The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1881-09-20

tonight partly to define my position.
As the politicians say"
Very kind Of you, I'm sure hut
You see it is quite an old story to me.
Don't YOU know. Mr.. West. that Ben
e'lict the married man always shows
his colors in spite Of himself?
l hope. certainly. TO have the pleasure
Of making Mrs. Vests acquaintance,
AMI of telling her now much am in.
debted to YOU for many acts Of kind
ness and courtesy. And n.w. IL You
will not think ME rude. / must ask
you 70 let HE say goodbye. ior I have
still more packing IT, attend to"
Goodbye" sail he. Not another
word escaped him, bu; that piercing
eye was fixed upon me, seeming to
ask. as this all true:"
How l reached INV house l cannot
tell. even now. Ny journey was ac-
complis!lesl. however, and on the
evening If the following day threw
myself into Alice's arms; and when
shocked. l suppose, at the changed
face that met hers, she excluimel /:
''Wha, is the matter. Nelly dear?' /
entrea:ed: DO not ask Tie any
more Questions only love me al
WAYS
After few days / opened my heart
and tpid Ter all, but begged that the
subjec, might never again be men-
Toned between Us.
Anil now my life was indeed
blank. | was not iii in body. So /
said and when it was remarked that
l became thinner and paler, l attrib-
uted ;;ll TO my dissipation and late
hours in Boston. There was no longer
that pleased or Gi~pleased.
or weariei. amused or ar-
moved RE. / dared neither look
backward nor forward. / read with
out receiving the slightest impression
from the PAGES l turned over, and lis
tened 70 A,ice's sweet voice and to the
kindly conversation Of friends and
neighbors without understanding or
caring for their words. Thus it was
with ne when at las; the time came
that Alice decided on a change of
and for 4. beginning re
solved on trying how we should like
New York. / said: New York
will do Us as good as any other
place, If YOU will let me stay quietly
at home" And 50 we went, Alice
and |, anil faithful old woman. who
had been with us from childhood, and
loved and watched over US as if We
were her very own. We established
ourselves at the Everett and had been
there for several months.
In all this time l had heard nothing
Of Henry West, but that his wife had
from her illness in Cuba
and returned to Boston in the follow
ing spring. In the semi-occasional
correspondence between Mrs. Gordon
and myself his name had only once
occurred. when she wrote: "Mr.
West inquired for you yesterday, and
was grieved to learn that you had not
been well. He looks himself very
badly, and has lost all his spirits.
Perhaps madame's society has de-
pressing effect; AMI no wonder, for, as
you know, his boyish marriage was
the great mistake of his life. They
are utterly uncongenial, and for years
have lived apart, at least nine months
out of the twelve, though they are
on good terms. Now, how
ever, her health is failing rapidly,
and it may be that a happy release
for both is at hand"
On the very day after / had talked
with Alice of the possible material
that might be found in the crowded
streets of New York. We made our
first acquaintance there. A lady
whom We had frequently met in the
halls and dining room and admired for
her refined and dignifed appearance,
,nd who occupied, with a stately old
gentleman, evidently her father, the
suite of rooms adjoining our own,
knocked hurriedly at our door one
night after We had retired. Our old
Margaret answered the summons. and
he lady begged that We would come
% her assistance, her father having
been taken suddenly and dangerously
ii. Alice has,enened to do all in her
power, and for several days, during
which the invalid slowly recovered,
The made frequent visits to our neigh
,ors' apartments, bringing back elo-
luent descriptions of both father and
laughter. The latter, who intro
luced herself as Mrs. Gray, Of Bos-
on, now came frequently into our
,arlors, and the acquaintance bid fair
o become real friendship. The ice
vas broken, and no longer wished to