The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1886-04-15

., only spectator.
ceremony. Doubtless, when Viola and
left. the church, man and wife, Eustacs
Grant walked into the vestry, and, as ne
had expressed his intention of doing, saw
with his own eyes that hal married Viola
in my true name
We drove straight from the church to the
railway station. When alone in the car
riase almost the first words my wife said
were: Julian, Eustace was in church.
Did you see hing
%"Yes, I saw him."
'Wby did he not come and wish mo good
bye9 It was not like him. I must have
offended him. will write and ask him
how.n
hated the idea of Eustacs Grant being,
in such moment as this, uppermost in my
wife thoughts. "Nevcr mind, dearest" l
.s.zid;;. ~s,ss hat Is Eustace Grant to usT'
"Oh, much, very much to me, Julian! He
was my mothers friend, he has been my
one friend ever since can remember"
II do not like him." said.
"But you will like him; you must like
him. He is so good, so noble SO clever.
Promise me, Julian, you will like him for
my sake"
Although would not credit him with the
two first qualifications goodness and no
bility-I was willing to believe that Eustace
Grant was clever-perhaps too clever. The
disadvan tage at which he had hold me upon
that night when was for the time, in his
eyes, an imposter, ranked in my mind.
But to-day could efPorl to bs generous. l
drew Viola close to me.
Dearest" said, II will try and get rid
of my prejudice. will try and forget that
this man loved you, and would have made
you his wife. I will try to Cease from
wondering why, when he is so good, noble
and clever, you should havc chosen me-"
Viola laid her soft check against mine.
Julian, my husband" she whispered,
'tare you not all that Eustace Grant is-and
more. 1 love you"
With her words all my doubt, all my fear
| of Eustace Grant fed-never, I hoped, to
return With Viola's arms round ME, her
kisses on my lips, could afford to pity my
| unsuccessful rival. When we were in
stalled in the compartment Of til, train
which was, by venal arrangement of the
guards, reserved to ourselves, l fell to
| considering how I should best make
known to Viola that tho name by which
she had hitherto known mo was assumed.
| was beginning, or fanciel was begin.
ming, to know something of my wifes true
| nature; aud I told myself that the task be-
fore me was not so easy as had once inn
aginei it would be. My confession was
hurried on by a question she herself
asked me:
| Julian, what name was it you signel in
the book at church,
| I had hoped that in the agita alton natural
to bride who signs her maiden mama for
the last time she had not noticed my auto
| graph. But she must have done so, al
| though she had said nothing about 1t until
| now.
So made the plunge and told her oil.
Told her my true name; told her Of the
| beautiful house in the west which would be
ours; told her of the life, free from care aid
anxiety as to the future which stretched
before us. Theu besought her forgiveness
for keeping her in Ignorance of these things.
I had, be it said, given her to understand
| that I was q man with an income just
enough to live upon in comfort.
Grant was right He knew Viola when
he told me that, by revealing my deception,
he might destroy the fabric of my happi-
ness. She said little, but her look told me
she was hurt and wounded. l verify b.
ieve her first thoughts were that she would
rather I had been what I represented
myself to be, than to have the power OF
sharing such homo and so much wealth
with her. How little men understand
women Perhaps because no two women
are alike
But Viola forgave me. A woman always
forgives tho man she loves, but kne W that
she was sad at the thought that I coul
Lave dreamed that riches might have infu-
enced her. Nevertheless, it was days before
could get her to join me unrestrainsilr
| in the schemes which wore of our future
life
We went down to quiet watering place
on tho south coast. Here we stald for a
fortnight. Oh. those sweet summer days!
Shall l ever forget them! For the time
there seemed 10 cloud which could possibly
shade our joy. All the cynical, suspicious,
misaEthropical clements seemed swept out
of my nature I told myself that tue con-
stant society OF the wife l loved was max
| ing better as well as happier man of NE.