The weekly clarion., 1879-03-05
MASONIC DEPARTMENT,
ONLY A SLIP OF PAPER.
Masonic Review


and her crimson lips forming the words Of an
/ almost forgotten love song.
! lrmai lrma! Where are YOU. peG22
At the sound Of that voice the fair face
flushed with JOY, and the dewy violet eyes
I deepened into liquid darkness
/ Here | am. Gus. What do YOU want2 E"
Gus Grantley entered the room and halted
/ by the side OF his young wife, who had been all
/ the world TO him for six short months
! Why. lrma, l wish YOU would mend the
/ pocket OF the vest / lett eff this morning
shall want ii this evening
." | viii, Gus; but amt We going TO Putin
/ Bay next week? You know that you have
/ promised me a month ago. "
lrma laid her beautiful hands on his sleeve.
1 and her eyes were upllfted with ali her rare
| power OF entreaty To his face
| Gus Grantley, looking down upon his young
wife, thought what lovely little tease she
was, as she stood there with the sunshine
leaving purple CLEANS amid her dark hair
Yes, lrma, know ! have promised, but it
Is impossible for me TO 60 now; cannot leave
the city at present
Cannot leave the city, Why not. Gus p
" Business my dear, business. Can't my
httle wife put it off until another season -
She looked quickly in his eyes Was he in
earnest, or only trying To torment her.
,les, Gus, | can stay at home; but | ann
so disappointed. -
Gus Girantley's face grew tender and iudul-
" Perhaps | am too selfish. Irma: II Won
have set your heart on going, why not 20 with
the Lacys2 | have no objection, to that but
l cannot leave my business Just AT this time"
:" Oh. Gus, for shame You know | do not
care 10 60 10 such an extent that would leave
you behind "
lrma turned her sweet face. now triae
clouded, back toward the window. perhaps to
hide the gathering tears or 10 bring the smile
back to her crimson lips.
Her dropping figure and tear-flled ewes
touched the heart Of the husband. and he
stopped suddenly and kissed her
My lrma gives up the trip like a soldier.
does she? Wen, pet, you shall not regret that
you have made 1t easier Tor me to refuse YOU
than l thought it possible" "
There, there, its all right now, " said Irma,
with smile. Look across the street quick
what a graceful form-the one in blaek-and
what a handsome face Why Gus she Is
bowling to one Of US. Do you know herr"
Slightly, lrma. Her name is Leslie "
wei, l am glad in my heart il is only
slightly. She is too handsome for a gay mar
RED man like you to become very intimate
with. You don't know how Jealous / am "
Her dark eyes sparkled archly, and she
laughed merrily as She spoke.
Wei may you laugh, you witch when
you know that | have eyes and heart for none
but yourself But | must go. Remember the
Anu lduShlIg ne went out toward the down
town business house, where he spent his work
ing-days
lrma went gayly upstairs, returning soon
with the offending vest in her possession, and
sat down in her easy chair ready to do her
husbands bidding Her fair forehead drew
ltSeli INTO pucker OF ivory wrinkles at the
task set before her
Well, l should say pocket did need mend
ng' she said to herself :" ! wonder how he
used it all. Now, the carees boy. Here is
a gold tooth-pick Aunt Mabel gave him last
Christmas, one sleeve button and a scrap Of
paper. Why, what does it say? July Dist
paid Mrs. Leslie twenty-five dollars Whv
that was day before yesterday. Gus didn't
say anything about paying lady money. "
Mrs. Leslie, Mrs. Leslie" murmured
Irma, thoughttully, trying to remember where
she had heard the name before. "Why. |
delecare, that Is the name OF the beautiful
lady who bowed TO Gus this morning | do
wonder what he gave her money Tor? OF
course it is all right, but l wish he had told
me about it."
She picked up the slip of paper that had
tallcn from her hand and read those simple
words over again. She turned il over and
found the name Lillian Leslie ;" upon the
other side.
Lillian Leslie; what a pretty name" she
SAID, still talking TO herself 1t can't be
possible Gus cares for her? Why, no; what
ever made me think OF that? He has owed her
tlIt HloIItN ana IDdil III Oh, tndtS all. But |
wonder what for? She can't be a book-agen
she is too dainty and modest for that There
Is so much wlckedness in this world, could it
be posSlble-why, what can be wrong with
me2 Now, il | was the least bit Jealous |
might fancy that Gus has fallen in love with
Mrs. Leslie, and that was the reason he did
not want to leave the city ! cannot see that
he has any more business now than he did
month ago, when he gave me his promise
And how willing he was for me to 90 without
him. Slightly acquainted, indeed ] would
have to ba very intimate with one to give
them twenty-five dollars. He has been so
absent-minded Of late | wonder if Lillian
the cause? Oh, how | wish | had never
found that little slip Of paper.
Poor lrma This a sorry ending TO
her bright dream Of married happiness She
sat with the scrap OF paper in her lap, her
cheeks pale and tear-staned her lips quiv-
ering as she tried to decide in her own mind
whether Gus was true false, and while a
curious feeling Of misery crept into her heart
she began to repair the pocket. her thoughts
far from her work. The last half-hour had
been like some dreadful dream. She had read
OF husbands proving false to their marriage
vows, but she could not think ii possible that
hers could be one OF that description. No,
she would not believe it. Gus was true
But for all that she took good cry, and
when evening came she concluded to 60 down
town and ride home with Gus just to while
away tIlc lIiue- oHe was anxious 10 tell
him how wicked she had been to doubt him
and ask his forgiveness
When Irma alighted from the car she found
herself on the opposite side OF the street from
the business house OF Grantley u Co, and a.
she stood upon the crossing, waiting for a car
riage TO pass, sight met her gaze that seemed
TO chill every drop OF blood in her veins.
She saw her husband standing on the pave
ment and with him the same graceful form
and the same fair face that had wrought so
many dark stitches in the web OF her day
To turn and fly back home like a frightened
bird was her first thought, and to think just
now was to act. Home home-she had no
home. Gus was false and her dream of hap
piness was over. Yes, she had a home way
of in the Vermont hills where mother was
the one heart that was always true She
would leave all to Lillian Leslie and 20 away
forever.
Up to the elegant chamber that the husband
had fitted up with 50 much TASTE the sobbing
wife kneels by the open trunk, pacxing-she
knows not what. Her hot tears fall unnoticed
and she does not hear the step and voice out
side until the door opens.
Irma Irma, child What is the matter?
Have you heard bad news from home2'
Gus, / going home 70 mother Far
better had you never taken me away" And
the pretty head sank lower and lower over the
open trunk. . am going out to make room
for the handsome Lillian Leslie "
GoIng home Lillian Leslie Why, Irma
are you mad? What has Mrs Leslie got to
do with your going home?"
How dare you ask? You but left her
presence a moment ago. And, if that Is not
enough, read this bit Of paper found in your
vest Men are not 50 generous nowadays as
to give twenty-five dollars to a stranger or a
slight acquaintance. o, Gus, how could you
deceive me so :"
q deceive you, Irma Can it be possible
that my girl-wife distrusts me? And You
think this little slip OF paper positive proof OF
my guilt do you? Have you forgotten that 1
Secretary OF the Masonic Lodge?"
No Guss, replied Irma, with sob. 81 But
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