Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1885-10-22
VANITY HARDWARE
CHAPTER Ill
BY ALAN MUIR
AN OLD COAL.

The upshot Of the interview in the library,
and the perusal Of Sister GATHERINGS letter,
was auspicious. An hour later Vanity found
herself alone in pretty bedroom, surrounded
by comfort and refinement and twelve hours
quiet before her. Weary though she was,
she examined the room with pleased curiosity.
The furniture, the pictures on the wall, the
writing and toilet tables were all set out
with taste; and poor Vanity, who knew by
experience the articles of poverty or the
fiashy display Of momentary wealth, saw
now for the first time the quiet elegance Of a
wealthy English home She recalled the
stories her mother used to tell of her own
early days, and somehow Vanity did not
feel altogether an alien in this luxurious
mansion. A certain pleasure mingled with
her forebodings of the future. There was
an interval OF rest, however bries, in her
tempestuous life, and SO at last she sunk to
sleep.
In the morning a servant brought her a
message that the lady of the house was en-
gagged and could not see her until twelve
o'clock; and meanwhile small boudoir next
to her room was set apart for her use. Here
she had her brea zfast. The room looked out
upon the garden; and as the morning was
warm and sunny, she opened the window
and enjoyed the fresh air. So she sat and
mused thankful that an interview which
must be important to her was for while
postponed.
Well might Vanity sit and muse. What
road in life was she to take' Her experience
was remarkable, almost unexampled. Her
mother, affectionate, pious and refined, had
made it the chief care of her struggling life
10 int ,Nf ba,.
child. But Vanity had inherited some of
her fathers qualities also: his recklessnesS,
his love of change, his desire for pleasure
at any cost. Besides, for many years
past the girl had lived In a whirl OF excite
ment. The glare of the footli5hts is not apt
to foster modesty. Vanity loved admira-
tion, and she had been admired, applauded,
courted, and all the rest of it. She was
still young and brilliant, and her talent for
acting was undoubted. Why not go to Lon
don and try her luck' The life of an actress
might be respectable and exemplary; and
even if she chose that her life should not be
so, what, she asked herself, had the virtuous
world done for Vanity Hardware that Van
ity Hardware should so consider the virtu-
GUS world? Was she not her own mistresSl
Here came the wild thrill in her heart which
none but the true Bohemian knows; the pros
pect Of life unfettered; virtuous, perhaps;
pleasant, anyhow; above all, freel Yes she
would start away, and make her fortune or
chance her luck Her choice was made!
She had suffered enough at the hands of men
. and the world. For the rest Of her life she
would be happy in her own way.
A horror had oppressed her ever since the
tragedy at Tumbledown Farm; why allow it
any longer to brood over her mind! Her
father was gone. She had no part in his
awful fate. She might change her name,
and with that Danish forever the terrible
gloom which even an hour ago she had be-
ieved must rest upon her forever. "Life is
short" said Vanity; ''and youth and beauty
and delight are shorter still!'
Her experience of Willie Shows ncon-
stancy had been a bitter disclosure. Vanity
had idolized that young fellow. All that her
mother had ever taught her about goodness
had gathered around Willie, and he became
in her eyes the image Of integrity and vir-
tue; and how warm and living integrity and
virtue seemed embodied in his person Just
when she expected him to rise to hcroism
Willie had sunk down to respectable selfish
commonplace. Vanity suffered not from
lacerated affection alone. Her idea had
been degraded, not shattered; that she
might have endured. Virtue and goodnes,
had been reduced to feeble amiability and
prudent consideration for number one.
Vanity conned over the admirers Of Other
days. Not one had "a character" But she
seriously questioned whether any Of them
would have behaved like respectable Willie
Snow!
$50 much for irespectability' she said in
heartfelt scorn. And yet she had no heart
felt scorn for Willie Snow. She loved him
sstill-in spite of all, she loved him still. And
women forgive as long as they love. And
they persist in finding excuses for men as
long as any affection remains. IF Willie
had not been respectable" murmured Van
itY, she would never have cast me off. 1t
was all owing to his respectability."
And thus tnis sunny morning, musing on
her life, and gazing out upon the pleasant
garden, Vanity made resolution which
was daring, stern and wild, and yet had
something pathetic in it. She would take
leave of these kind entertainers; sell her
watch and rings, make her way to London,
look for a theatrical engagement, work her
way up in the profession-rve after her own
heart She had escaped from the dominion
of Sister Catherine, who had unquestionably
gained an influence over her, and given her
.an impression of genuine goodness which she
did not easily efface. But a secret whisper
in her heart, which as yet she had scarcely
interpreted, gave her strength Her choice
was made. Let the past be past Her brief
dream of goodness was over. Bad she did
not wish to be-; but ight-hearted, prosper
GUS, easy, above all independent of the re-
spectacle pcople-this she could be, and this
she would be-
But what was this whisper in her hearth
Why, as she listened to it, did her color
deepen, and her eyes grow strangely bright,
and her pulse beat fasts
willie Snow--the man who lsved ME
once-who was stolen from me--who could
not resist me even now--the man that love
still-what if ! won him back. after allP
CHAPTER w.
ABOUT TO MARRY.