The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1883-03-02

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married y she said to herself,
over and over" married. lie
took me at my word then. Yet,
may God grant him the happiness
| have missed, or rather. thrown
away by u wretched pride AMI a
momentary recklessness! I" -
But among the numerous calls
on the child.wife was one drawn
thither otherwise than BY euriosi.
ty.
Edna took the card from the
butler's hand with no premonitioB,
and read the name as she had read
the many names which be had
brought her.
"Say to Miss Irving that l will
see her immediately she said to
the man, In whose august presence
she always. stood a little in awe in
spite OF herself-he looked so very
superior in his splendid livery.
"Another call, Pierce ~ she cried,
stopping an instant In the library
where he sat, aud holding the card
before his eyes. /" Why, how pa'e
you are, dear! You are i'll Shall
Il excuse myself p
"No! no! Go in at once n he an.
swered, with the first touch OF i'm
patience in his tone he had ever
shown her, aud surveying her crit.
cally as he spoke, with a hali-dis-
satisfied air.
The face was young and lovely
-uone could deny that but there
was something IN the general en-.
semble his artist eye missed-a
something which, as she entered
the dra wing-room and advanced to
meet her guest, who rose, tall and
ga ce full and cxquisitely costumed,
gave to Miss Irving's tones a gen.
tie accent, as in her heart she whis-
pered:
"Poorchild! Some day she will
need a friend. III she. will let me
| will be the friend she needs.n
Let heri OF course of all her
guests, none had charmed Edna as
this beautiful lady. She found her
telling her OF her early life, Of her
courtship, and the strange, won.
derful thing Pierce's lore still seem
ed to her, aud all the while her
guest kept repeating to herself;
Poor childp
win you not come again very
soon y she said, almost wistfully,
when Miss Irving at last rose to
leave. "Of course, | will return
your visit first; bat | mean--I
mean-n
You mean that you would like
we should be friends. / hope that
is what you mean, fer am quite
sure it is my wish"
The sweet smile was more than
Edua could resist. Impulsivcly
she lifted up her little mouth for a
kiss.
"Please forgive me-" she said,
"but love You already"
"Can be help loving her y
thought Pauline, AS she drove,
homeward. "Could 1 have be-
lieved u week--an hour-agO that
| would pray thus fervently that
all his heart might be given to au.
other womanf
Pierce Hayward meant to be
true to his vows, his wife aud his
manhood but spite Of himself, as
the days wore into weeks, and the
weeks into months, a bitter sense
OF suicidal folly overwhelmed him.
He was a cultured, cultivated
man Of the world, and he had mar
ried a simple child, whose brain
had grasped the rudiments of a
common school education, and had
never gone beyond.
He saw her among bis friends
aud keew that they wondered that
q pretty face could thus have
bewildered him; aud the know.
ledge of their wonder rankled in
his soul. He saw her side by side
with the beautiful, cxquisitely
graceful woman whom he had
loved-for whom fGod help him \
his love would not die, 1t had
been but sleeping, and his misery
worried sgaiust the iron hand OF
control with which he held II
down.
He did not mean to I've unkind
but Edna detected the impatienct
in his tone, the look Of annoyance
which sometimes swept across bis
handsome expressive face-and heI
own heart grew sad aud heavy; bul
child as she was, her loyalty KEEP
her sileut even to her cherished
friend. ~.
Ones day Pauline went to ths
house, but found her out.
III will wait for her in th,
library ? she said. "I'ell her l an
| there.n
| She passed into the room expect
ing to tind 1t empty; but, instead |
WAS occupied By its master. Hi
head bowed upon the table, hi'
whole attitude was Que oil misery
which had thrown Oh his.IBask.
4 She turned to beat retreat, bu1
he lifted his face and saw her.
"Come IN" be said. "This Is you
work! 1t is fttiug that you shoult
look upon it,
my wcskw she answered.
aghast-
"Yesl Whose elsei A yea