The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1880-12-02
THEO's LOVE.

with the ceremony very creditably in
deed. She had succeeded in looking
queenly and elegant, and Mr.. Van Verst
had shown all his pride in his handsome
eyes when he looked at her.
She had not trembled nor appeared in
the least nervous, but, as her first brides
maid said, behaved as though she were
in the habit Of getting married every
day.
After the ceremony, she had gone
through the tedious reception, and stood,
yet serious-grave, yet pleasant-while
her dear five hundred friends kissed her,
and took her hand, and congratulated
her-her feminine friends, who, in their
secret souls, were envious of her good
luck In having secured" the handsome,
stately man beside her, who filled his
position and did the honors as prince
of the blood royal might have done
whose name was q power in social,
financial and political circles, and who
had condescended from his high estate
to WOO lovely Isabel Lisle.
And now they were married and a"
Ceremony, reception and breakfast were
over, and well over, and Mrs. Van Verst
had retired to her dressing room to
change her toilet of white satin and lace,
pearls and diamonds, and white roses,
for the charming travelling costume of
ecru silk and Persian embroidered garnet
cashmere
just little to the surprise of the
vivacious girls who were supposed to be
indispensableo on the momentous occasion,
Isabel told them she really very much
preferred. attending upon herself; and,
as Isabel usually had her own way,
Mabel and Maude left her, with loving,
sapcy little protest
And she laughed, and turned them
out, and them.
Regardless of the magnifcence of her
trailing bridal robes, unmerciful of the
rare and costly white roses she crushed
SO ruthlessly, this bride of an hour, when
she had locked her door and dashed
down the curtains, flung herself on her
knees beside the lounge, In a perfect
ecstacy of grief-knelt there, shivering
and praying.
She could not cry; it seemed as if all
her tears had s'forever left her eyes to
curdle around her heart She did not
even make the slightest sound, but, oh!
the awful, unspeakable, pent-up agony
she suffered, until she wondered she did
not die then and there-until she prayed
God to let her die as she was, or else re-
move the burden.
And the why and wherefore was, that
since the night and hour eighteen months
before, when she and Tbeo Edmerton
had parted in proud, indignant coldness
they two who had worshiped each other
as even fond lovers not often worship
Isabel Lisle had never spent one happy
moment Not once had she heard of him
or from him. He had disappeared as
thoroughly from society as though he
were dead, and so how could she have
known that In his pique, and stubborn
ness. and unyielding pride, he had put
the. ocean, foreign countries, deserts, be-
tween them!
All she knew was, he made no sign; n;-all
she realized was, he had gone so far in
his displeasure as to give her no oppor-
tunity in her penitent relenting, to be
reconciled. And now, this fair, bright
day she was Horace Van Versts wife.
Some one raped softly on the door,
bringing Isabel to her senses. Had it
been minute or an hour since she knelt
there, shivering, writhing with longing
pain and utter abandonment of despair.
Maud st. Willis's cheerful voice called
out:
GA belated wedding present, Belle-a
check for $1,000, or Government
bond, dare say, seeing it is contained in
an envelope. Can't 1 come in?"
"Not quite yet, dear. I'll take the
parcel, please.
She unlocked the door and received it;
then with the first sob of pain that had
passed her lips yet, she sank faint and
weak upon the nearest chair, as she rec
ognised Theo. Edmerton's handwriting.
She did not at once open it; she could
not, for the cold trembling of her hands.
She sat there, her heart seeming to stop
its beating, until girlish voice, as some
body passed the door, speaking about the
time of trains, reused her again into a
sort of desperate defiance to herself
And then she tore open the envelope
and read this:
"Without any doubt you will be sur
prised to receive my most elaborate con-
gratulations on the auspicious event that
has given to your husband the sincere,
undivided love of your heart, and bestow
upon yourself the title that means, in
your case, that your affections are SO
surely, SO sincerely placed upon gen.
tleman so worthy"
Then the vein of icy-fond sarcasm sud
denly ceased-even the correct, elegant
handwriting changed into hurried,
half-illegible scrawl:
'1sabel, what have you done? My
Godi t0hat have you done? Could yor
not have waited little while? Yor
have ruined my hopes, my happiness
my faith and trust in woman. You have
killed me-killed me! May God forgive
you, and, if ever I prayed, pray nov
that may forget ever loved-yes, that
love you more madly than ever"
Such letter-such despair, and sucl
hopeless bitterness, such anguish of mis-
sery, such pain of anger-and Mrs. Val
Verst crushed it in her hand, till thu
paper was mass of broken fragments.
al sciU forget him-I will not go t.
my husband with such thoughts in m,
heartl My God, will be true-I mus
be true! Oh, make me-n1Gke me tru
to him, and don't let me swervel HeayeI
help mel''
And with hands clasped and lovsl,
eyes uplifted, she stood one moment
until loving Father laid His blessing O
endurance and patience, and earnes
resolution and consciousness of His owl
strength and presence, upon her heart
that was sick unto despair.
Half an hour later she looked up int,
her husbands face, as they sat alone il
the coach that was conveying them t.
the depot-such good, grand face tina
accompanied the character, no woma
could come in contact with and fail t
thoroughly revere and admire. And
sudden little thrill of humble conter
warmed in her eyes and quivered into
peaceful smile, as she laid her hand o
bis. s......-.5
81 mean to be such good wift
Horace" she said, gently.
my darling, know it, !" he answere
her. "And I am most blessed of an