Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-06-10
- ss.saz4RG
1'lG Evil Genius.
A DOMESTIC STORY.

''DiG you find your old Iandlady still
alive?"
Eyes. But oh, so altered, poor thing! The
struggle for life must have been a hard one
since | last saw her."
''Sha didn't recognize you, of cOurSew
ooh no. She looked at me and my dress
in great surprise, and said her lodgings were
hardly fit for young lady like me. 1t was
too sad. | said | had known her lodgings
well, many years agO-and, with that to pre-
pare her, l told her who l was. All, it was
a melancholy meeting for both Of US. She
burst out crying when [ kissed her, and |
had to tell her that my mother was dead and
my brother lost to me in spite of every effort
to find him. l asked to 60 into the kitchen,
thinking the change would be a relief to both
of us. The kitchen used to be paradise to
me III those old days; it was SO warm to a
half-starved child-and l always got some
thing to eat when was there. You have no
idea, Herbert, how poor and how empty the
place looked to me now. | was glad to get
out of it and go upstairs. There was lum-
ber-rOom at the top of the house; [ used to
play in it, all by myself. More changes met
me the moment opened the door"
Changes for the better?"
my dear, it couldn't have changed for the
worse! My dirty old play-rOom was cleaned
and repaired, the lumber taken away, and
nice little bed in one corner. Some clerk i'll
the city had taken the rOOm-I shouldn't
have known it again. But there was anOth-
er surprise waiting for me; happy surprise
this time. In clearing out the garnet, what
do you think the landlady found? Try to
guess"
Anything to please her! Anything to
make her think that he was as fond of her
as ever! ''WaS it something you had left
behind you," he said ''at the time when you
lodged there?'
Eyes! you are right at the first guess
little memorial of my father. Only some
torn, crumpIed leaves from book of chill
dren's songs that he used to teach me to sing;
and a small packet of his letters, which my
mother may have thrown aside and forgot
ten. See! have brought them back with
me; mean to look over the letters at once
but this doesn't interest you"
Indeed it does. "
He made that considerate reply mechan-
ically, as if he was thinking of something
else. She was afraid to tell him plainly that
she saw this; but she could venture to say
that he was not looking well. Il have no
ticed it for some time past" she confessed.
''You have been accustomed to live in the
country; [ am afraid London doesn't agree
with YOU"
He admitted that she might be right; still
speaking abSently, still thinking of the di-
vOrce. She laid the packet of letters and
the poor relics of the old SOng-bOOk on the
table and bent over him. Tenderly and a
little timidly she put her arm round his neck.
Let us try some purer air." she suggested;
'the seaside might do you good. Don't you
think sop
Il daresay, my dear. Where shall we gO?"
ooh, | leave that to yOu.'
mo, Sydney. 1t was [ who proposed
coming to London. You shall decide this
time
She submitted and promised to think of it.
Leaving him with the first expression of
trouble that had shown itself in her face she
took up the songs and put them into the
pocket of her dress. On the point Of remOy-
Ing the letters next she noticed the news
paper on the table. ''AnythiEg interesting
to-day" she asked, and drew the newspaper
toward her to look at it. He took it from her
suddenly-almoSt roughly. The next mo-
ment he apOlogized for his rudeness. There
is nothing. worth reading in the paper" he
said, after begging her pardon. you don't
care about politics, do you?'
Intcad Of answering she looked at him at
tentively.
The heightened color, which told of recent
exercise, healthily enjoyed, faded from her
face. She was silent; she was pale. A little
confused he smiled uneasIy. Surely" he
resumed, trying to speak gayly, Il hayent
offended YOUR
''There is something in the newspaper, -
she said, (which you don't want me to read. :"
He denied it-but he still kept tie news,
paper in his own possession. Her voice sank
low: her face turned paler still.
SIS it all over?" she asked. sAnd is it put
in the newspaper
''What do YOU meant
81 mean the divorce"
He went back again to the window and
looked out 1t was the easiest excuse. that
he could devise for keeping his face turned
away from her. She followed him.
81 don't want to read it, Herbert I only
ask you to tell me if you Sce fire.. man
again"
Quiet as it was her tone left him 10 alter
native but to treat her brutally or to reply.
Still looking out at the street. he said Yes"
Free to marry, if you lille?" she persisted.
lie said yes once more and kept his
face steadily turned away from her. She
waited awhile. lie neither moved nor spoke.
Surviving the slow death little by little OF
all her other Illusions. one last hope had lin
gered in her heart 1t was killed by that
cruel look, fixed on the view of the street.
''l'll try to think OF Il place that We can go
to at the seaside" Having said those words
she slowly moved away to the door, and
turned back remembering the packet Of let
tiers. She took it up, paused, and looked to-
ward the window. The street still interested
him. She left the room.
CHAPTER XXNII.
She locked the door of her bedchamber
and threw off her walking dress: light as it
was, she felt as if it would stifle her. Even