The Washington critic., 1886-04-08

married my father, but IL so CHANGED
that had never seen him.
He was tall and handsome, with
large, dark eyes, rich brown skin,
and face and figure like the sculp.
tured representation Of Apollol And
the soft, southern grace Of his manner
was rs fine as II was attractive to me.
The first day that knew that had
fallen in love with him was the day
that / first fancied his manner had n
deeper shade of tenderness than its
wont toward my step.mother
The light flashed blindingly, bewil-
deringly in upon my soul My beau
tiful, hated step-mother--shc was not
then content with stealing from n
motherless girl fathers treasured
love, but she must fain take also away
the dearest Jewel of q woman's life
the heart Of the man she loved most
dearly.
had recourse to my usual panacca
for sore heart-solitude. / sought the
lonely depths of the autumn. tinted
woods to think and dream and burn in
upon my heart the passionate con
seriousness OF my own grief and isola.
tion. And could not have told
whether had been three hours or only
three minutes, when voices, in the leaf
shaded aislcs beyond, were floated
gently to my ears-my step.mother's
tone, mingled with the sweet, deep ac.
cents Of Colonel Tressclyn. They did
not know was there, but had neither
the spirit nor pride to reveal my pres.
ence.
ut is useless, Ralph" Estelle's sweet
voice spoke. 81 know that am still
young In years, but such things as love
and marriage are over for me-.
"And you will not be my wife ?"
mo, Ralph--but II is not that | do
not esteem and respect you"
"You send me away from you ?" he
said, In a somewhat piqued tone.
"There you are wrong again, Ralph.
I would fain keep you by my side as a
dear and valued friend. Ask Isabel to
be your wife-she is young and beauti-
full, with rare richness of nature and a
heart which will appreciate you as you
deserve. AS Isabels husband you can
scarcely fail TO be happy, for"
And here the growing distance be-
tween us and the rustic of the leaves
drowned their reccding voices, and /
sat there with eXultant throbs in my
heart. Ought | to have been indig.
nant? Should have spurned the adu-
lation which had been first laid at an.
others shrine? / can only answer that
i loved himl
In that hour my manner, as well as
my heart, altered toward my step
mother, and on the evening when Ralph
Tresselyn asked me to be his wife
went to her and told her of II, with my
arm upon her shoulder and my heart
pressed close against hers.
II am so glad, Isabel p she whis
pered. "And not alone that you and
Ralph are to be happy, but because
think you have finally learned to love
me-"
| "I do love you, motherp / whis
pered, softly.
Mammal I said. caressingly, on
day, when we had just returned iron
our wedding tour, II wonder that 20,
did not like him
"Did ever tell you, Belle, that dit
not like him?"
care you in earnest?"
"Just thus far" she answered
"That / might have learned to low,
him as o wife had / allowed myself t.
do so. But, Belle, there were two OBJ
stacles in the way-your dear father
memory and your happiness. l rea
your heart, dearest, and knew tina
Ralph need only to do so, too, to lov
you as you deserved"
"And you have sacrificed yoursel
for mel" exclaimed, almost reverently
as If there was something saintlike i
her gentle beauty.
ut was no sacrifice, Isabel An
fleeting fancy may once have felt ha
vanished long ago, and l am NOR
than happy in your happiness
And 50 the unselfish. steadfast lov
of my step-mother conqcred my willfl