Louisiana capitolian., 1880-03-13


Assures us of its brightness.
OUT in THE STORM.
She stood with the open letter in her
hand, trembling and and-pale. and at
last had to clutch at the nearest chair
to keep herself from falling.
"Tt is all overm she cried, after a
while putting her hand to her forehead
with a dazed look call over-allover!
And yet, oh, how loved himm
The match between Lydia Tren-
than and Leonard Drake had been q
runaway one. Her family was richer
than his, and ambitious tbatshe should
make a great alliance, for she was
beautiful and accomplished, and had
such a charming manner that every
body raved about her. When, there
fore she fell in love with Leonard
Drake, who had but comparatively
small competence, and no business
knowledge whatever, her father an
grily bade her to dismiss such lover
for ever from her thoughts. But with
Lydia. as with most romantic girls,
this stern decree acted only as an ad-
ditional incentive. She thought her
father unjust, and went on loving
Drake more than ever. She eloped.
From that day her parents looked on
her as on the dead.
"She had made her bed, let her lie
in it," said her father savagely.
There had been only one cloud on
the happiness of the wife. She had
come to her husband penniless when
he had Alright to expect fortune and
she feared that some day he might
regret his choice. All at once, like Il
th,ndcrholt out Of a clear sky, came
the crushing blow which destroyed
her happiness in one hour.
In his bachelor days, and before he
metLydia Trentham. Leonard brakes
name had been associated with a beau
tlful girl who afterwards married a
Mr.. Dorchester, q banker. People
said she had never loved him, but that
her heart had been given to Leonard
Drake; that Leonard had really loved
her, and that Miss Bently had only
taken the rich banker "because,' as
she said, "Leonard and herself were
too poor to marry"
Lydia, at the time hearing these
things, had not been without jealousy;
but the entire devotion of Leonard
had, in the the end satisfied her; and
for years she had forgotten even the
existence of Mrs. Dorchester.
Suddenly Mrs. Dorchester had ap-
peared at the summer resort where
the brakes were residing temporarily.
Here she had renewed her acquaint-
ance with Leonard. Mrs. Dorchester
was widow now; notes began to pass
between her and Lydia's husband;
and twice the wife had detected them
walking together in the dusk of the
evening.
For weeks shehad struggled against
conviction, hoping towards the last
against hope, until this day, when she
had found a torn and crumpled letter
hidden between the pages ola book,
the first words of which drove her al
most insane. She remembered now
that she had surprised her husband
that morning reading letter, which,
to her astonishment, he had shutfled
into an open volume before him, but
she had not noticed what book it was
and it was by accident only she now
discovered it.
1t was but one part ola letter, how
ever, that she found. The paper had
evidently been torn into several pieces
and only q portion had been thrust
into the book as if ESQ she reasoned
now) her husbands agitation had de-
prived him for the moment of his self
control. Under any other circum-
stances a paper belonging to Leonard
would have been sacred to her, but
when she saw the first significant
words, awe must keep the secret"
she read Mrs. Dorchester's signature
at the end.
Much was lost, all was more or less
incohercnt, but enough remained to
convince the tortured wife that every
thing was over for her in the way of
happiness in this world.
She remained there for nearly half
an hour, dazed, crushed, not knowing
as yet what to do. The door opened
at last and old Dorcas came in. Old
Dorcas had been Lydia's nurse and
had followed her after marriage, the
only one poor or rich, that had stuck
to her fallen fortunes. She started
back on seeing the ashy face Of her
mistress.
"What is it 2" said Lydia, rousing
herself.
"a note from Mr.. Drake" was the
reply. "But deary me, are you i'll,
ma'am"
"No, l am quite well, answer
ed the poor wife, witha great effort
"Ah, l see that Mr.. Drake writes he
is going to join party to 60 up to
Dover not to return till tonight, if
willexcuse his coming back to dinner"
eyes," Dorcas said vaguely,
"The man who brought the note
waits for an answer. Tell him to say
to MIR. Drake, $50 by all means, l
haven't time or | would write"
Dorcas started off, but her mistress
voice again made her pause.