The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1883-10-03

4
ing to the insolent little npstart. Sylvia,
however, included them all in the one
sweeping phrase "If they are Annie's
friends, they are my enemies" she said
with intense bitterness.
The two men suspected nothing Of what
was going ON between their wives Flor
ence absorbed in his new invention, sat
half Of the night at his drawing board
Speed passed all his day away from home,
often dined at his club, and was rarely
seen at the factory. The fact was Syl-
| Was vicinity troubled him. The passions
ate caprice he had had for her, and which
he had relinquished at his uncle's bidding
still haunted his memory; and, feeling his
own weakness he sought safety in fight.
The evening of Florence's wedding,
when he himself was bridegroom but
of few months. he had found that he
could not meet Sylvia with impunity.-
From that moment he avoided her socie-
ty, and never by any chance did her name
pass his lips.
Unfortunately rs they lived in thesame
house, and as the ladies' exchanged visits
the prospect of meeting her was always
before him. Thus it came to pass that the
young husband, determined to do no
wrong, felt compelled to leave his home
and seek a refuge elsewhere.
Annie accepted this life as inevitable
Her father had accustomed her to inces-
SAINT though short trips on business" and
during her husbands absence, she in
vented for herself new pursuits and home
duties.
Sylvia went out good deal. Often,
towards evening, Just as she was entering
the garden gate, fashionably dressed,
Georges carriage would dash past her.
Shopping, for the mere pleasure of
spending money, was one OF her favorite
amusements, and so absorbed her that she
was often detained much later than she
had intended. They exchanged cool
bow lat the turn of the staircase, and
George hurried into his own rooms, hiding
his emotion under the caresses he law
ished on his little girl, who stretched forth
her arms to greet him.
Sylvia seemed to have completely for
gotten the past or, if she recalled IT at
times, it was with natural contempt for
a character so unlike her own. Hertime,
too was occupied. After some hesitation,
she had decided to take lessons in sing
ing, thinking it rather late in life to begin
the piano; and, twice week, Madame
lola, a black haired Frenchwoman, gave
her lesson from twelve to one o'clock
Sylvia said to herself: annie plays the
piano; she is thought an elegant and ac-
complished woman. l am determined
that the world shall say as much for me-"
The poor child did not dream of study,
or of real improvement in any way; she
passed her life in the shops, and with the
+ milliner and dressmaker.
There was an artficiality about her
something, perhaps, caught from the imi-
tation pearls she had handled so long a
little of their brilliancy without depth,
and of their fragility. She was herself an
imitation pearl, fair and BRILLIANT but
Annie Speed WAS a real jewel, deep-sea
pearl; and when the two women were to-
gether it was easy to distinguish the imi-
tation from the natural growth.
OF all Annie's surroundings, the one
which Sylvia most envied was her child,
a dainty mass of ribbons and lace. She
had no thought Of sweet maternal duties
no knowledge of Annie's long hours of
wakefulness, of anxious watches and ten
der hopes She never longed for the
touch of dimpled fingers. nor dreamed of
glad awakenings, merry shouts. and
splasliing water. No mother instinct was
aroused within her enlty heart. She
simply regarded the child. With its flow
ing robes. in the arm, Vi IT. stately nurse,
as IL charming accessory to her morning
walks and spring toilettes.
She had only her parents or her hus-
| band as companions; consequently sho
preferred TO GO out alone. Her husband
annoyed her by his awkward caresses,
and habit he had of tapping her like
child on her cheek or under her chin
His very way Of sitting and looking at her
irritated her; it was so like u big New
foundland dog.
Her parents she had eontrived TO get
rid of for the time being by inducing her
husband to rent for them little house at
Hammersmith. This had put an end to
Mr.. Chips frequent invasions, and to the
intelminable visits of her mother, who,
elated by her daughters good fortune,
was gradually falling into idle habits.
Sylvia would have much liked to get rid
of the De Lacy's. She was annoyed by
their living so near her; but the old actor
was not easily moved from asituation that
he liked near the theatels and the Strand.
Then Dora was attached to their rooms;
and their dingy court, dark at four
O'clock, was to her like the familiar face
of friend. 49,
Sylvia however, rarely saw her old
neighbors. and her life would have been
solitary enough if it had not been for the
amusement that Annie procured. Each
of these, nevertheless, she looked upon AZ
new injury, and she said to herself:
"Must l always be indebted to her"
When she sent her tickets for the
theatre, or an invitation for the evening,
even while she hurried to, dress she
thought only Of crushing her rival. These
occasions. however, became more and
more infrequent, for Annie was much oc-
cupied with her child. But when Mr.
A. a a h..a fns 10
bring them all together. He always in
vited them to dine at some famous
restaurant, and then took them to the
theatre.
He would talk Familiarity to the walters
at the restaurant, laugh loudly at the
theatre, and make their party as conspicu-
Gus ms possibly. On the occasion of these
rather vulgar festivities, which George
contrived sometimes to avoid, Annie dress
ed very quietly and thus escaped obser-
walton; Sylvia, on the contrary, made a
gorgeous toilette, took q front seat in the
box, and enjoyed the coarse iests of the
old countryman. She looked at herself in
the mirrors, and, with an air of proprie-
torship. placed her opera glass, handker-
chief, and fan ON the cushioned ledge in
front of her The commonplace glitter of
these public places enchanted her, and she
accepted them as the epitome of luxury ;
she doomed therein like pretty paper
flower in snowy china vase. t
One evening at the Gaiety, when great
crowd assembled to witness a new play,
among all the snowy women present Syl-
via attracted the most attention. All the
opera glasses in the house, influenced by a
certain magnetism, were one by one direct
ed to her box. Annie was annoyed and final
ly relinquished her chair to her husband,
and took refuge at the back of the box.
George, young and ,handsome, looked at
Svlvia's side like her husband; while
Florence, older and graver, appeared to
belong to Annie, who in her dark and
quiet dress had the air of a woman who
no longer courts admiration.
Going out, each took the arm Of her
neighbor, and a pert Young miss, COM
menting loudly ON Sylvia's appearance,
used the words .'her husband" and the
foolish little woman was in a glow of de-
light These simple words sufficed to
awaken crowd Of wicked thoughts and
plans that for some time had slept in
the recesses OF her nature. She looked at
Florence and at Annie as they walked in