West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1882-07-21
A HASTY CONCLUSION.

little wife.
Must you really go, D,ckf" implor-
ingly.
"Must really go7" he repeated.
''Wbat dreadfully solemn face Yes,
you ridiculous dearling, really must
"Why?' persisten,ly.
'On, because OF an--an engagement
Il cannot break, dear" trill, GUILTY..
with whom?'
Good gracious what an inquisitive
little mortal il is, TO be sure Don't
trouble your pretty head with business
engagements; and once more. my pet,
good-by. Audi, 1 say, Dolly" turn
ing back and putting a furry head inside
the door, elf you're in search of lob, |
just wish you'd mend my other overcoat.
l noticed big tear on IL for the first time
tonight, coming up on the cgrs--its an
ugly tear. VIII your
And to his rather disconnected speech,
Mrs. Dick nodded, and smil,d bright
acquicscence.
The door slammed behind Dick, and
she glanced around the ny, homc-likc
room.
III only Dick had not been obliged TO
60 ou,-and such n cold night, too !"
The gas burned brightly the CHEEKY fire
in the CRATE was a bed Of golden Goals
the French clock on the mantle licked
musicallY. Toward the crimson covered
fable, on which lay pile OF unopened
magazines looked two wistful blne eyes.
But the bride of six months shook her
dainty bronze-browu head with resolu,e
determination; and the ROSY lips repeated
the hackneyed formula, DUTY first
pleasure fer"
So, accordingly, the lille white hands
laborously lugged aud hauled Dicks big
ovCrcoat into the room, turned ii over, and
commenced their wifely occupation. She
smiled softly to herself, for her thoughts
were pleasant ones, rs she sat and sewed
rarely pretty picture in the parlor's
hrelit glow-the childish figure in the
soft. dark dress and snowy mu lin apron,
the busy hands flying brskly through
their task
$40 morrow will Ice my birthday, and
Dick has forgotten it, | know How
sorry he will be when tell him to-mor-
row. r.
And as she broke merrily into "Comin'
Thro' the Rye" the dainty French clock
on the low marble mantle silverly
struck ten.
She paused smilinglv, with needle SUI
pended, TO nefr the mad, merry waltz that
tlnkled out from the little bronze Cupids.
Her task finished, she turned the coat
over to see if it needed other repairs, and
as che did so, small, square sheet of
creamy paper uttered from an inside
pocket and fell upon the crimson CARPET.
She bent forward and picked il UP, with
n low laugh.
(Which of Dicks friends is sufficiently
foppish to perfume his letters, l wonder -
Then she turned IL right side up and
looked at il. And then she saw-what
Nothing very terrifying, certainly, Olly
a thick sheet or embossed paper, stamped
with monogram, in azure and gold, in
comprehensive as monographs usually
are.
A woman's letter decidedly written
in pretty, scrawling, irregular hand, VI?
mistakenly a womln's.
The bird-lke song died on Dolly Ever
ett's lips; the soft, bright color faded
slowly cut of her face the blue eyes grew
wider and startled, as deliberately, though
almost involuntarily, she read the few
words on the page before her.
Tue note ran:
'DIoK DARLTNG I have missed you
dreadfully of late. Come! Exercise Gi-
plomacy o-night, aud slip away. | hate
her for keeping you from me- Besides.
Gerster is in town. Is the hint too broad
10 spite of all, Dick ever your EDrrH''
That wac all; but it was enough. For
few moments DJllys eyes blazing. ter
riied, stared straight at the fateful sheet
as though they would shrivel it up with
their blue fire.
Then she hlng it shudderug from her.
as though II were a venom)u8 thing, aud
could sting her
who Was the woman dared write so 20
D.ck-her Dick yes. she told herself
with an air of Def ant proprietorship. hers
only.
She crushed her hand tightly together,
till the diamond next the PLAIN gold circlet
cut the white SD cruelty.
Then, as a horrible suspicion lcaped 10
life IN her brain, with q low moan che
slipped from her chair and crouched sbiv.
eriDg against the great shaggy overco,t
Her fears took tangible shape. what II
he had gone TO meet this woman Far
the first tine be had evlded susyerinp
he- questions.
And how guilty and hurried he bad
seemed-so horribly happy and lirh,
hearted, too! a thousand words and
glsnces, before almost u1notced. now
flashed upon her. She sna,ched up the
note again and looked at it.
j. was dated The evening of that day
500, Dick, D.ckr she erred. wH..tv
show could youY Aad--I loY.d yol 8, +.
Then, with a sudden storm Of s,bs sb,
broke down altogether, and burying her
face 10 The crumpled oyeTcoa,. went and
wept as II Der very heart was brr.kiro
the graceful little figure shaken and cYs
Yulsed.
The Gre burned low N tae crate under -
coating Of graz ashes