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


She is supremely, eestatically happy, with
the happiness that comes to us but once In
life time; but the man she loves cares lit
tie for her. though he cares great dea
for her money, and in his mind the one
balances the other.
! Leslie's quiet gentleness pals on Hobart
/ He is accustomed to an altogether different
kind of woman. He can no more apprecl-
ate the singleness and purity of her nature
than she can trace the record of his sin lined
/ face. He is handsome man; but he pos
sesses subtle fascination of manner, a
sudden lighting into brilliancy that outri-
walls mere perfection; and then he is undeni-
ably clever, and has will that bends every
thing before it. He Is a connoisseur in
love-making. for it has been one of the Oc-
eupations of his life, and it is little wonder
that inexperienced Leslie falls victim to
such manifold attractions,
With lips close pressed on hers, Hobart
bids Leslie name the wedding day. She
hides her shamefaced face upon his shoul-
der. and clings to him in silence. He
laughs. and lifting the crimson, tear-stained
face with gentle hand, looks straight into
her eyes with a subtle power that holds her
gaze against her viii.
Now don't be foolish, he commands,
''but name the day
sWhen YOU viii, she answers, timidly,
'.for / cannot be your wife too soon.
He leaves her on the stroke Of twelve,
and while she kneels and thanks God for
her lover. that same lover is playing for
heavy stakes with men of his own stamp,
and he has not even one thought for the
girl who worships him 50 bhndly.
The wedding day dawns at last, bright
and cloudless. The two are married with
all the pOmp and ceremony that aceomPa-
nv grand weddings. There are the usual
number of bored groomsmen and fiirtatious
bridesmaids, the ordinary number OF dupll-
Gated and atrociously useless gifts, as wei
as the inevitable collation. of indigestible
sweets and unpalatable pyramids Of glittering
sickness served by the self-ssne ohsequi-
Gus walters one meets everywhere.
The men stare curi0usly at the sweet
brides face, and exchange glanees of ANNIE
meat.
Too good for him, says one.
Give him three weeks to forget her in,
adds another, with worldly wisdom.
ats hermoney, explains third shortly.
Gordon Leigh overhears these remarks
He shuts his teeth hard together. and turns
on his heel. He cannot call Eien to ae-
count for speaking the truth. He Is glad
when the day Is over, for he finds It almost
beyond his strength. His whole soul cries
out against him when he lays innocent Les
he's hand in that ST Wallace Hobart. lie
closes the carriage door on Iseslie's face
with smile, though her cheeks are wet
with tears, and her good-byes end in sobs.
He comforts his mother and cheers the
guests, and speaks kind word To Leslie ;
old nurse sitting weeping in Leslie's room,
but when the mother Is asleep, and the
guests have gone, aad the nurse has host her
troubles in dreams, he shuts himself in his
little room with the curious diamond-Paned
windows. and rests his head on his folded
arms, and sits alone with his serrow the
whole night through, for in all the world
there Is no one to comfsrt him.
Leslie finds her honey brief
glimpse Of paradise Then the serpent
Greens in. and the shadow that Is TO darken
Lseslies future falls aeross the happiness Of
her present. She fnds her dreams Of mar
ried life only dreams. and her idol only
clay.
Hobart som wearies Of his wife's COM
panioliship, and seeks excitement amidst
old haunts. The las; night Of their we'd
ding tour Leslie watches for him tall the
wee small hours grow small again, and
works herself into state Of nervousness
that tinaagines all possible evils He returns
toward daylight with feverishly brilliant
eyes and feet that feel their way She
chokes back her sobs, fearing they may an
noy him, and greets him with smile.
I'm sick, he mutters thiekly; and she
in her innocence, believes him.
Then | viii send for doctor, dear,
she answers tenderly.
He stares at her in stupid. puzzled
way: then, as the idea works into his hqHer-
laden brain. he bursts into a fit Of mandlin
laughter
/ sac shrinks back with a sudden thrill Of
horror. while something, she can hardly
/ tell what, brings the truth straight home
to iier, and then and there Leslie learns
her womans lessen-that 10 put another
before ones self is to say goodbye TO one's
peace Of mind forever.
..It viii be different when We get home,
thinks Leslie; but she finds herself mista-
ken. for Hobart goes from bad to worse;
and Leslie soon has but ene aim in hfc, and
that is, the hiding her husbands weakness
/ from an all seeing world Poor child (.
/ In the tenderness Of a woman's heart she
cannot give his failing harsher name, for
/ she still loves him. No matter at what
hour he stumbles home, the little wife i
always there to let him in. No gossiping
/ servants ever see Wallace Hobart out oi
his right mind; and she draws the mantle
Of wifely silence over his faults, shows to
the world proudly smiling face and hides
wel her own heart-aehes.
After while the world begins to talk;
and Madam Grandys tongue is a sharp
and bitter one when It touches scandal
Stray bits drift to Gordons ears. At first
he gave little heed. Then the bits grow
longer and keener-pointed, till they arouse
all the Indignation in him. He determines
TO give Madam Grundy the lie or discover
the truth for himself, andso finds himself a
self-invited guest in Leslie's home. He
only remains three days, but those three
days tell the whole story. He finds Leslie
trife palef and thinner, with deep, dark
circles around eyes that seem ever fearing
trouble. The girl does not weep or moan,
but he knows BY the dread expectancy in
that face that she IS woman without hope,
"0h!p thinks Gordon with anger bitter
ness, s'how blind women are to unpalatable
truths, till blindness has darkened all their
lives r Then the old question goes eehoing
through his mind @Does she love him,
or does she not p and he is as far from an
answer as ever.
One evening, coming up from the village
with his arms oyerfowing with red Jac-
queminot roses, he stops to give some to
Leslie, and is about leaving, when Hobart
enters, excited by drink, and maddened
with his loss at play. Hobart hates Cor
don Leigh His own wrongdoing makes
him suspicious Of Leslie's every act He
imagines she is entertaining Gordon with a
rehearsal of his sins. The thought works