Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-02-10


When she reached cover a pang seized her
| again, as she thought of the romantic two left
| for certainty alone with a sweet breath OF
| imaginative happiness blowing about them and
| be that passed from one to the other. She
would like to hearHerman pleading and making
sweet VOWS. Herman had always been pleasing
| to her, and she would like to view him once as
| pleading lover, because it would be so new, and
put him in tender light.
Was it possible to think of Herman in ten
der light? Yes, she could In Imagination hear
| his voice, low and vibrant; she could see his
eyes filled with hope, and his outstretcbed hand:
she could feel the grasp of his love al it drew
Its object to ITSELF And then she started. and
put her hands on her burning cheeks. Why
what was this? Could it be that she could fancy
It delight to know Herman thus? Oh, what
shame-what a shame to thrust the confession
| through her heart that she loved him! She
seourged herself with reproaches. She was in
her dotage, she told herself: she was mad; she
was worse than fool.
1t was not strange that she should have loved
him. She had known him and gone on know
ing him these several years, and she was not
woman to be violent in any passion. Her af-
lection had npened like slow fruit In it's late
season, that needs but one warm day to bring
1t to its climax. Lo! her climax was come
and she stood apart, as person might, view
Ing 1t with sort OF awe. 1t was an hour and
more before she was calm enough to sehebout
the matter collectedly. During that hour
she owned she would have taken Ida's
place In that interview with Herman, II she
could. even to the complete Punishment of the
young girl She forced herself to face bare facts.
With deep sense Of humiliation she realized
that she was jealous, maciously jealous of Ida
tor the moment. She felt savage; she felt like
Overturning and destroying like tOrturing and
putting to the trial. and wondered, as from out
sort of dream within whose strange tangle she
was fnextricably involved. She laughed and
cried, then soothed herself like a child, bathed
her face smoOthed her hair, put away all trace
of emotion, and told herself she had done with
the whole thing, and buried it as in grave.
Feeling like very aged person, Marcia went
down soberly to see after the young people. She
caledHerman '.young people," in her mind. She
found Ida alone, with her roses torn and scat
tered at her feet. The young girl sat deep in
thought. with her eyes on vacancy, and she drew
deep, unconscious sigh which repeated ITSELF
even while Marcia observed her.
81 had q proposal myself once, when was
young" thought Marcia Ibid 1 look so lost
and so sentimental after it. | wonder? But then
didn't accept him, and perhaps that's the diff
ference Ida must have accepted Herman"
II thought Herman was here, Ida. Before
she spoke even Marcia's jealousy was quite
vanished. and she felt her old kindness toward
her young companion return.
Herman? on. yes. Herman was here, but
he is gone now" answered Ida. starting; and
Marcia told herself he had proposed, and Ida
was evasive.
"Come and sit down, Marcia" continued Ida
by and by; then she laughed happily, and
blushed bit at the sweetness of the secret she
held. Herman just told me something; but it
Is confidence, mind, and he will tell you him
self whenever there is a best chance. But you
mustn't hint to him, Marcia, until he tells YOU,
that have said anything at ALL" She looked
prettier than ever now, in twitter of liveli-
ness.
Are you happy. Ida, in knowing this conf
dence? Does it make you happy, dear2" asked
Marcia, soberly
ooh, Marcia, Marcia, 1 do believe you guess
1t already. Yes. yes; it does make ne glad"
Springing up, Ida crossed the step and kissed
Marcia extravaganty with little soft girlish
kisses, dabbing her lips her cheeks. her eyes
her hair, and whatever else her mouth happened
to nit.
Suddenly the bitterness descended upon Mar
cha again. They put me aside like an old
woman" she thought, till it's necessary to
speak to me for forms sake. I'd scarce have
thought that Of Herman. after his speaking
SO kindly of my being thirty six. Well, Of
/ feelings"
70 Marcia. tell me were you ever In love, and
what is it like?" said Ida audaciousy, sitting
down at Marcia's feet, and crossing hands upon
the old wOman's knee.
cit is the dreadfulest condition" began poor
Marcia. and then she bit her silence of at it's
beginning.
81 see you have had acquaintance with il, :"
said Ida, quickly. "And why is it you never
married. 1t seems 80 right for you to be
unmarried, never thought to ask you be-
fore"
Il suppose there are many men in this world,
some one OF whom l might have loved and
married" Marcia returned finding comfort in
us into circumstances which compelled love and
marriage. 1t is all happening. anyhow, you
know. The man chance had in view for me
married some other woman, suppose, without
wait, waiting to see me; and the man might have
so Marcia! how cold blooded!" cried Ida.
II believe it is all q destiny-all meant to be,
and just as sure to come round right as the
| sun is. l wouldn't think otherwise for the
world"
''That's very natural" said Marcia.
"Well," exclaimed Ida. after pause, "if here
| isn't Herman coming back again!' Then she
huttered like bird about to take wing and o.
clilated from one side to the other of her perch
on the step. Yes; think I'd better go In"
| she said, hastily, after watching him moment
Don't you come, Marcia: maybe he's come
back feeling that he couldn't wait to tell you"
| Then she ran away.
Very WELL" Marcia thought calmly. 'he
couldn't wait, as Ida says, and he's come back
words as possible, and hope he will make
| few words of it, too" But she began to tremble
when he sat down beside her.
The afternoon was falling to it's close now, but
AAoA A"n % CiCACA vel W0ul VI else SOlneW nat
| agtated.
Il will wait for him to begin in the way he
pleases. Ofcourse he can't expect me to begin"
Marcia said, silently.
II have been here before, this afternoon,
Marcia. he did begin presently, but he stopped
there somewhat uncertainty.
Yes, saw you sitting here with Ida" she
| said, with sudden resolve to help him out,
and have it over.
Ida is pleasant little grl-pretty, too, don't
| you think so?" he asked
The Interview was painful to Marcia, under
the circumstances naturally very painful, and it
could not fail to be distressing when he praised
Ida so openly. So she answered nothing at all
to this. By some imperceptible motion he was
coming closer to her, and in less than minute
| he sat almost next to her. She raised her eyes
to his face and observed him with a clear gaze.
Then he put out his hand and clasped her fin
| gers. His touch was very grateful to her, and
q feeling Of pleasant warmth passed up her arm
to the shoulder, but she rigidly repressed it.
''He thinks of me as sort of mother-in-law,
and he Is seeking to propitiate me by taking my
hand. have heard that men try every means
to win over their mother-in-law," thought
Marcia, bitterly. ''His mother-in-aw!"
She was still looking at him with hardened
| gaze, and she saw that he had put off his usual