The Worthington advance., 1883-01-04

And . staHA
On his coat
Seq haiIi
Color nd
Hers b black
eobs and teafA
-. Fury thwaal
.- HusbAnd eo4s .-.
Out at night, 8.
Won't come back
Till he's tight.
LADY LANGTON.
It Il New Years eve. In the city and
country the rcd, white and green blend
In token Of the royal season. Peace and
good will are king and queen tonight.
Tender thoughts Of old and new friends
crowd thick and fist In almost every
bosom, and many spirits long kept apart
burst the bondage and meet
I'm converse sweet,
Tonight st IL o'clock"
Not more fair the thought than the
face of one who waits In the cleaning for
a coming footstcp. Lady Langton is
very fair. Left wee and fragile pos
session In fond young fathers arms at
babyAood, from that time till many
summers come and 60, she Is called Ba.
by only; he cannot endure to call any.
thing by that endearing title which has
been sweetest In all the world 20 him
her mothers name. And thus when it
becomes absolutely necessary that the
child shall have name, with mans
hopeless distaste to change he says:
If che cannot be Baby longer, she shall
be Lady only" And Lady l. ngton she
Is tonight
She has not long to walt. While "the
lights are dim and low coming steps
warn her Of the approach Of some one.
welcome or otherwise
"1s It you, then, Henry?" she asks.
disappointment plainly betrayed In this
"Henry Hamilton" replies a tall and
rather prepossessing, dark-hued man,
who comes up to her in the twiIihgt and
stands hat in hand.
"Are You sorry to sec me, Lady?
Shall I disturb any contemplated VS.
itor?'
"Yop ask too much, Henry. fear it
70 a falling OF yours. Pray tale q
seat"
He accepted the seat to which sbe has
motioned him.
y purposely came early. I wished to
secure your undivided attention for a
moment Or more"
"Well?'
LADY LAngton, can You listen to me?
Can you love me?" and again he restless
ly rises TO bis feet: "Oncs and for all,
viii you be my w1e?'
She does not seem In the least sur
prised, although tho young man has
spoken without passion
"Why do you distress mo and yourself,
BY 80 soon repeating this scene, Henry
! can give you but one answer-1 do not
love you and If you could"
Enough said" he breaks In upon her
hoarsely: "Qo rot begin the e.! !tlimsy
patenwoEs |s; Of ttIend +, Frisnd con-
than friend had not John@'
Her calm steady. truthful eyes droop
completed the sentence, brisk. sprtngy
o0<sA ACoOGAu0 uRVA SAAo N41 PSNCO AAO&
the lamps have been lighted-and
gay, cheeiful voice cries. out:
Many happy returns to Miss Lang
Henry Hamilton. foAed, bows 70 each
In turn and forthwith departs.
"Welcome," she Gays gladly, while all
the Joy and brightness crowded out by
the last short interview, springs into the
girls face to meet the one who now
warmly graeps the little hand held out
A more positive contrast cannot be
presented than this young fellow to the
one who has just left Lady's side in con,
centrated scorn. The one a. dark and
passionful as the summer storm cloud
the other az blonde and bright as the
Warmest ray Of sunshine.
Moments uushackled by any stress Of
reserve or conventionality, speed by
uuheaded with these two friends. Lady
Langton and John Ardelow arc coAHen.
ial in every seflse. They have had a
pleasant autumn season together, cemen-
ting friendship begun with golden-rod
and boating at Mt. Desert, ripening with
holly and mistletoe and Christmas
cheer.
1t is near on to II O'Clock when a
tones and then his. I'VE cannot watch
the Old Year out" she begins sugges-
lively.
"Or the New Year in," he returns sad.
ly. "Worse still. 1t has been SO sweet
to be here with you, for the life of mo,
could not spoil it all by what have to
tell you. But 1t must come soon or late
All things are broken of in this world,
and our sweet companiorship.-Q Lady,
can you not guess that / must tell you q
long goodbye Tonight" he stammers.
"Good-bye?' she repeated wondering
"Yes, goodbye. have lad inpera-
tive summons from my mother to return
to New Orleans at once. Claudia Carter
Is with my mother and there must be
some one to dance attendance" and as
he speaks John Ardelow drops picture
into Lady Iangton'a lap. It Is a cold,
aristocratic girl face that beams upon
Lady as she lifts it up and asks nechan-
ically.
"And who is Claudia earter?''
"1s it possible ! have never told you?
Claudia Carter is fmy-betrothed-the
woman who IL to restore our fallen for
for the loss Of one like you, Lady,"
cav AN1 sOt AtNSN w Nv WY 1NSSs0hs
he does not even seek to force o smile.
For one moment great waves Of emo
ton sweep over the face Of his listener,
threatening to wreck all compoeure;
seeing this, his own fair face darkens
with despair as profound as that eeen
Upon Othello's when be has injured his
only love beyond redemption.
After months Of such sweet intimacy.
as only lovers know, she and her great
love for him are to he thrust aside as
,rifesl This then is the New Year fote
for which her impatient soul has kept
watch How stinging to womanly pride.
Day after day has he sought and singled
her out only as q pastime: Day otter
day and no word to her Of that other
woman to whom his honor aud his faith
have alike been plig'.ted.
Yet with mastery effort st seli-re-
preston she c,lu.s herself aud says to
him. scarcely knowing what her own
words are:
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