Daily Republican., 1883-07-07
A FAITHLEsS FRIEND.
BY CLYDE RAYMOND.

and blush-r0ses.
A glittering service of silver and It,
glass caught and reflected back the
sunset light that shimmered through
fine lace curtains, and pretty little
ma ron, scarcely more than a bride,
dressed In white and rose color, howell
ed near 1t, putting the last graceful nm
ish to the scene.
While thus engaged, she glanced i'm
patiently down the path toward the
gate for, perhaps, the twentieth time !;
hut now the slight frown disapp Jared
like magic from the smooth, low brow,
and the light of pleasure came spark
ling merri!y into those pretty, brown
eyes.
"There they are at last, - she cried,
IjOyOusly, as an airy little phae,On drew
up before the gate, and two persons, a
laughing, handsome gentleman and
smiling young lady OF sixteen, whose
slender figure was elegantly set off by
her cool, gray lraveling-dress, alighted
from it.
Without waiting for Il second look,
Mrs. Jessie We're, the pretty little
matron, ran down to the gate, and, TAX
ing the graceful young stranger in her
arms, gave her a cordial kiss Of well
come.
"You dear child, +" she exclaimed,
holding her Oft Il little and gazing ad-
miringly into the sweet, dlmpled face,
and smiling childlike, blue eyes, show
glad all to see you. Now | shall
have some one to talk with while Harry
is away all day long at that tiresome
old office p
And she ratified on gayly in the
same kind fashion while she dispensed
the hospitalities of her tea table. much
pleased, at the same time, to observe
that Harry, her handsome young hus-
band, had evidently changed his mind
as to the prospect of girl guest making
disagreeable change in their happy
h0me-lite.
Adeline Willard was the daughter
OF an old friend Of Harry's, whom be
had not seen for years, and whom, in
deed, Jessie had never seen.
Upon hearing that Harry had mar
ried and bought charming cottage in
a seaboard town, Mr.. Willard had
written him, begging him and his wife
to take his daughter as bOarder for
the summer months, saying that the
sea air had been prescribed for her,
and he knew OF no better place to
send her than to the family of his old
friend, Harry.
Jessie had welcomed this proposition
far more gladly nan her husband, who
saw in the constant presence in the
house of a siXteen- year-old girl simply
world OF torment and perpetual in
terruption to his peaceful evening hours
at home.
But a glance at his pleased and smil-
ing face Just now, after his drive from
the depot with Miss Willard, told of a
widely different conclusion.
The days passed very happily with
Jessie. Adeline was gay and enter
tanning, with such pretty, childish ways
that Mrs. We're, herself not much be-
yond her teens, felt quite motherly be-
side her.
Harry WAS full of admiration and
kindness toward their little girl" as
he .jestlngly called the coaxing little
siren.
He was ever ready to take the burden
of care from Jessie's shoulders in mat
tiers relating to the entertainment of
their guest
They played chess, or sang together
evening after evening, while Jessie de-
voted herself to the six-months-old
Harry, or manufactured numerous
dainty articles for his war irobe.
81 am so glad you know how to
amuse Harry, Adeline," she said,
pleasantly "why, before you came, l
had to positively neglect baby to enter
tain his lordship. Now you take all
that off my hands 50 nicely and give
me such chance to accomplish hun
dred things that ought to have done
long ago.
Harry colored little under that
glance, after hearing the trusting words
of his wife, but Jessie was intent upon
her sewing and did not notice it,
One evening soon after, coming up |
from n solitary stroll on the beach, for |
she was just beginning to realize that
she could not always have Harry's
companionship now as she used, she
passed through the back gate of the lit.
tie garden and paused at the entrance
of a small arb0r Overrun with vines, io-
tending to 90 in.
1t was after dusk, and tine shadows
were very thick within, but in the fur
thest corner a CLEAN of white was visi-
BILE, and at the same instant the sound
of Harry's voice, scarcely louder than a
whisper, came to her ears.
" 1t shall be as you wish, darling"
he was saying passonately, yet with
an accent of reluctance. "Oh, Adeline,
do love you. But Jessie-how will
she ever bear it ? Oh, it is u terrible
alternative to give up one or the other,
as must do.
81 don't think she will grieve much"
came Adeline's low reply. "The baby
is all her world. She does no love you
one half so well as do, Harry"
A deep sigh was Harry only answer.
But keeping herself from falling by a
tight grasp on the vines, her gaze
strained to the utmost through the
gloom, she could not distinguish the
arm of her husband claspng Adeline's
white robed form, while her head was
lying on his shoulder.
Oh, faithless hu ,band Oh, treacher-
GUS friend could you have seen that
white, death-like face and almost lite
less figure stealing silently away from
the arbor-door, your hearts must
have been melted to pity.
A white, despairing face bowed down
upon the desk over an unfinished
letter, and Il pstol-his own-lying be-
side it.
That was what Harry saw when.
with a guilty heart, he had come
straigh to his study, not daring to meet
his wte's eyes with the words and the
kisses of his treason yet warm on his
lips. And here he had found her thus.
Realizing the situation in an instant,
he uttered low cry and sprang to her
side,
He thought her already dead. Lift
ing her head from the desk he saw the
letter and read it all
through, with an agony of self-re-
proach. II
1t was written to himself in language
of such pathetic anguish as might have
moved the soul of a demon.