The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1884-05-03

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velvet dress snothered the flame which
had caught At her tulle drapeTies. While
/ tolo OH the burning wing, aai man
aged To throw them t4r from Us, ju5t IL
her cries had brought crowd uI nor
rtied men and women into the room.
Then, through 4 mist Of smoke and
pam, | suddenly saw MaN's face above
me, heard his voice passionately repeat
ing, My darling my darIing." and
with a last asonized wonder did he
mean me or the woman had so nearly
murdered. | tainted for the first time in
my life.
Il Was not until two days later that
WAS conscious enough Of anything but a
hcwildcred sense of pain for Aunt Kate
and Mrs. Butler to tell me thc result of
the accident as everyone supposed it to
be. Mrs. Wharton lad escaped as if by
a miracle, only he: hair was burneG quite
short. My velvet dress had saved both
our lives, but the pufled tulle sleeves had
burned on my arms while was tearing
OFF her wings, and they would DE painful
for weeks, perhaps scared for life. How
| thanked Cad, with passionate tcais
which frightened my nurses, log the
mercy which had made All the suffering
for my sin fall upon me. These blessed
tears, which were the only utterance |
dared give to the thanksgiving which
will urderlie every thought so long as |
live, and which then made ne forget even
soothe me. spoke Of his grief and anxiety.
Then heard that it had been almost im-
possible to persuade linn to leave ,Trs.
Butler house (where | still wasj even
to sleep, and that he would scarcely speak
to Mrs. Wharton, whom lie seemed to
regard with aversion as the cause of my
injuries. Then, indeed, my tears ceased,
and. except that | shrank and shuddered
with bitter scli-contempt when Aunt
Kate wont, tell me OF the universal ad
mlration 70: my hcroiSm, and interest in
my health, | was gentler and more sub
missive than had ever been in my life.
Had not reason to submit to any
thing? Whatever might come to me of
misery. had not more than deserved ito
| gave myself no hope for the future, iur
even If this appearance of love ca AfaX's
part were real. and not remOrSe. V hich |
believed it to be, had that to tell him
which would destroy the deepest love
| man ever felt for woman. Not even to
keep the only happiness which could
ever make life precious to me could |
keep my terrible secret from him. So |
lay ami waited very quietly, my nurses
said, until the doctors wculd let me see
Max-very quietly, Cor despair is never
loud, and only those who still hope make
c!amor over their GRIEF. The morning
came at last when was to see him, and
|, dressed in a white wrapper, with a
blue shawl over my bandaged arms, was
lying on Il sofa in the little salon next
my bedroom, when Mrs. Butler entered
with an exquisite bouquet.
Evelyn dear. Mrs. Wharton sends
you this. With her love, and wants to
see you. as she is going to Rome this
evening"
Il can mott can not: it would kill
! me- | cried. turning my hot face against
the sofa. with q wild feeling that must
never dare see this woman. whom | still
hated. FOX her gratitude would force the
horrible truth from me, and. fer Aunt
Hates sake as well as my own. no one
bat Max must ever know how nearly |
lad been mnrdrleSs. SO Mrs. Butler
afraid Of bringing back my fever. Welded
and sent Mrs Wharton away, while Aunt
Kate, having settled by blue shawl more
ricturesquely over my white wrapper,
kissed me ana lei; tie room, saying,
g! Stall senei Mr.. Enroll, to you: he
will do yon more good than we. doctors,
aud all
''Wjli he" sail to myself with
shiver, and lay waiting in such calmncss
a. one under sentence Of death might
wait for the coming Of the cxecutioncr
only that no death could ever be So ter
riblc to meet a. thc horror and aversion
! mus: read in my lovers face when !
had TOLD him all. " hen the door opened
and knew that lie vas there. my heart
| beat SD loudly that / could not hear his
step; bat even my dizzy eyes could see
the passion of pity and tenderness
which kept him vorlleSs as he bent over
| me.
MAX, Max" cried, ''yon do l,ve me,
after ali?'
Love yoH my darling? How could
you ever doubt IT. ! was brute that
night; but you had hurt me So the day
before
Il was mad, NaN''-I began and then
broke of and looked up at him with
such dumb misery i'll my eyes that he
kissed me.
Ny poor little hurt love-" he muir
injured.
You VIII never call NE that again, |
cried. Amd then, i'll gasps Of words ]
never could remember, the story of my
sin and its repentance was told.
His face was hidden i'll his hands when
had finished, and / couli hot stretch
out even one OF my helpless fingers to
make him raise his head that I might
know my fate.
Max" | whispered, piteously. i
was mad, and it was only one little mo-
ment."
| had meant to say no word of excEsr.
to utter No syllable Of pleading, but |
could not bear that silence.
lie turned and laid his face, wet with
:! i2an' bitter tears, softly against mine
on the pillow. "E3rgive me. my own"
he said, with sob. Il Shall never for
give myself"
Oh, my true lover, my king of men,
whom had so loved and so wronged,
not all the love OF all my life can repay
you for those words.-XnrperS N,tHy.
A Mean Intlma.icn
| From the Judge.
The d;ssipsted Simkns told Fritz yes
| aunt ,