The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-08-16
FORGIVEN.
cbe Effects Of JeaIeusy.

scending like an opal curtain. In the
west there yet remained rare, beautiful
tints that the sunsetting had left blushing
softly on the horizon.
Sylvia stood alone in the drawing-room,
looking across the square into Oxford
street--such fair womanly woman, with
her 1.-The slender figure, her graceful car
riage, her grave, sweet face, whose red
lips so seldom parted in smile, whose
velvcty dark eyes wore always patient
piteousness.
She had endured such trouble-such
awful troublc-that comes, providentially,
10 but few women to suffer; and tonight,
The last Of the dying year, when other wo-
men were eagerly gay, and anticipatiye of
the festivities of the morrow, Sylvia Hope
was suffering anew and afresh the pain
that would never leave her-that never
had left her since the New Years Eve
five years ago, when
She shivered as she thought of that
night, and then, with little gasp of ago.
ny, as the memory surges rolled whelm-
ingly over her, she turned away from the
window, and the sky that was rapidly
paling into soft gray tones, and the streets
whose indistinctness of dusk was being
relieved by twinkling lights.
A servant came quietly in, taper in
hand, to light the gas.
Mrs. Hope looked up.
"Neyer mind yet, John. I will ring
xhen | need lights"
Then, up and down, up and down,
through the half gloom, the fragrant
warmth, of the magnificent room, Sylvia
walked, her silken train rustling softly on
the velvet carpet, her fair, white hands
clasped tightly behind her, her head
dropped on her breast, thinking of her
husband.
Just five years ago that day there had
been p terrible scene between them-a
shnale" that had been gradually growing
from the day Marcia Stanhope had
crossed their path.
She was enchantingly beautiful more
beautiful than any woman Sylvia had ever
seen, and all London raved about her
and Guy Hope had shared in her eager
admiration; and Marcia Stanhope had
smiled upon him, and the two had beer
great friends, until--one awful, awful da,
n had come home to Guy Hopes wife
with the keen force of pain, and jealousy
and rage, that her husband cared MOI
tor Marcia Stanhope than for her.
AT first, she had tried to conquer thu
feeling. Then, when her womans hear
was all aiire with hot fury and wild ieal
ousy, she taxed her husband with tn,
accusation, as any woman would hay,
done.
And he' He did what any man woult
have done, whether guilty or innocent
he fatty denied the charge. Then, whel
she hotly, Indignantly reproached him, h
resented it tangrily, then coolly laughed
and LATER grew furious as herself.
And then, in the very midst of Sylvia
widest maddest accusation, he turned Il
her with sternness that held her Will
she heard the one sentence he uttered.
"Another word, and SO help me heaven
I'll never look upon your face againp'
The threat maddeued her beyond al
power to control her words.
ayes you. would like to desert me-fo
her Col hope may never see you
false face again!"
And without a seconds delay he wake
into the hall, donned overcoat hat an
gloves, and. 1t was five yeaas age
and she has never seen or heard of hr
since.
There had been much time for repent
ance, much time to suher-in those terr
Bile after days, when people looked wor
deringly, sometimes suspiciously at hel
when she knew the strangeness Of he
affairs was being canvassed, and she va
pitied or censured, or ridiculed, as tn
case might be.
But her withdrawal from society, ht
womanly modesty of demeanor, her Ill
doubted distress, commanded respect ar
sympathy. Besides, she as rich, ar
that covered multitude of sins.
And SO she had lived her lonely liz
with heart that knew no surcease {
sorrow-that only knew added regret 6
The days wore on into years, and ST
knew, for positive certainty, that it ha
been terrible mistake on her part-th
Marcia Stanhope had not been in love wit
'.er husband, nor he with her.
Only there was no unduing that mi
'-ke-only there was nothing left but
ear and suffer- as best she might, uni
-elease should come.
And so this New Years Eve had con
again, when the bells should ring in Il
new year, whose burden for Sylvia wou
be lust what the old had heaped on h