The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1882-04-14
LOVES. WISDOM.

q vacant room since Lydia wrote to say
she could not come. Guess with whom
have filled it,"
Pretty little Mrs. Onslow, with a
| graceful, clinging gesture, locked two
white hands about her husbands arm as
he stood before the open window, and
sion which needed no words to tell him
the absolute hero worship she gave him,
awaited his reply. a., f.t'g.a aT
The two had been married but one
short year-a year to Clare Onslow of
unmixed happiness. Not that she could
recall so many acts on her husband
| part to make it so, but that she was a
woman who poured out her love so I'M
stintingly that she did not pause to no
tice whether it was passively received or
actively reciprocatcd ~. ,-..
Very nonchalantly now the gentleman
| continued to emit clouds of fragrant
smoke from the cigarette he held be-
tween his lips, and very languidly he ans
wered her:
Greatly, Clare, do you think in q mo-
ment can single out any one of our dear
| five hundred friends for whom my soul
particularly yearnsp You know, my
dear, this having the house full at
Whitsuntide is to me rather bore in its
best aspect, but if you think this new ar
rival will mitigate rather than make
matters worse, do satisfy my Unsuitable
curiosity at once"
Sarcastic Gerald, as usual, even with
will heap Goals of fire on your head GALL
of which / hope will alight on that one
cynically- developed bump) when 1 tell
you our roll is filled with the name of
Muriel Valance"
"Muriel Vallancen'
He could do no more than frame the
single utterance of the one amazed ejacu-
lation. His handsome face grew very
pale, and the white, even teeth met in
his cigarette.
"You are amazed, Gerald, are you
not, dear? You did not know 1 knew
her. forgot to tell you met her, one
day last week, at Lady Rodney's dinner
party, while you were out shooting. I
| quite fell in love with her. She looked
like some beautiful princess that night,
and after dinner some people were talk
ing of her, and do you know, Gerald, as
/ approached them heard them speak
of her as an old sweetheart of yoursp
laughingly repeated the remark to her,
and absolutely, dear, she blushed."
Your husband and / were old and
dear friends, Mrs. Onslow,' said. You
will still let us be so, am quite sure
YES l said, If you will take me
in and make it q trio
"She kissed me then, and lost my
heart at once. Later in the evening,
someone else said to me-
you have never met Miss Valance
before, Mrs. Clare Onslowp That is
strange-is it notp considering that
she and your husband were such old
friends
"For little minute, Gerald, was
tempted to be vexed, and perhaps tiny
bit jealous that you had never mention
ed to me even her name; but when, the
day following, / received your Cousin
Helen's regrets for our party, promis-
ed myself to give you this surprise.
declare you look vexed, rather than
charmed. l thought you would be SO
delighted"
'.And so am, of course, little wife.
But must be going now"
"Why did she accept" he pondered.
And in this case the personal pronoun
referred to Muriel Valance.
Mrs. Onslow was bitterly disappoint-
ed. A fortnight later, and all the gay
party had assembled beneath her hospi-
table roof; but instead of Miss Valance
and her husband almost flying in each
others arms Theoretically, the meet
ing between them had been reserved,
almost to GOODNESS, with an air of re-
straint which had scarcely fallen short of
embarrassment.
81 believe Gerald fancies 1 would be
jealous, was her generous thought.
''Did he indeed love her (his wife) so
well that all this strange element in the
house was distasteful to him?' unused
Glare. "Well, it would be delightful to
be alone again"
But she did wish Gerald would do
himself greater justice. These were his
friends rather than hers, for he had
wooed and won her far from these scenes,
in qniet country town, where his regi-
ment had been quartered.
One evening tableaux were proposed,
and the proposition eagerly accepted.
One followed another and were raptur-
ously applauded by the guests, who had
constituted themselves as audience.
The final one was taken from an en-
craving entitled EYES," the man stand
ing holding both hands ofthe girl who
thus had answered the momentous ques-
ton of his life, while with deep, earnest,
loving scrutiny, he looks into her eyes,
frankly and fearlessly raised to his, as
though, thus meeting and replying to his
challenge, they endorse the language of
her lips.
For this, Mr.. and Mrs. Onslow were
cast; but, at the last moment Clare re-
belled.
''It's too absurd-husband and wifer'
she declared. II shall look just as 1
did when you proposed to me, Gerald,
and don't care to amuse an audience
with that. Do take my place, Miss Val
lance"
mo, nor Muriel demurred; but al
ready she had been gently pushed into
position, and Clare had made good her