The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1881-03-23

who had bought you, until to-day
/ l come hither to find him, my frienl
Oh, Lillian, many nlnrderess ha:
less stain on her soul than YOU
Harold, spare mel spare me
They forced me into it. They knew
| loved you-my mother! my hus.
band She told him, but still they
wished that | should marry him,
What could / do? prayed for
Heaven to help me, but no help
came. l called your name all thro'
the night, but you would not an
swer.'
The man listeningV outside the
door leaned against the portal with
groan but within. wrapped in
their own misery, neither heard.
Lillian, you love me still, then ?
Oh, my little love, must | lose YOU
forever
'Hush-hush He has been so
good to me-so good Oh, if / lived
to be an old woman, | could not re-
pay him. To-morrew Iiwill tell him
all, after you have gone for YOU
must 60 in the early morning, dear,
before anyone is up. Then | will
say, i promised to do my duty, HUI
bert. ! have done it. / am sorry
that the Harold l loved was your
friend; but he has gone now, and |
must try to make up to you his
loss, and by-and-by, if you will have
patience still, 1 will learn to love
you, husband-not as I loved him,
perhaps, but with better love-
You viii 90, Harolde You see /
am not strong. / have made you
suffer but you can see that | have
suffered too. In the old days you
never said me nay. You will not
say 1t now?
Go TO sleep content, little one.
You will see me never again. But,
Lillian, | shall be hungry many
years. Hubert said you should be
to me as sister. VIII you not give
me sisters kiss?'
She stood still.
He stopped, and on each quiver-
ing eyelid pressed his burning lips.
Then he almost rushed from the
room, but the silent figure, an IN
slant since on its threshold, had
fed.
The next morning Harold Court
ney had gone, but when Lillian stole
to her husbands side he hushed the
first words on her lips.
L know, child knew he ex-
claimed.
She thought he meant that her
mother and Harold had told him.
Somehow a change had come over
Lilian's life.
Her husband no longer caressed
and fondled her. Every luxury,
every wish was hers to command.
but his kiss no longer fell upon her
lips, and though ever ready to 90
with her wheresoevers she desired, he
never intruded upon her privacy.
Then, too, her old fear of strangers
had disappeared.
The one face for which she had
--''sht had eopae and .-slre I.,ro
longer haunted her dreams, either
waking or sleeping. Sometimes she
would softly breathe the old name,
but her voice did not tremble nor
her face turn pale.
She missed her husband, too. Oc-
casionally she would steal to his
side, hoping, as of old he would
throw his arm about her and draw
her to him; but he never did.
One day, feeling lonely, shesought
him in the library He was sitting,
his head upon his hands. A groan
burst from his lips.
Teach me patience, Oh, heavenn
he murmured, or give me death 7
'Hubertp she cried, springing to
his side, what is it husband? VIII
you not tell me? Do you no longer
love me-?
4 shall love you, DEAR he answer
ed, as long as my life lasts but l
would for your sake that it might
end, and you find happiness with
another. Thus do | love you
But | tell you, dear, my happi-
ness rests with you. | have been
very blind all these months, hus-
band. / thought i loved Harold );
but now | love him only as a broth
er. 1t is you | love! | dc not de-
serve that you should love me yet (;
but, oh, my husband, no one else
holds your wife's heartl =
Lillian, child! you say this to
comfort met is like you. But,
darling, in all / have suffered you
never have deceived me. Do not
deceive me now
1T is myself whom [ have deceiv-
ed-only myself she answered. 'Oh,
Hubert, take me to your brave
heart, where | have refused rest so
longr
Then he opened wide his arms,
and they closed about her, never to
unclasp a,ain.