Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1884-08-28
MAM- -DhDTloAAl
'Ineophilus-"A lovely

Lilla-"Delightfull So cool!''
Theophilus-"Have you been-any-
where?"
Lnla-'.Everywhere- II mean
did not go out
Theophilus-"It was-ah-pleasant-
er indoors"
Lilla-"Pleasanter-a of doors.
Yes"
They were out on the staircase
Theophilus, hoarsely and low-'.Lil-
la, this is dreadful! But what are we
to do? We cannot have everyone star
inc at US; we cannot let them triumph
over u.s."
Lilla-"No, no; whatever we do, not
that"
Theophilus-"Can you put brave
front upon it? 1t is but for an hour"
Lila, energetically-T cam" feels
herself heroine in distress, and dares
the worst thst misfortune can do. II
csn, and l will" &
Theophilus-'.I am 80 sorry for you
1T is for you that mind"
They are at the turning Of the stairi
Lila trips over the mat in her earnest
ness and impressiveness-
..Pray-pray don't you mind TheoPh
Col. Stacer; it is-it is for you that
feel"
Theophilus - confdentially - 1--WE
shall have to speak to each other.
A tiny pressure of the arm
Tteophilus-"You will speak to
me?"
A nod.
They are at the dining-room door.
Lady Blanche is there before them; is
there anything she can do to separate
the pair? 1t is really quite too awful,
quite too hideousi She can explain it
to the Goodhearts afterward; turns
round and says, 'Iilla. Lila, my love,
know you hate the fire or the sun--it
is Just in your eyes; do come round
and sit by me; positively you must. "
Obtuse host-'.No occasion, Lady
Blanche. The blind can be let down"
(Aside)- Hang it all am l not to
have the arrangement of my own din
ner tablet"
Wretched hostess, who has Just
learned the truth up-stairs-''Colonel
Stacer, l am afraid | must ask you to b
to come and sit here by me. 1t is so
awkward-we are such an awkward
number; but fear must part some
one pair.
Indignant husband. in an unmistak-
able ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS"
tone-"My dear, Stacer is seated. We
do very well as we are.
Company in general (aside)-"Blun-
dering idiot, he sees nothing even
yetr'
Tragedy proceeds: A deep gloom. a
terrible shadow pervades the meal; by
the time the first course is over every
one who did not before know the
frightful state of the case has been in
formed of it, and in consequence an
intermittent fever of delight, alarm,
and curiosity makes every other topic
fiat as pancake. Who can talk while
that is going on? Who can do any
thing else than cast surreptitious
glances up and down the board, varied
by awful frowns and internal threats
directed against the miserable author
of the mischief? One tongue, however,
never flags, never tries, nor stops to
rest; and that is the tongue of Stacer.
Stacer talks on, and on, and on.
Stacer appears to have laid up fund
VI uDOA OfOAy
topic, which he is now steadily giving
vent to; even when the ladies rise, and
Lila rises with them, and he gives her
back her glove, which had fallen un-
der the table, and he talks still. How
good he is, how kind, how thoughtful
and how very, very sorry she is for
himr'
But upstairs all the commiseration is
for her.
My poor childi My dearest Lila!
How unlucky! Such mistake! Mr..
Goodheart will never forgive himself!''
The last asseveration is Mrs. Good
hearts, and she Is nearly weeping.
Lady Blanche consolingly-'Yes,
my dear Mrs. Goodheart, it was un-
fortunate, most unfortunate, and shows
--ahemi-that people should be con-
versant with-with what goes on. OF
course you did not know; another time
you will try to know, will you not, my
dear?"
Mrs. Goodheart warmly-"I will
never ask people to meet each other
again unless l knew the day of their
birth. and their godfathers and god
mothers. and-and-" (sobs).
Lilla-"H l could only 60 home
now"
She can and shall go home; no need
to wait for her carriage. Mr.. Good
heart will be only too glad, too sorry,
too thankful to do anything; he will
see her home in q hanson, it will not
take him ten minutes, message will
bring him out of the dining-room, and
he can be back before ne is missed;
and Mrs. Goodheart will have it so.
All right: Goodhesrt is delighted.
1t appears presently however. that
he did not go in that hanson. Sfaeer
had to leave early. he said, and he was
going Miss Delaney way. and SO there
was no reason why
Lady Blanche-"Why! Good Heav-
ems! you did not send Lilia Delaney
home in hanson alone with Colonel
Theophilus Stacerr' l&
Goodhesrt, peaceably-aIt was bet
ter he than l, you know. He would be
less missed. l put it to him"
What on earth does this mean7
What has he done wrongP What is
the matterP He looks blankly round
on each in turn. plainly imploring in
formation. pitiably at sea.
Matteri o you born fool. you blind.
thick-headed jackassl Matterl He is
told shortly and sharply what is the
matter. And here we draw the veil.
We can picture him for the rest of the
evening wandering about the dim
alleys, the back slums Of the great gay
room, a miserable outcast, despised,
enlightened, bewildered pariah; we
can see him covering beneath every
whitening glance, shrinking from every
eye, scarce venturing to return the
cold Goodnight" far less to offer the
parting arm; he has at heart, his
afflicted family may dare to hope, the
grace to feel his ignominy; he will
never again in this world, they may
rest assured, presume to meddle with
matters so far beyond him; he is
crushed, annihilated; down-trodden
reptile-a dead worm.
SCENE III.
An hour later. Goodheart'S study. Coop
HEART lesuscitated, brought back to life,
radiant as ever, laughing as he has often
laughed before, but as no one had Thought