Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1882-01-20


Mrs Gordon this evenings mail has brought
me letters which oblige me TO leave to-mor-
row for Cuba"
"what No bad news from Mrs West /
hope" she asked anxiously.
"My wife is very ill., and wishes me to
Join her at once"
81 am so sorry but sincerely hope you
will find her better on your arrival. Give her
my kind regards and good wishes. How we
shall miss you Pray write and keep us in
formed of Mrs. Vests health and let us see
you Immediately on your return !" and with
few more friendly words, she left the room.
His wife Those two words burned my
brain like Goals Of fire. could not think,
nor wonder, nor ask question. My one idea
was to escape without betrayiDg my suffer
ing 10 insure his leaving me without discov-
ering what these two little words, spoken so
calmly and unconsciously, 'your wife," had
wrought for me In that supreme moment,
in the single fash Of time, while be crossed
from the door he had gone to open for Mrs.
Gordon, back to the sofa where l sat- my
woman's pride triumphed over every other
feeling, and l spoke as calmly and deliberate
ly as il no tempest ragged within.
''You must let me, too express my regret
that you are summoned away on so painful
an errand," l said, "and allow me, though a
stranger to Mrs West, to send message of
good wishes for her recovery"
He looked at me keenly and long but my
impassiye face and measured tones baffied
even that sharp scrutiny.
"You knew, then, that I had the good for
tune to be q married man p he said. "From
a remark you made yesterday, l imagined,
for a moment, that you we're not aware Of it ;
and strange as it may appear, rather think
Mrs. Gordon's mention of my wife, just now,
is the first that has CHANGED to be made be-
fore you. wanted you to know it before
we parted. l came here tonight partly to
define my position, as the politicians say"
"Very kindof you, lam sure but you see it
is quite an old story to me, Don't you know,
Mr.. West, that Benedict the married man,
always shows his color in spite of himself? 1
hope, certainly, to have the pleasure Of max
ing Mrs. Vests acquaintance and of telling
how much l am indebted to you for many
acts Of kindness and courtesy. And now if
you will not think me rude, must ask you to
let me say good bye, for have still more
packing to attend to-"
Good bye" said he. Not another word
escaped him but that piercing eye was fixed
intently upon me, seeming to ask, ''Is this
all true ?"
How reached my home cannot tell, even
now. The journey was accomplished, and
on the evening of the following day, threw
myself into Alices arms and when shocked,
suppose, at the changed face that met hers,
she exclaimed "What is the matter, Nellie,
dear Z" 1 entreated do not ask me any
questions only love me always"
After few days 1 opened my heart and
told her ALL but begged that the subject
might never again be mentioned between u.s.
And now my life was indeed q blank. l
was not i'll in body, SO 1 said; and when it
was remarked that became thinner and pal
er, attributed all to my dissipation and late
hours in Boston. There was no longer any
thing chat pleased or displeased, interested or
wearied, amused or annoyed me. 1 dared
look neither backward nor forward. / read
without receiving the slightest impression
from the pages iurned over, and listened to
Alice's sweet voice and to the kindly conver-
sation of friends and neighbors, without un-
derstAnding or caring for their words. Thus
| it was with me wher at last the time came
that Alice decided on a change of residence,
and, for beginning, resolved on trying how
we should like New York. ! said: New
York will do as well as any other place, il
you will let me stay quietly at home" And
SO we went, Alice and and faithful old
woman, who had been with US from our
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 1 had heard nothing OF
Henry West, but that his wife had recovered
from her illness in Cuba and returned with
him to Boston in the following 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 hear 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; and no wonder, for, as you
know, his boyish marriage was the great mis-
take of his life. They are utterly unconge-
nial, and for years have lived apart at least
nine months out of the twelve though they
are nominally on good terms Now, how.
ever, her health is failing very rapidly, and il
may be that a happy release for both is al
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 eur first acquaintance there. A
lady, whom we had frequently met in the
halls and Gning-room, and admired for heI
refined and dignifed appearance, and who
occupied, with a stately old gentleman, evi-
IDENTIFY her father, the suite of rooms adjoin.
ing our own, knocked hurriedly at our door
one night after we had retired. Our old
| BuIcl tnO hhu VIZ
lady begged that we would come to her as.
sistance, her father having been taken sud:
denly and dangerously i'll. Alice hastened to
do all in her power, and for several days,
during which the invalid slowly recovered,
she made frequent visits to our neighbors
apartments, bringing back eloquent descrip.
tions of both father and daughter. The lat.
ter, who introduced herself as Mrs Gray Of
Boston, now came frequently to our parlort
and the acquaintance bid fair TO become g
real friendship. The ice was broken, and
no longer wished to continue our isolated
life. On Saturday Alice came in from O
walk with our friend and said;
''Nellie, Mrs. Gray wants you to 60 with
her tomorrow to vespers, at st. Stephens,
| to hear the Stabat Mater. May / tell heI
you will accept her invitation"
/ was quite ready to avail myself of Mrs.
| Gray's invitation, and welcomed her ever
more cordially than usual, when she came q
few hours later to repeat it in person. As
she sat and talked 1 found myself wondering
who 1t was she resembled so strongly. The
shape of her head, the expression of her eye,
the tone of her voice, all seemed strangely
familiar; yet we had never met until few
weeks previous The conversation turned
casually on Boston. was lost in a sad
dream when Mrs. Gray said, in answer to
some remark of Alice's:
"Yes, we have fine pictures, sometimes, in
Boston but we have our magnificent organ
always. OF course you heard it, Miss Nellie
when you were thereS Your sister tells me
you are passionRtely foAd of music, and Of
organ music especially"
Eyes, have often heard it," replied.
~ always thought appreciated our organ
entirely; but when my brother Henry came
home from Europe, the year after it wal
opened, his intense enjoyment surpassed ever
mine. And this reminds me TO ask If yoJ
will allow me to present this same brother Of
mine to you tomorrow? He will arrive here
late to might, and will be most happy to es
cort us to st. Stephens, where he is a regular
attendant whenever he visits New York"
/ suppose Alice answered for me that
ehould he hannv N maEa aconaintanca will