The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1883-06-14
SPILL
BY FANNY DRrscoLL.

?
She had gone from the room to get a
wrap for our drive, a. l had told her It
had come up quite cold; and she had
looked back with smile a. she went
away. She had . slight flush on her
fair, proud lace, too; with a deep sweet
light In her violet eyes.
She was very calm and cold, this love
OF mine, Rene Snowden. But 1 loved
her the more for that. in contrast to my
own fire and restlessness. I hardly
know how l bad won her. So many had
tried and failed. She had always been
Indifferent and disdsinfal, but she was
the one perfect woman in the world for
me. No one else had read the pure, un-
sullied heart; the white, chill nature.
that could glow to such warm tenderness
beneath loves magic.
was wandering about the room while
I waited; for apparently she could not
find wrap at once. drummed idlv
on the piano; l took q few turns IN and
down the room; and then, verifying the
old distich about Satan and idle hands"
1 did an objectionable thing-I read an
open note lying on Rene's escritoire.
did 1t mechanically, on my word; and
had read it before realized my own
impertinence. had looked at it idly;
square, heavy sheet of ivory paper, writ
ten over with dashing chiography: but
l was brought to the vivid realities Of
life suddenly enough upon its perusal:
1t read thus.
Have lost you, my Rena? Is all
over been us now? And such q little
while, since we made. our vows TO each
other! Such little while since you were
the snow of my fire-such little while
since we parted! And now this usurper
has come between us! How can / for
give you? And yet must always love
you; will be with you on the 18th. Let
me have you to myself for little while;
Tor little while be all my own, as in the
old days. You owe me this much, your
i read L twice. I felt blind, a dumb.
choking. l walked to the door. I heard
Rene's silken dress swishing on the
stair. 1 heard her voice call in a tone
Of alarm: "Felix, what is it?' But I
did not turn nor speak but rushed out
Of the house.
1t must have been an hour or two af-
ter, when awoke to life and the world.
and found myself driving madly along
the roads outside of the town, with my
brain on FIRE.
That night, took the night. train, and
spent week rushing frantically from
one place to another, never stopping
even to sleep at any hotel. All the time
I was saying to myself: GLOW can NO.
man be so false?" had been slave.
From the first moment had met Rene
Snowden. 1 had been bound hand and
foot. She was woman of the world-I
was warned, beautiful and dazzling; and
played with mems hearts as a child with
toys. But had not believed it, I had
I woke from my 1elusion. What a fool
had been. had thought-ah! had
she not told me, with that flush in her
lly-face, with that light in her sapphire
eyes?-that no other man had kissed the
scarlet, tender mouth, that no other man
had held her in his arms; that only for
me had her heart awakened.
FO0ll Did they not all say that? We're
<hey not all every daughter Of Eve,
faithless, contemplate? Had wander-
ed about the world all these years; to
be beguiled at last by Delilah, because
her face was like snow flower, and the
sunshine lay in her silken hair? But
the proud tenderness-the reserved
sweetness-the gracious calm! She had
chosen her weapons we'll. This fair
hauteur went further with man than
Oil the wild abandon of less practised,
less awful woman.
At last l came home. Weeks had
passed. l was striving to get back into
the old ways-to feel The old interests.
But was succeeding miserably. The
morning after my return, as was saun-
terinR idly along. an elegant little turn
out pulled up briskly to the curb,
"Felix HAWTHORNE" it said, "are you
coming to my party. tomorrow night?
You have been very rude, for YOU have
not answered my invitation. No one
has known anything about You. Where
have you been? We have all wonder.
ed and conjectured in vain. You look
little under the weather. Is there any
thing an old friend can do for you?"
And a frank hand was extended from
the window, and the charming face
looked, q little smiling, q little grave,
into mine.
II have been very busy" said.
"Some unexpected complications in bus.
mess have called me away, and alb
eorbed every moment of my time, for
two or three weeks: throw myself on
your mercy, Mrs. Chantrau, and if You
will have such worthless !ounger l
will drop in tomorrow night"
Felix, I don't more than half be-
lieve you. You don't look WE'LL" was
the reply; and as the carriage drove
away. saw the pretty, bright face
watching me anxiously. Dear little
woman" I said to myself; chow kind
you seem. Doubtless, You are as bad as
the rest of them,"I added, cynically,
III one but knew it."
I had not looked at my letters yet and
60 had not read her invitation. Yes! l
had looked at one. Rene had sent her
servant with little note, the very night
"PhiPs'' letter had wrought such evil in
NE, and my servant brought it to me at
once; but had returned it unopened,
and without word.
Next night, q little before midnight, I
sought Mrs. Chanfrau's house. Every
thing she did was perfect, in its way;
and II society was ever agreeable, it was
~ her artistic rooms; beneath her smiles
1t put on its most honeyed look, and
rounded off its phrases with an elaborate
ness that ought to have made one be-
aieve in them.
As made my way to her, she came
forward and put her hand on my arm.
"You do look so very grumpy, Felix"
she said, "that must introduce you at
once to my new. protege, If anything
can brighten you up, it is she. Every
one 10 raptures over her. But warn
you: my roso has thorns. All! here she
d. Miss Everineham, Mr.. Hawthorne;
Felix my new friend, Miss Everingham".
saw q piquant face, like poppy:
dusk and rich; with flashing dark eyes;
dark, smooth skin, and crimson lips.
She was clad In sombre, barrie draper
les, and looked like some tropical bird,
or bud in her little glowing beauty. 1
was prepared to be very aimiable. But
the smile with which she greeted me, at
first faded away as she caught my name;
and she bowed frlqidly ana turned to
our hostess, and away from me. Hoseile
looked surprised, but ratified on in her
lively way. Mrs. Everingham answered
all my remarks with icy monosyllables;
and finally, when blonde, and insipid