The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1885-07-16

ever be pretty, forgot to answer
So, after a momentary pause, he
said:
edith is more beautiful than
ever, 1 see!
"Ah" thought, che 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 sorrow had been so wild and SO
passionate that naturally it soon
wore itself out. The color came
back to her dark cheeks, additional
lustre to her eyes, and L could Oft
en- hear her caroling snatches OF
songs.
They were mostly French ones
some with a wonderful pathos ring
ing through them and the pronunci-
alton of her maternal tongue was
the prettiest thing imaginable. Yes,
she was growing merry enough.
Gerald's love was so perfect, and
he filled the place of father, brother
and husband so entirely, 1as he had
said, that he left her nothing to- be
wished for.
Ny sister was growing very fond
of her, and declared her to be very
pretty, but 1 could see noF beauty in
her, neither could l love her-my
devotion to Edith utterly preclud
ed 1t.
She grew to be popular with Ger
AIDS men friends too. They thought
uer charming, and his especial
friend, a young fellow who was rap
idly rising in his profession, and
who had been an admirer Of Edith's,
came more frequently than the rest.
Before Gerald's marriage DR.. Per
cival had made small progress in
his wooing, but since, Edith had
seemed more favorably inclined to
wards him.
He was passiqnately y fond of sing
ing and had superb voice. Edith
could not sing note, but Ste's and
Mark Percival's voices blended
splendidly together. Thus hours
were spent, every hour, thought,
that he could spare from his prac-
tice, in these duets.
And Gerald, who was also fanati-
co per Ia ns9sica, never seemed to tire
of listening to the two.
l was very wicked, / know. 1
really believed Ste to be artful and
designing; her childlike, blithe
manner l fancied was assumed. I
saw how happy she was in the
hours spent in Mark PercivaPs so
ciety and it made me dislike her
ten times more for finding pleasure
anywhere but with her husband.
1 consoled myself with believing
that she was trying to bewitch poor
Edith's lover as she had bewitched
my brother, and listened indignant
ly when she said IN her pretty,
childish fashion:
Il wish Edith and DR.. Percival
would come; it's getting quite late
and they are not here yet, and 1
miss them sol Isn't DR.. Percival
handsome and accomplished, Ger?7 |
| don't think a doubt of her ever |
entered his mind until 1 put it there
l began with look, or a little |
word opportunely dropped.
Then | rushed into the thing sud
denly, and shall never forget the
expression of pain on his face when
l said:
MARK Percival admires Ste very
much, Gerald. How we'll their |
voices suit! think if he had |
chanced to meet her before her mar
riage you would have had a very |
formidable rival"
He did not answer; he grew
dreadfully white, and, biting his |
lips, turned away.
But had not done.
"There was an excuse for me, for
L loved my brother with all my
heart and 1 was jealous for him.
Hasn't Ste a wonderful voice tor
such little creature?'
That is a lovely song she is sing
ing now. 1t is Beethoven's Ada
laide, isn't it?' he answered quietly.
Eyes; her favorite song, or rath-
er Mark Perciva's, which is about
the samer'
He looked at me stefnly for the
first time in his life, and said:
"You have never really loved any
one, Ellen. But be careful that you
don't plant thorns that may prick
you more than any one else."
His words were prophetic. How
deeply 1 repentsd my wickedness
no one knows. Yet at that time l
hated Ste for being the cause of the
first rebuke that Gerald had given,
and in Edith's ear l put a word |
now and then that soon built up
wall of ice between her and my
brothers wife.
Gerald grew silent and even lit
tie 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 impulse;
and as Mark Percival's visits had |
suddenly grown less frequent, Ger
aid thought Ste was grieving 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. And so some months
went by. He was looking misera-
BILE at last, and Ste, declaring he was
really ill, begged him to take rest.
Her anxiety chasing away her latter
reserve, she insisted on his seeing a |
physician, but he steadily refused.
She begged them that she might
send for Mark Percival.
When she said that l looked at
Gerald-a curious look that spoke
volumes, she just wanted an excuse
to have him again near her, l
thought, and my glance told that
and more.
Their there came into Gerald's
blue eyes an expression that defed
my understanding. l could not
tell if it was defiance of me or a
curious sort of resignation to the