The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-04-04
have married her from pity, Isuppose!'

told on her face, but she has glorious
ewes, and 1 can see what took Gerald.
1t is her winning manner-just like q
petted ch ID"
glanced at Edith admiringly, think
ing what an angel of forgiveness she
was, and when the bride came down
again / took malicious pleasure in
comparing her with Edith.
q Edith, so fair and SO lovely, with hair
like spun gold ana a wild rose bloom
on her cheeks, and a graceful, willowy
figure. And Ste.-to call her by the
curious abbreviation she wished so
small and dusky, with a colorless skin
and nothing to recommend her but two
immense black eyes, which certainly
were as lustrous as twin stars and rs
soft as velvet.
Later in the evening When dinner was
over and Edith had drawn her away to
look at Geralds drawings, he came up
and sat down by me.
ELLEN, you must not form an opinion
of Ste s attractions now, ".he whispered,
earnestly; .'she is not herself; naturally
she is as bright and happy as bird,
and altogether charming. You must
help me chase away her trouble and
bring back her smiles. And then, you
don't know how pretty my little one is
when she smiles" he went on enthsi-
astically.
And wondering how she could ever
be pretty, l forgot to answer. So, after
a mOmentary pause, he said:
edith is more beautiful than ever, l
seer'
"Ah!'' thought. she could not help
comparing these two-the girl he had
needlessly thrown aside and the girl he
had linked himself to for life"
1t was not long before Ste 'was more
like herself" as Gerald said. Her sor-
row had been so wild and so passionate
that naturally it soon wore itself out. The
color came back to her dark cheeks, ad-
ditional lustre to her eyes, and could
often hear her carolling snatches of
songs.
They were mostly French ones-scme
with wonderful pathos ringing
through them; and the pronunciation
of her maternal tongue was the pretti-
est thing imaginable. Yes she was
growing merry enough.
| Gerald's love was so perfect, and he
filed the place of father, brother and
husband so entirely, as he had said,
that he left her nothing to wish for.
My sister was growing very fond of
her, and declared her to be remarkably
pretty, but could see no beauty in her,
neither could l love her-my devotion
to Edith utterly precluded it.
Ste grew to be popular with Gerald's
1 man friapIo too Tbox- fhnnrht bor
charming, and his special friend, a
young fellow who was rapidly rising in
his profession, and who had been an
admirer of Edith's, came more frequent
ly than the rest.
Before Gerald's marriage DR.. PEREZ
val had made small progress in his
wooing, but since, Edith seemed more
favorably inclined towards him.
He was passionately fond of singing
and had a superb voice. Edith could
not sing note, but Ste's and Mark
Percivars voices blended splendid,y to-
gether. Thus hours were spent, every
hour, l thought, that he could spare
from his practice, in these duets.
And Gerald, who was also tGnatico
per la nlusicG, never seemed to tire of
listening to the two.
was very wicked l know. Ireally
believed Ste to be artful and designing;
her childlke, blithe manner / fancied
was assumed. l saw how happy she
was in the hours spent in Mark PEREZ
walls society, and it made me dislike
her ten times more for finding pleasure
anywhere but with her husband
consoled myself with believing that
she was trying to bewitch poor Edith's
lover as she had bewitched my brother,
and listened Indignantly when she said
in her pretty, childish fashion.
81 wish Edith and DIR. Percival would
come; it's getting quite late and they
are aot here yet, and l miss them so!
Isn't DR.. Percival handsome and &C
complished, Ger?'
don't think doubt of her ever en-
tered his mind until put 1t there. 1
began with look or little word OPP
portunely dropped.
Then l rushed into it suddenly. and
shall never forget the expression of pain
on his face, when | said:
''Mark Percival admires Ste very
much, Gerald. How well their voices
suit. l think if he had CHANGED to meet
her before her marriage you would
have had very formidable rival"
He did not answer; he grew dreadful
ly white and, biting his lips, turned
away.
But had not done.
There was an excuse for me, for
loved my brother with all my heart,
and was jealous for him.
Hasn't Ste wonderfully powerful
voice for such little creature?
THAT is lovely thing she is singing
now. 1t is Beethoven's Adelaide, isn't
it." he answered quietly.
sYcs; her favorite song, or rather
Mark Percival's, which is about the
same"
He looked al me sternly for the first
time in his life. and then said:
"You have never really loved any
one. Ellen. But be careful that you
don't plant thorns that may prick you
more than anyone else"
His words were prophetic. How
deeply L repented my wickedness no
one knows. Yet at this time hated
Ste for being the cause of the first re-
buke that &c! aid had given me, and in
Edith's ear put word now and then
that soon built up wall of ice between
her and my brothers. wife.
Gerald grew silent and even little
morose.
And Ste felt it, and was hurt that he
did not tell her the cause of his change.
She became reserved, crushing back
her loving impulses; and as Mark Per-
civars visits had suddenly grown less
frequent, Gerald thought Ste was griev-
ing over this. Gerald, who was not a
rich man, and an artist by profession,
worked by night as well as by day
worked to keep himself from thinking.