Dtl SUI dlItI ilCl llOSltoo lhONtu
away.
Virgie found moment in which to
relate Franks history to Clara before
the dancing commenced, and the thought
that he might have claimed her and did
not, nerved Clara to such a degree that
she moved through the lancers without
one particle of the self-consciousness,
the embarrassment she had expected to
feel.
After little such desultery chat as
might have taken place between the
veriest strangers, Clara saidI
81 think your wife has one of the
sweetest faces | ever saw. Surely, she
is German-she is shch perfect
blonde"
"My-O, you mean Sophie! Yes,
her father was a German. But you
have made slight error; she is not my
wife, but my COUSINS" said Frank.
"IIer husband, who is in the navy, is
now in the Mediterranean.
81 certainly understood Mrs. Harmon
to speak of her as Mrs. Frank Lear
oyd," answered Clara, in surprise.
$50 she is. You surely have heard
of Frank-you forget" persisted he,
seeing that she looked puzzled, sit was
his cursed folly in marrying that Letitia
Rundell that"
"Was it he? But she showed me
your picture !"
$50, so! She took her vengeance
that way, did she? She told that was
her husband? When"
"The day before" and Clara hesi-
tated.
"Before the one that was to have |
made me the happiest man in America,
but which did make me the most miser-
able, our wedding-day," said Frank,
utterly ignoring the last figure of the
lancers, and leading his pardner to the
moonlit verandah, where, according to
have taken severe cold, but she did |
not.
Glow could you have believed such |
a tale, Clara?"
Clara explained all the circumstances
which caused her to credit it, adding; |
"Why did you not explain matters
then? You might as easily have done
so-if you wished to-"
"If wished to! Clara, unless you
loved me as l loved you, you can never
know how / suffered! Remember, too,
that your note was vague; you did not |
say that you supposed me to have mar
ried her; thought ycu felt the family |
disgraced by Franks action, as we did,
and scorned to ally yourself with it."
go, Frank, how could you think so?'
Crank! Clara are you hereY" and |
Louisa Harmon, with her usual unin-
territorial maladroitness, interrupted |
their conversation.
Chow delightfully."- cool you look! | |
declare, Clara, you and Virgie are
frauds of the first magnitude. You
said you had nothing to wear to my |
party, and here you are in the loveliest
cream-white silk even saw"
"Dear Louisa, this dress was made
six years ago for my wedding-dress,
but was locked up ever since"
go, beg pardon! ! didn't know
/ had no intention. How brilliant the
moon is 4! stammered Louisa.
Clara and Fank both laughed; the
latter said:
"No harm done, Louisa. No ghost
of romance disinterred. Clara and
were on the eve of matrimony once,
and-Mell. we nre on the eve of Il AgaIn.