The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1883-09-06

Bertha Demorest," Mrs. Crawford
went on, 81 have come to warn you.
Beware of that man-beware of him!"
"What do you mean?"
E'Just this-Mr Gerome is married
man!''
"What utter nonsense" Bertha cried.
angrily and incredulously.
cit is not nonsense, and ] know it."
Mrs. Crawford said. 81 have seen q
letter from his wife-do you hear that,
Bertha DemorestP-fromh his wife, writ
ten to himr'
''Did he show it to you?''
Slightly discounted, Mrs. Crawford
was yet not to be routed
''No matter about that. 1t is enough
that saw the letter. And Bertha, as
it is my duty to warn you, so it is your
duty, and the duty of all young people
like you and me, to punish his falsehood
and deceit"
''Mr. Gerome is nothing to me-"
Bertha said. ''Good morning, Mrs.
Crawford! You will have to excuse me;
am rather in hurry"
And when Mrs. Crawford was gone,
she locked her door and sat down and
cried until her sweet face looked like q
drenched flower.
"And thought he was so true, so
grand, SO goodn' she sobbed. "Oh,
how could he-how could he deceive
me SO wickedly?"
Miss Demorest was not at the picnic
that day, and Frank Gerome searched
about the grounds until it was quite too
late for any possibility of her arrival,
nd 10 hot haH nho
her resolution of tho night before, and
found her looking very cold, and white,
and lovely, as she sat alone on the ter
race.
''Berthar' he exclaimed reproachful-
ly, 'you promised me faithfully you
would be at the picnic, and l find you
here. Why did YOU"
''My name is Miss Demorest," she
said haughtily.
Gerome bit his lip.
"'Miss Demorest,' if it pleases you
BETTER" he said with half smile ut
what he believed to be display of
girlish dignity, ''why did you deceive
me so?''
"Why have l deceived youp' Ber-
tha flashed; 'why have you deceived
me?"
''It strikes me you are remarkably
| difficult of comprehension. However,
[ will put the question to YOU rs plain
ly us possible. Mr.. Gerome, why have
you never spoken to me about your
| wife?"
For very good reason. l wouldn't
be apt to speak about what [ haven't
got"
toll Il ali 10 fol
hood. You are u married man, and you
have been playing q treacherous part
all this while
"a married man. he said his voice
thrilling with incredulousness; s'you
are talking in connndrums. am not
L married man, and have been play
ing no treacherOus part--to you, least
of all, Bertha, my little golden-haired
darling"
And then what did Bertha do but
| begin to cry in the most undignified
fashion.
Then what did Mrs Crawford
mean?' she demanded.
Gerome set his lips tightly together.
''Ah! Mrs. Crawford has been talking,
! has she? What did she sayP''
| 'sIhat you were married.
spite and Immature. -" Gerome exclaim-
| to wag after this fashion. Bertha, will
you walk down there with me?''
As a consequence of this invitation,
Mrs. Crawford was considerably start
led by the appearance of Mr.. Gerome
and Miss Demorest, as she sat darning
the household linen in the dining room,
| a. = \
| invited her to the picnic.
| Mrs. Crawford" Gerome said alb
ruptly, as he entered the room, ''what
is this story you have been telling Miss
| DemOreSt about me?"
81 told Miss Demorest no story; l
told her only the truth. "
| ''What is the truth then? Suppose
| you tell me?'
THAT you're married man, q vii
lain, q deceiver! There now!'
Eyes? Show your proof, if you
please" Gerome requested calmly.
Il can do it. A letter from your own
wife upstairs, in your own room, on
your table"
"a letter directed to me?"
"a letter addressed to Mr.. Frank Ge-
rome. -
And then Mr.. Gerome laughed heart
lily, while his lip curled with a sneering
expression.
Exactly. But there are more Frank
Geromes than one in the world; for in
stance, my twin brother Frankfort, to
whom that letter was written by his
own wife.
POSSIBLY, if you had taken the troub-
lie to read the whole, instead of Il part
of what was not intended for your eyes,
you would have seen that the letter was
sent on for me to read, solely because
my sister-in-law, julie alludes play
fully in its pages to the loss of Frank
lyn's' heart to this young lady at my
side. l will show you the letter, Ber-
tha."
But 1 would not read it," she said,
lifting her adoring blue eyes to his face:
81 don't deserve to read it. How could
be So wicked rs to believe Il syllable
against you?"
LAS for you, Mrs. Crawford" Ge-
rome went on, Il can only recommend
to YOU to follow out hereafter what
might have been called the diamond
Ruie'-mind your own business"
After all, BERTHA went to the picnic,
and in Mr.. Gerome's buggy, behind bis
bay trotter; and best of all, far and
away, as his betrothed wife.
Too Fast.
Col. Burlington is a wealthy man. Ht
did not earn wealth himself, but re