The Brookhaven leader., 1883-05-10

kept that wonderful bloom on
their cheeks that was so plainly
not rouge, and how they kept the dark
circles from under their eyes.
Belle could have told her, if she had
cared, that it was early hours and q
clear conscience, the tender caresses of
little children, and all the sweet de-
lights Of home, that did these things for
her. And Mr.. Sutherland, standing a
little to one side, and looking at the
two, could not help comparing them,
and wondering how he could ever have
thought the widow pretty, when he
had so much fairer type of beauty at
his own fire-side. just then two gen.
tlemen entered, one whom he knew, and
one stranger, and paused almost at
his elbow.
"By Jove!' said the stranger, a very
handsome man with the uniform and
epaulettes of an officer of the United
States Army, ''who is that lady by Mrs.
Stetson?n
What" said his companion, "the
little one in white? That is our belle,
Mrs. Ralston."
"No, nor said the officer, impatient
ly. mot that little washed-out Great
ure, but the other, that lovely woman
on the right. Come and introduce me
Immediately.
And the next moment Arthur had
the pleasure of hearing the handsome
Colonel Ingerton introduced to his wife,
and offer his arm for promenade.
Why was it, although he joined the
widow soon after, and played the de-
voted, as usual, all the evening, that
the Irritation had lost its zestp Surely
Mr.. Sutherland was not very far gone,
for that one evening was almost his
cure. But when it went on this way for
two weeks, and every evening he saw
the handsome Colonel bending over his
wife or clasping her in waltz, it is no
wonder that when one evening Belle
entered the room, she found him in her
old position before the fire, his head
sunk moodily on his breast.
''Why are you not ready, Arthur?'
she said lightly, pausing before him.
THE carriage is waiting"
Il am not going" he said, without
lifting his head to look at her.
''But whyP" she said, buttoning her
glove, and trying to speak in careless,
steady voice, though her heart was on
her lips and the quick tears in her eyes,
as she saw his desponding attitude.
"Why?" he said, at last, raising his
stormy blue eyes to meet her. 'Do you
suppose it is any pleasure to me, madam,
to go to these parties and see you, even
ing after evening, all devotion to anoth-
er man beside your husband and giving
him not a word or plance?"
1t had been her cue, then, to answer
him lightly and scornfully, as he had so
often done her, but her woman's heart
failed her, and much to the disgust of
Katie, she threw herself at his feet and
sobbed out:
80, Arthur! 1 can't stand it any
longer. It's all joke, made up be-
tween us to break you from flirting
Colonel Ingerton belongs to Katie.
They have been engaged for years and
she told him how to act, and, o dear,
am so sorry if you ere really angry with
mer'
Then, of course, he raised her and for
gave her, and Katie, from her hiding
place behind the curtain, shook her
dimpled fist at them. He was not pun
ished half enough she thought. But the
lesson sufficed for his perfect cure, and
that was all Belle wanted.
"After this, we will stay at home to-
gether, darling" he said that night.
mo, nor cried Belle, who had also
learned a lesson. Il have been silly
and selfish. We will divide the time.
Three nights out of the week l will go
with you, and three you shall stay with
me and the children"
And that was the way it ended.-Bal-
l0u'S MonthLV. 4