The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1882-04-01
9elett StOrp.
Playing with Fire.
u,rg \. Prescott ia Hppa-'s B.,sar

II has passed into truiSm that it i a
dangerous thing To play with fire, and MrS.
Richmond found it ~. to her cost during the
summer she spent At the Doyecotc. Mr.
Richmond had been molel lover at the
time of their marriage. but Ike many
another, possession bad made him secure
and by almost impercep,iblc degrees he
had abandoned th,s~e tender acts aud AZ
surtntzs, which are the staff of life 10 some
women. without which existence i not to
b. tolerated. He was neither uukind nor
unnindFul. but he was absorbed aud busy
he had thousand schemes on foot. and
having married her for love, he t,-ok It for
araniesl that she knew the fact too well to
doubt /, or 30 uecd 10 hear It repeated daily,
not aware that there are somc women whe
ike in fear let 1--we died in the last ex-
u.cssion He na longer told her she was
the prgttiest woman in the world, although
he still believed Il nor begged her 10 wear
hi fasorite flower nor chose her colers :,
in fact. he omitted any comments ON her
appearance She vas thc same heroine to
him whether In velvet or hnHleSpun wheth-
er rsy wiih youth or sshen hued with age
He rarely had tine to ~ uui with her
nowadays and she missed the attention.
the eniearncuis. the batteries, which had
swesienesi her daily hfc. aud began 70 ques-
ton If h. hal outgrusn her and his love
Il she had gone OF IN her personal sp-
psaance If hcr mind had gathered r'is'
uhile his va. sharlsnssi aud brig.hieacd BY
friction with men and affairs
She began to ;Serlhic foF her happsrse-s,
70 devise means foy improving herself for
preserving yoath, or its scmblaace she
sncc even wen; ~ far ss 70 Try a little
rauge en- her cheeks, aud vas rewarded BY
Nr Richmond asking II she were i'll -Soa
leoke.i flushed he said, '-and high color
doesn't become your ssylc She threw
the rauge away and studied her styic-
She read tedious books q travel. phiioso-
phv. and .ssicnue, that sbe Nigh, develop
some mental charm % hold him, she al
most WISHED she might have soale serious
Illness. something % ssartle him out If his
Indifference. OF cuurse Mr Richmond
never dreamed Il this silen, tragedy going
an 1t hss firaside-the 6reside which secm-
"a to him ike a little heaven on earth
and when businges obliged hiTn to run over
% I.ondoa for s}me months. and Il was
proposed that she should take Fopns al
the Dayccate, -hy the nlargeui pf the sea,
i was the lsst ssrAw He would carry
mr abroad with him If he still cared for
mt. she Thought, nos understanding, with
wouanly Lck of legie. that be was mot on
pleasure bent, and would have no spare
moments Tor pieturesalleTy or drawing
r0oni Have | Ast all attraction, she
asked har~eli. -0F was il mistake to sup
l-o.c | had any, 4 mistake which he has
heca finding out Would be fall in love
With me. wonder. if We were both single
Waald ANYBODY Ii she coald only
make him astrife ieai0us-sh that wa
the taueh.ssone 81 love
The guests AZ the Doyeepte we're all "a
dies. married and single. with the exceP
tian af Roger Laurence who had eope
down Ia hll his sketch-hook, shoot binds
and d. q little lettering in a quie. nook, ht
said. The time hung heavily On Mrs
Richmond hands perhaps she signified
a. much perhaps Mr. L.aurenee OWNED II
Do yoa nov. Mr. Richmond = he asked
one day. No; Mr. Richmond was al
ways going to teach me when ] was ms
married, but he never had time. Sh,
spoke in the sad imperfect tense, anc
sighed without knowingit. let me teach
you. he begged and 80 it happened that
the other inmates of the Doyeeo,e used Il
laugh and call Mrs Richmond the water
nymph and Mr. Laurence the river god
In accepting the invitation Mrs. RichmOnc
had no other Thought than to please hcl
husband with a new accomplishment or
his return, hoping that together they might
explore al the sinRous windings Of tn,
riYer. and renew their days Of lose-Inaking
The idea If showing him that another man
valued her companionship, found a spell il
her society which he had overlooked. ar
river htsd She had not counted upor
finding any pleasure in the presence of Mr.
Laurence or his ill-eoncealed admiration
He was simply young man who was inehnes
10 be obliging and courteous. But pres
emily she was hooking forward To these ex
eursions. presently detected that the fac
Of Mr. Laurence preferring her oompan
ionship. when there were youth aud beauty
To choose from, lent her a subtle sense o.
power. restored the self-confidenee she ha6
lost. gave her delicious sort Of surprise
such as girl who had always believed her
self plain might experience if some on'
should own she was bewitching.
III 1s,K,
had she recognized the dangers Of the sit
uation and avoided them. But who of II,
IS wise in season In the first place, sh'
had committed herself TO these pleasurings
so to speak it would be embarrassing Il
withdraw. would lock as if she were prud
ish and vain, had taken the affair al
sSrieUr At the same time, she was CRATE
ful to him for convincing her that her pow
er to please had not deserted her, and he
long-repressed vanity asserted itself Thl
delicious fattery was too pleasant to b.
given up all at onee-to-morrow, maybe
but, to paraphase an old poet,
to-day iiselfs too late;
The wise denied themselves yesterday.
She satisfied her conscience, however, by
sending Mr.. Richmond faithful aecoun
of their eomings and goings, although, witt
the best intentions in the world, she natu
rally omitted something, since there are
hundred delicate shades of intonation anC
expression in the daily intercourse of tive
people which no letter can transcribe. l
the season had not been so fine, and tn,
scenery so enticing Mrs Richmond woulC