Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1883-08-04
LENA'S MISTAKE.
BY EIpYTH HARDWOOD.

about him.
Leaning on the back OF his chair, he
Ieyes wandered over the innumerabl
little drawers and shelves for papers
and her curiousisy grew as she gazed.
"Charlie.
"Well?"
"You always keep this desk locke
when yon aren't usingit."
eyes"
"Well, these little drawers look $
enticingly mysterious Let me rum
mage through them, won't You, viii!
lyou finish that tiresoine paper"
Mr.. Alling laid down his pen an,
shook his heal.
Sorry 10 refuse you anything, Lem
dear; but have everything in orde
just IN | want it, your rummaginI
would give me no end of trouble. III
show You every drawer and every cor
ner myself some day, doesn't tina
satisfy I0n."
But Lena pouted and turned away
and Mr.. Alling, being in a hurry
shrugged his shoulders and went OF
! with his work.
Lena had reason for her request 4
moment before she made it her hushant
had opened one Of the drawers, and sh
had noticed Il package Of black-edget
letters addressed in very peculia
hand.
She had seen the writing before an,
knew it belonged to Miss Morris, ant
Julia Morris was the one grievance il
Lena Alling's married life.
nnna whnv I apa h.I baap ~,
him with prosecuting little questions
she had ended by asking:
"Did you ever love anyone before
yon loved me-
"N0.
"But you admired others? Now you
know you must have -
"Oh, crowds
"But whom did you admire most O
all?"
And this misguided man had frankly
answered
"My cousin Julia. "
That was enough. Thereafter Len;
found it hard to love Julia, though she
watched and studied her to try tt
initiate what Charlie liked, and made
her tiny self absurd Ivy assuming hel
stately cousins majestic ways.
Mean~ lille Mr. Alling finished his
paper, folded it and put it in his coat
pocket.
After that he opened the very
drawer on which Lena's suspicion
rested, removed the black-edged pack
age and placed it carefully beside the
written paper.
Than la. ln,ly nI hn 1nu1r
and turned to kiss his wife before going
down to his Office.
If he had not been in haste he would
have seen the angry tears in Lena's
eyes, and would have noticed that she
received his goodbye coldly and made
no response.
Once alone she threw herself into IA
large chair ami tried to think it all out
Why did Charlie receive letters from
Julia without telling her? and why did
he take them down town with him.
They surely could not have anything
to do with the paper he was writing. for
that concerned some business for his
brother.
From one thing in her mind she went
on to another, for suspicion once adj
mitted never rests until it has gained
supreme control, and by noon poor little
Lena WAS ready to believe herself bit
terly injured and her Charlie the cruel.
est of men.
What should she do? She would run
away. People in books always did SO
under such circumstances, and certain
|y Charlie would be sufficiently troubled
in conscience 10 understand Instantly
that she had discovered his baseness.
Feeling greatly relieved by her men
jal picture of his singing remorse, she
lastened her preparations, and telling
he servants that she was called away
md could not say when she nigh re-
urn, she set off in rather good spirits
or her mother-in-law's house, where
she had determined to 20 for the simple
'eason that SHE was afraid to 60 any
where else.
1t was Il journey of several hours
rom New York, but her courage did
rot fail.
Afoer her first vague explanations
were o er she noticed that her brother
n-law'a hand was bandaged.
Expressing some surprise that she had
rot heard OF the slight though painful
mary which had befa!en him Louisa
Lsked if Charlie had mi mentioned il
Charlie never mentions anything.
ION know his silent ways says Lena,
ulkiIy.
Then lie hasn't told you about
'ulia's foreign photographs which she
eft her. to divert me while am so
Helpless" No? What you didn't even
now she had leen visiting IT'S? Why |
he was here for month, and when |
'harliH was down last week al ont that
business Inin', you KIN W, she showed |
lin the pictures herself and he seemed
o struck with them that really Won
er he dnln't tell you about them. But
ONE up 10 my sitting room and look
hem ov,r. That is If you have finished
our tea.
Lena followed her brother in silent
'rath. She would look at the pictures
veryont to see what Julia had been
howing to Charlie.
But presently she forgot this motive
her real interests, for tho photographs
'erc lovely and Louis explanations de-
ghtful.
In turning one Of the larger pictures
e swept off hlotting book, and the
)ntcnts tiuttered to the fl or.
Lena turned white as she saw several
Iack-edgcd envelopes addressed to her
WI husband i'll the peculiar hand She
is.iked.
" | asked Julia to address me lot of
lvelopcs to Charlie because of my
nrt you KNOW" remarked Louis care
ssly, as he picked them up. I" Il can
anage to scratch u few lines with nv
It hand, but couldn't venture on the
Inside address. forgot to give her "
me plain envelopes, SO she used her
W. >
" oh - c
in Lcna's tone attracted !
)nis' attention; he looked at her y
'irkly, and saw her panied expires. c
N. y
Lena h"sita'ed a moment, and then u
thar Louis was ALWAYS u
od and kind, she told him all. II
He was surprised and u little shocked, Il