The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1882-06-10

/ self tonight"
i The blows sober Hobart into a realiza-
( ton of his coWardice. Had Leslie been
alone, he would doubtless have kissed her,
and won ready pardon; as it is he sinks
moodily off to bed, at war with himself and
ali the world.
my poor child, asks Gordon, pityingly,
chow long is this to last p
/ Il took him, for better for worse, she
answers, '.and will never leave him.
Gordon finds himself again wondering
Z whether or not Leslie loves her husband.
I The next morning Hobart's groom bows
I himself into Gordons library with note
/ from Leslie.
Gordon opens it with hand that trem-
bles in spite of all his efforts to the con
trary. Its contents seem to paralize him.
.'Your master dead he gasps looking
( to the man for further confirmation of the
news
'.Yes, if it PLACE yer honor. He would
ride that devil of Collins whin he warnt
able to ride mule. Collins throwed him
at the old elm, sir, and he never knowed
nothing after that
Terrible terrible = exclaims Gordon.
"Go home at once, James, and tell your
mistress III be with her directly
The man bows himself away and Gordon
is left to his own reflections. They are
curious and complicated, and make his
face look old and hard. OF course Leslie
viii return to her old home, and equally
of course all arrangements for the funeral
viii deyolve on him. lie shakes himself
free of his reverie, and carries Leshe's
note to the mother
"Poor wee hsSie, says that tender
hearted matron, with tear filled eyes and
voice, You must bring her to US at once,
Gordon-at once
He mods assent. kisses her lovingly on
her soft white hair, and goes on his errand
of mercy He finds Leslie perfectly calm
and self-possessed. The red mark still
shows family on her check, but she secms
to have forgotten it. There Is settled
sadness in her face, and wearicd, alright
ed look in her eyes, that touches Gordon
to the heart.
Leslie agrees to everything her guardian
proposes. even to leaving her new home at
once, without moments hesitation. so
Gordon Leigh has the face be loves beside
him once again; but il looks Older aud
graver in lbs frame Of widows weeds, and
bears traces Of much suffering
Gordon Leigh and his mother are very
tender Of this young girl lea widowed
when she should have beeu al her hsppless-
They can not seem 10 do enough for her,
and their kindness touches Leslie as noth-
ing has tonched her since her marriage.
No oae speaks Of Leslie's husband Cor
don believes she still loves his memory and
clines tenaciouzly TO everything that n
minds her Of him; while Gordon mother
thinks quite the contrary. Leslie herself
i silent on the sabject and hides whatever
love or loashing she may feel in the silence
Of her own heart.
In the early spring time, when fruit
trees hang heSvy with blossoms, Leslies
child Is born. The child Is bay, snd ],
lives scarce long enough 20 claim soul
They bring il 90 her iE is tiny whife-iined
coffin, with lilies Of the valley around It's
face ana white yi0iuss in is hands Sho
leoks ai the nis,tionless baby body with a
great yearning in her eyes, kisses the little
liys that have never responded to hers,
and turns from the dear dead body with
piteoss wall Of despair.
I've, three, and four years pass away,
and Leslie Hobart Is Leslie HobaEs still.
She receives none of the attentions common
10 women of her age, but tarns cold
shoulder to every man that looks Al her,
and shrtnks from the thought Of another
marriage with fear and repulsion.
Gordon demonstrates with her, but all IN
vain.
Il have lived my life, she says, earn
estly, s.aRd only want 20 be lot alone
Gordon wonders If anything viii rouse
her from the lethargy in which she seems
10 have lost herself for though she talks
and smiles. her words lack the old mis-
chievous sparkle. and her smile Is saddeT
than her tears. She never refers o. her
child OF her husband, but Gordon knows
she keeps their graves fresh with flowers
and she rarely passes . very young ehiid
without stopping TO speak TO It, and alter
such encounters the wistfulness in her eyes
deepens to positive pain
He iinds her sitting in the twilight one
evening in the room they both love, the
room with curious diamond Paned win
dows. and her htshes are wet with tears
Z The gardener and his young wife, with
their new baby. are crossing the lawn to
the greenhouse
Leslie, he says, gently, '.you are siill
I grieying for yonr little one
No, No, she eries, with sudden pas
sion. Il cannot thank God enough for
taking him. If he had lived, be might
have been like his father. | was only
( thinking what ! used TO dream Eie was,
and what find life Is. She catches her
breath sharply, startled at her own yehe-
nlence and Gordon Iseigh's wonderings
cease. He now knows that Leslie no long
er loves Wallace Hobart or Wallace Ho-
bart 5 memory, and the thought gives him
thrill of joy
Child, he says, slowly, and the sup
pressed passion in his voice quivers through
Z all its forced indifference, "fous years ago
in this same room, told you ] had some
thing to tell you, Other things drove my
secret out Of your mind. thought then
YOU would never hear it, but the time has
come to tell IT, Leslie, my little one,
wosId you like to hear what that some
thing was
sOh, no, she cries eagerly. Let us
( go on as We are.
THAT Is impossible" he answers, and
in simple, manly manner tells the story Of
li.lS5a9ye.
She listens with fingers Reryously inter
laced, and when he asks her if she can give
him any hope, she sadly shakes her head.
He is silent a moment, then touches his
/ lips to her clasped hands.
''Good-bye,' he says quietly. Il viii go
away by myself and conquer this madness,
and when it Is quite ended, will come
back and be your friend Don't cry, little
one; God knows would not bring shad-
owls shadow across your life. shall soon
get over it, never fear; and in the mean
time goodbye"
1T is / that should go, she says, bro
kenly.
This is your home, child, and without
YOU the world is all alike to me- Smile be-
fore l go Leslie; don't ike to leave you
in tears.