West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1878-05-25
KNGWOOD, PRESTON COUNTY, SATURDAY. MAY 25.rs7s

creditors clamorous, and his princely
fortune gone, and in all the great CITY
he had not one true heart 10 counsel or
comfort him. Months OF sleepless
anxiety had bowed his handsome head
and whitened his hair, yet the needless
| and heartless Clelia was utterly igno-
rant of his trouble.
lie had not been brave enough TO tell
! her, for he felt that this woman who
had ruined his life would madden him
by her insipid and selfish wonder and
\ regret, for of any stronger emotion she
( was incapable.
| But at last his grand house was sold
\ 10 satisfy a mortgage, given as security
/ for money that had been wasted i'm the
laces and silks and Jewels that Clelia
wore with such imperial pride-money
that he dared not take from the bank
already shaking for the final fall.
Then he resolved TO tell her of the
trouble that was 10 end her life of splen-
dor. 1t was unavoidable, but he shrank
from the ordeal with weak and heavy
heart.
1t was at the close of n peaceful.
golden day when he drew up his spank
ing piebald roans before the uptown
palace that was his no longer. The sill
yer OF mOonrise and the rose Of sunset
yet fingered on the purple dusk of the
evening as he wearily descended from his
glittering coach, and with tagging feet
went up the granite steps. The hand
some parlors were blaze OF light. The
heavy odor of costly cut flowers filled
the air. In the center of the room stood
Clelia, her supple, rounded figure
clothed in amber silk and cloudy lace,
her naughty lips red as the priceless
rubies on her aims and bosom, or the
red rose fastened in the snaky coils of
her black hair. A heavy sigh parted
his pale lips as he looked Mt her.
81 am sorry that you are TO give a
soiree tonight, Clelia," he said, gently
drawing her to a tete-a-tete upholstered
in pale blue satin.
Why?" she inquired, for once inn
pressed by the dumb misery of the pale
face that had grown 20 aged and thin
during the few past weeks.
For many reasons" he responded
with painful hesitation. " ! have some
thing unpleasant to tell you, Clelia, and
/ hop- you will listen patiently"
o, ii is about money, of course"
she cried, petulantly, az she impatientiy
tapped her dainty boot upon the pale
green carpet strewn with woven roses
like drops of blood.
Yes" he said very gravely, ait il
about money, and ! wish TO tell you that
mine is gone to the last dollar ! am a
man broken in health and heart and
fortune, and suspected of gross dishon-
esty. This house is sold, and my per
sonal property soon will be. lhave moth
ing left Nothing"
He hrolyay x,,;oo boI a. .o,,.l
wall as he uttered that last pathetic
word. Not CLEAN of pity softened the
hard, handsome face of the woman be-
fore him. For moment he sat naughty
and silent; then the angry blood burned
redly in her cheeks, and strange cold
light sparkled in her sullen, slumberous
eyes.
You wish me to understand that |
am the wife Of poor and dishonored
bankrupt" she observed, and each chill
ing word stabbed his heart like sharpest
steel. i will never forgive you. /
will never forgive you" repeated the
woman who had tempted and beguiled
and maddened and destroyed him.
And he thought of her whom he had
wronged by falsehood and disloyalty,
whom he had repudiated and forsaken
he thought of Helen az he saw her last
standing injured and heart-broken be-
fore him, and yet crying TO him out Of
the depths Of her outraged love, / for
giue you, Stephen"
For the first time ne turned upon
Clelia a look of such scorn and anger
and bitterness that she quailed before it.
For what will you never forgive me,
madam p he asked, sternly. Because
] have been weak enough 10 let you
ruin me? Because ] have allowed you
to waste my fortune in folly? You
have been TO me the btterest curse that
ever poisoned and blackened the life Of
man. For the kisses Of your false lips
] have lost all-hOnor, riches, seful-
ness, happiness. And yet you dare re-
prOach me-you, who care less for me
than for the jewels you wear"
Certainly" she returned, with a
cruel, mockiDg laugh 81 supposed
that you had guessed the truth long
ago"
You never loved me ?" he demanded,
hoarscly; IL was my wealth for which
you cared. Il that what you mean ?'
90 Precisely SO" she replied, with icy
calmness.
Stephen Darrell said no more. lie
had drained the cup TO the last drop,
and the lees were very, very bitter.
Without another glance toward the wo-
man whose fascinatiOns had been his
bane, he arose and left her.
Some time after, sitting in his chamber
more miserable and desolate than he
had ever been in his life before, he
heard the roll of carriage wheels, and
Tue soft, murmurOus confusion Of many
voices told him that Clelia's guests were
arriving. Bye-and-bye he heard the
preluding tinkle Of the grand piano.
then Strauss waltz was executed 40
finely that he listened, and for a mo-
ment forgot half his misery. Then
there was a pause followed by a sweet
voice singing. As the first note Of that
rich, deep voice hoated up to him he
sprang 10 his feet.
Like the monk Of old, who followed a
bird song for years thinking them but
hours, and who returned TO find the
very earth changed, he listened, mar.
yelling IL he heard terrestrial melody or
the music Of heaven.
But the song that Stephen Darrell
heard was a simple ballad that told Of
| tinkling brooks and whispering leaves
| and sun-kissed flowers and happy trust
| ing hearts. Often in the old dead days
/ Ha had e4tnrr thof IaTI.I .rttI ILL.,.