Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1885-01-16
Meeting Trouble Half Way
BY BERTHA BERTON.

BY BERTHA BERTON.
" Such happy coupled"
Yes, one of the matches OF which
Heaven has the ordering, shou ID
say" responded the gentleman
addressed. IL WAS AZ an evening
party where these remarks were made
and the couple who were conversins
were good friends, nothing more, al.
though Alice Walton, . lady of thirty
was single, and already dubbed an old
maid by the younger portion of tn.
community although Hugh Den
holm, who was several years older, wal
bachelor for friendship Ia not q thius
40 Impossible between the sexes a.
many imagine, and the couple sitting
there no contentedly, enjoy ing a :pleas
ant chat, had no Intentions matrimo.
NAL.
But they were speaking of = couple
who had been married little more thar
q year. and who we're mingliDg among
the guests assem- bled in Mrs. Wolcott's
parlors. They had Just passed out OF
sight, but soon afterward Roy Leslie
strolled off TO indulge In cigar with
an old friend, and his young wife seat
ed herself by n great oriel window, and
gazed idly At the winter landscape
The rich drapery concealed her form
from view, and, Internationally, she
became q listener to what was not in
tended for her ears.
" l wonder, sometimes, II Roy has
quite forgotten that fancy for hi,
cousin Maud" Hugh Denholm said
refie ctively. Miss Leighton was 9
love ly girl, though her beauty WAS OF
quite a d iffrrent style from Mrs. Lee
lie's, bnt tho attachment seemed brck.
en- abruptly. Instead OF the expected
announcement of their engagement, she
went off suddenly To Florida, and thai
was the end OF It. Then, a few months
atterward, Florence Tracey came u
spend the winter with her aunt, and
Roy Leslie fell in love with her nj Re,
sight no, of course, his attentions Il
Mand must have been purely cousin
ly."
Then Hugh Denholm left his cozy
nook beside Alice Walton and strolle1
away, quite unconscious that he had
sown seed In the young wife mind tina
would bear bitter fIuit.
Florence L-slie sat moiionless. A
new revelation had come to her, ant
she had felt ~ sure of her husband
love but, woman-l Ike, she was read
TO meet trouble halfway, ard tina
night she went home more unhapp,
than she had ever been during her brie
married lite.
There MAS "A cloud upon h.r fair face
thing No unusual, that Roy Leslie a
Rohciious.
w hat had happened Did her hea.
ache thai being generally her pc
trouble No. she WAS quite we'll, sh.
answered, irigidly, and she retired n
once, not " sleep, but To think, TIL he
brain seemed on fire
Only month since Roy had received
"A letter from this same cousin, who wa
still in Florida. A Pheasant, friendl,
letter, just such az cousins who hav,
family interests IN common are apt u
write. That WAS what Florence hac
thought OF IL Al the time, for her Lus
band had given u to her TO read.
She wac coming North immediately
and II 1t would be agreeable she woult
like 10 make cousin Roy short visit
and form the acquaintance of his wife
and Roy had glanced across the table
to See how Florence received the intel
ligence.
She should be- delighted to becom.
acquainted with his cousin, she OK
claimed, enthusiastically, and she In
sist. d upon having Roy answer the
letter that same day by warm, wei.
coming message from the young wife
and FloreLce had looked over Roy
shoulder vii h a wifely privilege, never
dreaming that there was n buried past
that sbe might not know.
And she was c0ming-she might
arrive any day-and the roseate tint,
the brightness that had invested home
and lite with halo of glory, wac
rudely brushed away, and Florence
Leslie looked out upon dull world
through the green orbs Of jealousy.
Their beautiful home was in perfect
order, for they had servants to do the
work. Roy was not going to see his
wife grow old and infirm through hard
labor, he had told her, playfully, at the
beginning of their mari led liIe, and she
Lad plenty of leisure to walk or ride,
TO read, or TO devote to any little femi-
nine fancies.
She had thought Of her invited guest,
and had drives and entertainments
planned to make her visit pleasant |;
but now her heart grew cold, as she
thought of the torture such Efforts would
prove.
A letter from Maud I" Roy ex-
claimed, in tone of pleasure as he
opened his letters the next morning.
" II must have been delayed. for she
writes that she will be here the 18th OF
March, and on the six O'Clock express.
This is the day, ana must drive down
to the depot for her this evening""
Then he sprung from the table and
hurried on his coat and gloves, anu
gave Florence goodly kiss, In such
haste that it's flavor was completely
spoiled, and she wiped 1t OFF with
spirit Is the street door closed behind
him.
she said, bitterly and then, with o.
heart, she busted herself with
for her guest.
That was long day, but Florence
Leslie dreaded its close. An un.
March day, not stormy.
not bright, but gray and windy. An
Nast wind, that always brought trouble,
Florence said, foOlishly trying to find
some excuse for her misery.
Roy came home early, and as he did
sent from the stable and little before
six a splendid pair of chestnuts, with 8
low, easy looking carriage, drew up|
before Roy Leslie's door.
He might have asked me to 20 with
him." Florence thought, as her hus-
band drove away, forgetting that, as
hostess, her place was at home and,
forgetful Of time, she was still AT the
window when the prancing chestnuts
again halted before their door, and a.
lady sat beside Roy Leslie-a very di.
ninutive one. seemingly, aud she was
so wrapped that, as Roy deposited her