The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1879-12-26

I
bed, her beauty gone, and in her weak
ness she now, as then, questions the
wherefore of the whole matter They
had taken her away to the sea as soon
she was anywise to fit to be removed.
Now, however, they had come back for
Christmas, for all, even Elizabeth, ,craved
Tor the sweet home peace of their own
place. And lere was yet another reason
why Elizabeth longed to come-for the
sweet dream of her life must be put
aside. Better do it at once, she says to
herself; and yet she shrinks from it.
The door of the outer room opens, and
one by one the gentlemen enter just as
they will, for this is but a home gather
ing amongst near friends. Elizabeth
notes but one, the one who she knows
by the very instinct of her own loving
heart is longing even now to see her.
i Pauline follows. moment later thew
speak together. then they glance at the
j open door and the darkness beyond; I;
they think that she is not there, and
Pauline turns as though to go out again
4 probably to seek Elizabeth, so the
latter thinks when some one of her
visitors stops her on the way. John
Carr crosses the room to where a pretty
girl sits, arrayed in white with pale
blue in her hair and about her dress.
Elizabeth sighs. This same girl. she
has heard, is fond of John, although
society at large has set her down to the
second son, Edward, who, not being
rich, must needs marry fortune with
his wife. Still, things have never gone
smoothly between the heiress and this
last. and while the men blame Edward
himself in the matter, the women say
that the fault is the girls own. in that
she cares more for John; which Eliza
beth. viewing him with her eyes. thinks
is but natural after all. And Elizabeth
knows, as she watches John Carr, that.
his heart is hers alone now. She feels
proud too, just tor little minute; then
passing her hand over her poor face. SO
as to assure herself that it is all a reality.
she says that the heart willsoon have
to be given up, for that he who loved
her before will not love her now; and,
besides that, no word had passed be-
| tween them, so that it will all be very
easy to forget and undo. Easy-when
she is suffering agony all the while!
But for this giving up, jealousy had had
no place within her; now she grudges
! the smiles he bestows upon this other,
thinking that when all is over, if she.
this other, should ever stand in the
place she has destined for herself, it will
be hard. very hard, to think kindly of
her. A little piece ofholly falls from a
wreath close by, she picks it up, and
then the spirit of the season comes back
to her once again.
Then she looks ca lmly.on the rest.
She sees Edward Carr standing apart
gloomily watching the other two She
wonders if he loves Julia Hammond.
She thinks he must or he would not look
so, and then she pities him and hopes
that all will yet be right for him in the
end. Pauline is gone now, soon she
will be back here to find her. John is
anxious, as she can see by the way in
which he watches the door for Pauline's
return. All, WE'LL she will be brave:
she will let John see that she can give
him up, and not even expect him to
care tor her now; and after that she will
trust to Jesus to bear her on. 1t is
wonderful how, having made up her
mind. she forgets self; she sees now
that Julia and Edward have exchanged
glanccs, that Julia reddens considerably,
and that John, noting the cause. leaves
her as though to speak to his brother
But he encounters Pauline instead, and
together they come now Elizabeth's
way.
Her courage is fast dying out, yet
when Pauline enters, leaving John OUT
side by the half-elosed door, she man
aces somehow to whisper that she Is
strong. and that he may come in.
She trembles as she holds out her
hand for him to take; she cannot speak
in answer to his greeting, though he has
called her Elizabeth. though lie seems
well-nigh beside himself with ioy at the
thought of being near her. So she but
strokes the piece of holly she holds. the
while she wonders what Pauline has
told him, for she has promised to pre-
pare him somewhat for the change
which has taken place.
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