The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1884-03-15


me- But il don't haye him, why"
g"Theres my matchlcss brother.
Poor Gealdw
Mrs. Dalrymple's eyes grew wet, and
Agatha in her wild and impulsivo way
sprang up and kissed her.
Don't, Clara! You make me
wretchedw
AT such times the bonds Of friend
ship strengthened between these two.
Clara Dalrymple, widowed and lonely,
loved sympathy, as do the rest Of us,
and Agatha knew how to offer it.
! Besides. she was alone, a good step
in her twcnties, and no one had the
slightest claim upon her. 1t would be
terrible to be an old maid and yet how
close that dreaded existence seem
ed.
Gerald Kavanagh had Oceans of
money, was ~ handsome rs her hero
need be, and az for talent, all her world
acknowledged that he possessed trille
more than his share. Clark Estes
was her mantle She wore him to
hide the fact that she intended to mar
" Gerald Kayanagh, as soon as she
found the opportunity. She intended
to show the world this, when Gerald
came home from Cuba. The surest
channel to his heart lay through his
sister. Agatha knew it, and 'hencc
| these fond kisses and embraces.
CLARK Estes is coming, mamma"
called Belle from the window.
"Shall we retire, Miss Vane?' asked
| Agatha, saucily.
| 81 beg You tosuit your convenience"
replied the governess.
Again the steel blue eyes snapped.
"You may as well be quiet Aggie.
Nothing can be gained by taunting her.
She is more than match for you"
"Good afternoon ladies! All, ma petite
Belle! How gay you all look. There is
Miss ane" The handsome dashing in
truder passed the languid Agatha and
bent gracefully over the slight figure
OF the governesS.
"You sent back my gift Miss Vane
How could you! win you not accept
it as n token of friendship? | will ask
no more" He laid a parcel in her
lap.
In his face there beamed the three
highest tributes a man can pay. wo
man, love, honor and respect, and
Agatha seeing all this caught hel
friends arm.
"You will take it," He pleaded az
she lifted her eyes. "Only as gift from
true friend" A friend! The full
, meaning of the word flashed on her
A full sense OF the bitterness Of friend
lessness seemed for the moment to over
whelm her, and with swimming eye.
she clasped the volume and bowed
7 His delicacy came once to her relief
! and with gay, forced laugh he turn
: ed again Mrs.. Dalrymple and entered
: into conversation. "a pretty scene tlu
! ly" sneered Agatha, az Rupert for I
!. :. few moments monopolized his atten
! ton. II dare say your brother will als'
y fall in love with her"
"Don't he silly"
u Why should he not? She was hand
i some and educated. She talked little
!. and was graceful and womanly, bu
. then--Gerald Kavanagh had caugh
!. some patrician notions in his travel.
'. His first wife had noble blood in he
u veins, she had heard, and he would no
wed an unknown governess and Civ
!. her that noble ladys place.
i But she was losing her mantle. Peopl
:" had solongcoupled her name with tina
of Clark Estes, that this aroused all he
= jealousy and hatred. She did nc
!" want him-that is, she did not if sll
- could ensnare Kavanagh, but she di
- not want him to turn from her to |;
!, boring woman, dependent upon he
/, hard drugery for her daily breat
" There was where the shoe pinchet
!" 81 here that Gerald is on his wa
~ homeward" said Estes.
= ave expect him by the first OF ne,
- month"
=, 81 shall be glad 10 meet him. Poo
!. fcllow,he was a perfect wreck when Ii
!, ~ went away. / hope we shall find hi
- improved"
u Presently Estes went away with smil
- of tender meaning to the lonely GO
- - erness, and gay adieu to the other
- "When are you to be married, Mi
Z Z Nane?"laughed Agatha. "Alow m
= to congratulate you. Clark has
= alnd half million"
~ r congratulations are unnessar
W MNEEanton."
: "Hhmph."
T. This brought tho tears, but her to
:" mentor did not see them,and in fc
- moments she went out and called ii
:, children after her. Then, all forgetfl
!" of the presence of Mrs. Dalrymplc, Il
- girl buried her face in her hands an
~ sobbed aloud.
10 "Why child! Miss vanel POI
-. dear! What is it?" pleaded the tende
=" hearted little woman, kneeling besit
~ II, her. "Don't allow Agatha to anne
;aa you."
' -, "Mrs. Da.rymple, it is not that alon
Is | am so desolate, SO unhappy, so ute
~ }ly ,friendles"
- "Not while live,poor child. l ha
~, NJ always esteemed you as true lad
''u and as friend"
- "You havobeen very kind ;but son
~ times we have sorrows which nothil
> can alleviate"
10 "You speak truly. Within the pr
~. ~ two years ! have known bitter .orro
80 and not all the offerings OF sympat
w from kind friends could lessen pal
20, The death of my husband came lils
m two months later, my brother with
~, newly-wedded wife, an English lady
W beauty and worth, started for hon
On the passage, the vessel was wreC
. . ed, and all save my brother and t
nd seamen persisted. He came to me
an most broken-hearted, and for month
w L. =. .....,.l...A4 f.,.,r for IL, hn,