Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1879-01-08
A STAR IN THE DARK.

/
"You may call 1t foolish and roman
tic, If You like, but l repeat that
could more easily forgive one great
fault, committed under strong tempta'
ton aud foreign to the natural d'sPosi'
ton, than a series Of petty meannesse'
springing from aud belonging to the
character,
Thus spoke Helen Tnvers to he'
sister, Mrs Cunningham, and the
thread Of their discourse Ia taken up
where first It was overheard, II was
strange spot for anything like .
confidential" or Sentimental" con-
yer,ation to have taken place ! but
every one must have observed, that
subjects OF interest often arise IN the
most unexpected manner The two
ladies had mistaken the hour at which
n morning concert was TO commence
had arrived somewhat to early, and
consequently taken their seats before
any others were occupied, Perhaps,
warming with the subject under dis
cussion, they had not observed the
few slragglers who from tine to time
dropped in, aud certainly had not
heard the football Of n gentleman who
entered, and seated himself immediate.
ly behind them, just at that moment
when some Of the attendants were
making prodigious din in the rear
rangement of the benches near the Or
chestra.
"Icould not have married man 10
whom l did not take pride,' replied
Mrs. Cunningham 81 am very sorry
for people who have been led away to
do anything wrong, but they must take
the consequences of their own con-
duct certainly anything like disgrace,
or the worlds censure, falling upon
my husband, would crush me to the
earth"
"Not If his fault were the one fault
of life" resumed Helen "not if you
loved him very dearly. Nay, I think,
his very suffering would draw you
more together. have theory, that
the very happy do not love half so
deeply as those who have known sor.
row.
81 call such ideas perfect nonsense. e."
81 know you do, replied her sister,
with faint smile, and playing as she
spoke with the fringe Of her shawl.
"Any one would think, to hear
you talk, that you had fallen in love
with some scapegrace OF another, and
were seeking to excuse your folly
"Susan! you know there is nothing
of the kind. You know l have never
felt anything more lasting than a pass,
ing fancy, which one shakes off, just
as waking up from dream"
"How should l kno,D ?"
"Then believe,-I would not deceive
you. Though three-aud-twerty, in
deed | dread old.maidism far less than
an ;,l.assorted union.
Helen Travers turned her head as
she spoke, and though she did not per-
ceive the stranger, he caught the pro.
file of her animated countenance.
But the audieLce were by this time
arriving, and the sisters drew nearer
together to make room for new COM
ers. There was an end to the conver.
sation of course.
Notwithstanding a certain family
likeness, look that was caught now
and then, the sisters were very differ
en,. The elder, Mrs. Cunningham,
was far the more beautiful, if exquisite
ly chiselled features and a brilliant
complexion could make her SO. But
though quick and clever, even witty
and accomplished, she was deficient in
sentiment and the powers ofImagina-
ton; was . lover of detail and there
fore despised, because it was to her
incompreheusible. the higher and gen
eralising mind. A thoroughly worldly
education had completed her charac-
ter, and rendered her cold-hearted,
selfish woman of the world; without
enodght Of heart to feel the necessity
of affection, and yet possessing an in
satiable vanity that fed on universal
admiration Her sister formed q per-
feet contrast. With features less reg
ular, her countenance was as change
fal as the sea for it mirrored every
thought and feeling, as they welled up
from her woman's heart. Early re-
moved from the influence Of worldly