Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1886-09-10
The "Aight Have BeeN' v
BY NJ. EILEEN HoLAHAN.


her own sweet, saucy face in the mir
ror, to the exquisite vision-fragile as
an anemone-iramed in her dressing
room door. GLOW did you do It,
Naomi-by magic? You are the veryI
loveliest, most exquisite thing in the|
world. have hardly begun to dress
yet"
Miss Quiverleigh's laugh comes
lightly-low as the saddest sob of al
summer breeze-sweet as the tenderest
notes of a priceless flute; but on her
beautiful lips rests smile in which
there is more of scorn, of contempt,
than pleasure, as she draws the train
of dead white silk and priceless lace
across her beautiful arm, saying:
"Oh, | have been ready for ages, l
think. Perhaps-it is barely possible"
and the smile dies away into pa
thetlc curve of the lovely lips tiny
eagerness ito subdue your 'lordly
knights, and subjugate the handsome
brother who, all unknowing, disap-
proves of me--has made me overesti-
mate the time of waihng!"
J A swift scarlet flush comes to birth
on Dora's pure brow, and dies away
beneath the dainty lace ON her bosom.
"T0m is not unjust" she says stout
ly, turning again TO her dressing table.
mot knowing, how could he disap-
prove OF you, Naomi? l do not bell We
| it; it is but a rumor you heard"
Naomi shrugs her beautiful white
shoulders with little laugh.
Society people always know each
other, my little saint" she says, "or
hear OF them. Your brother, believer
--carelessly lis society man, is he
not? have heard great deal of him,
in Oh, assure you''--as Dora
turns quickly with startled eyes
"rumor has it only that he is the per-
feet man the noblest work of God"
ale is" exclaims Dora, emphati-
,cally. Her brother is her idol. ale
is the handsomest man | ever Jaw. land
the dearest and wi est and best! Ora
cious"--as the tiny, jeweled clock on
the mantel chimes for the hour in q
burst of mus c-.-"eight o'clock and =.
Estelle, Estelle. do hurry me up, else
the guests will arrive before / am
ready, Come in. Naomi, and sit down,
il anything so heavenly Can sit down!
II could" laughs Miss Quiverleigh.
softly, Every iorcibly, indeed; but
will not. When you are dressed
Dora, call me from the balcony.
shall hear, If the flowers are not WOO
ing metz
With which she turns and runi
lightly down the broad, shallow stairs
trilling back II laugh, and a snatch OF
popular opera" TO Dora's:
"Do not get your slippers damp,
Naomi; the dew is falling. In just one
half hour | will be ready"
"Half an hourv thinss Miss Culver
leigh, scornfully. "Who or what is
worth SO much care or time? What
fools all we women are. and how long
a time it is before we discover the fac
OF which am brilliant illustration
Bah"
Drawing her long white skirts
around her just sufficiently to display
beautiful slim ankle. she steps GU
across the balcony into the white
wind-tossed beauty OF the June night
Il will keep in the gravel paths,
she whispered, bending above bed o
, white lilies, and sevcring the loyelies
from its parent stem. THE grass il
damp and chill. But somehow | de
feel rebellious ;o-night--just lik,
doing something which will make tn,
I. world raise it hands in holy horror
| Just like breaking the chains of mode
fashion and costume to scream--jus
+ once i am frccl
II Down the gravcled paths she glides
between the beds of sleeping, dew,
flowers, like some fair, trail shadow o
the white moonlight flooding the eartl
with its glory.
alt is glorious," she whispers to the
faint night wind that riots around her
! "But what can it bring 10 me to any
/ of us? The moon goes down in dark
ness, aud the flowers die in tears. All
: the people are already arriving, SO
+: must desert the path, or else return I,
the house. The latter | cannot do
at least not yet All, | must view thu
lake with this moon on its breast"
"On its breast" it is lying. certainly
just as a vague, heavy pain is lying OF
her heart--thc remembrance of hop
long since blighted, the memory of
priceless, tender passage which neithe
wealth, position, nor adulation ha
ever been able to renew.
1t is dead, Of course. 1t is almos
r four years since all her tender love AM
wi misery were burned out togethe
in unavailing tears.
: Since then--how can they blam
her that she has no heart-tbat sh
must laugh with and at all alike, Il
the case may be.
The only wonder would be that sh
, had not become emblttered.
The lake, with its messy shore deco
rated with cleaning white statues ant
vases, lies sleeping in the moonlight
. from above.
Through the branches of water vii
/ lows and beeches the wind signs faint
", while from the house comes thu
distant sound of music, and the sounc
of a sweet, clear voice singing:
"Ah, that thou and were sleeping
Meath the churchyard's quiet sod;
lOur hearts at rest on earth's tende
breast
And our souls at home with God"
III Naomi stands-her beautiful bare
arm thrown carelessiy above whit,
stone vase, to which she appears al
Exquisite carving-part Of it herself
her beautiful eyes are resting on tn
water with look of sad, pathetic
pain, of which the world would nevel
dream; but as the last faint note of TIL,
song dies away across the lake, rsh'
falls on her knees with a cry of ire
prcssible pain, passion and despa r.
: thn mani I'M niSnru of uearS