Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-04-30


ing at her bedroom window, and star
ing out at the moon streaked sea" but
no; he does not love her; not, l mean.
as she loves him. lie is fond Of her in
n mild, brotherly fashion; but he does
not love her as husbands ought to love
their wives, as my husband must love
me if marry. No, he does not, and
wonder why he married her?'
The days pass away, and each, as II
goes, leaves Lille Beauchamp weaker
She has taken wonderful fancy t.
Ada, and likes to have her near her
There is brightness and sunninesE
about her that seems to come like
whiifs of fresh air into thu sick room
and Ala, whose womanly pity is all
aroused by the sight of the thin face
and wasted form, is ready at all times
to render every service il her power
She forsets her pride, she remembers
not their relative positions; she i:
simply the tender Nurse, TIE watchfu
attendant.
There comes day at last when Lii
lie smiles pitifully up from her pill
lows, and says, with tremble IN bel
voice:
& don't think 1 will get up to-day;
don't feel quite we'll enough"
Ada chokes back lump in lel
throat, and res ronds cheerfuIly:
Don't YOU, dear? ALI Il! well,
you'll feel better Tomorrow"
But Lille gives pathetic shake oil
the head, and two large tears roll
slowly down her cheeks.
Ada makes no remarks, but busiea
herself in arranging the bed-clothes
and smoothing tae pillows.
Presently Lille takes her plump
white hand between her two wasted
ones.
"You have been so good and kind
to me-" she murMurs. "Oh what
should 40 without you?"
FLUSH! bush !" interrupted Ada,
L am not good and kind at all.
only do it because it pleases me to-
"Then it is proof that you must be
naturally good and kind, or it would
not please yeu to wait upon trouble,
some invalid"
Troublesome why, it would he
impossible anywhere to find any one
so accomplishing as you are. And
tell you l like doing things for you"
Light as the falling CT rose.petal
drops kiss upon Adas hand.
A fortnight later Lille dies. They
think her peacefully sleeping, till Ada,
vaguely alarmed, endeavors to awaken
her. Then they find that she is indeed
asleep, but it is that last long sleep
from which there is no awakening till
the Judgment morn.
Mr.. Beauchamp gives way to no
passionate outbursts of sorrow. His
grief is quiet and undcmonstratiye.
He thanks Mrs. Chantry and Ada with
warm gratitude for their kindness to
his wife, anu directly after the funeral
leaves Fairshore.
Ada finds now terrible blank
in her small world. Other dodgers
come aud go, but she cares
nothing for them. Life seems to have
become intolerably tame ana monoto-
nous. Her mother gets anxious about
her, and at length insists upon her hav-
ing change.
So she goes and stops with some
friends, and certainly the visit does ler
little good, but still Mrs. Chantry's
mind is not quite at ease. She is more
interested in the daily business of her
life-or feigns to be; but then she has
grown so much thinner and paler.
She is not so self willed, but there is
often such wistful, far-away express
sion in her eyes that Mrs. Chantry tells
herself she would rather have the old
impotence than this new gentleness.
She does not understand the change; it
worries and perplexes her.
care you not well, darling?" she
will ask, smoothing the girls dark hair
with her loving fingers.
Me we'll. mother dear ?" Ada will
answer; Eyes, quite;" and, with a
kiss, she will sit down and play OF
sing, or else propose walk.
1t is a year and somewhat more since
Lille Beauchamp died. 1t was sultry
July weather when she was carried tc
her grave. 1t is glowing August this
day when Ada puts on her hat, and
tucking volume of Shakespeare under
her arm, sets out for saunter on tho
beach.
A short distance from the shore rise.
aloft huge rock-bleak, grim and in
accessible to the most daring OF climb
ers. Under its shadow Ada loves tt
sit, and thither she bends her step
;now.
Somehow, though she is in literary
! mood. the book remains unopened
and she sits and muses. instead.
The sea is calm and tranquil. Fa
off a fleet of fishing boats lie at anchor
Above. the sea birds float slowly across
the cloudless blue sky. There is nc
wind. No sound disturbs the dreamy
silence beyond the soothing murmurl
of the ripping waves,
GAS they touch the sands
With soft, monotoRous cadence"
By and by she opens the book ant
begins to read. Twelfth Night" i.
the play, and 30 absor bling are the ad
ventures Of Viola that she reads on, al
unconscious of any ones proximity
till voice says:
"How do you do, Miss Chantry ?"
She looks up, and the start sh'
gives causes the book to slip from he
lap.
She replaces it before she extend
. her hand, or says. in steady voice: