Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1886-09-09
Mechancspwn Frederick County, Maryland Thursday Sept 8, 1885,

lie stayed qulte late, anu was more
tender than he had been for some time
AS he was going away he took her del
icate FACET looked a trile drawn
and there were rings about the dark
cycs-in both palms.
Don't forget me while I'm away,
he said, smiling down at her 'And
take good care of yourself Don't sac
ri6ce yourself too much, child. Dc
you hear?'
She managed Il smile in return.
4 shan't forget you,' she said very
low.
He stood thus second longer. They
made picture such as Millias' brush
would have loved. The fair, pale girl
with the dark eyes, and the tall, hand
some fellow; for Vane Stephenson was
couspicuously handsome, without a
doubt. Among the artists he went by
the name of Beauty Vain.' Then he
stopped and kissed her, and us he got
to the corner he turned again and
from her post as the window she saw
him nod at her, smiling once more,
standing there in the moonlight. She
remained there moment after he had
disappeared, and the hand that rested
against the curtains.trempled u little.
Well cried Jessie's somewhat
shrill voice from the back room, has
Nane gone? When is he coming
again:
Jessie lay on the lounge shapeless
mass Of wrapper and shawls, as usual,
despite the sultriness Of the night. She
had had one OF her "attacks" during
the day and was more "uerulous than
customary.
'Vane is going away for a little while
--out of town.
Going to some fashionable place, !
suppose, with some Of his fashionable
friends cried the invalid. Then as
her sister made no reply-'1f he saved
up his money instead Of spending it in
that way you could have been married
before this. But | always told you,
Bell, you were too weak for him. What
did you say to him about his going
away
'Nothing-nothing, replied the girl
wearily.
Let Bell alone, Jess said Tom S
soft, slow voice, from the depths Of an
arm chair, in which he sat in a state Of
negligr equal to his wlfe's. The chlld's
tired; let her 60 to bed
Bell cast IA grateful glance toward
her brother-in laws large, mild face.
She and poor, unlucky. always out of
position, and if the truth must be
confessed, lazy Tom, were the best of
friends. It was not the first time he
had shielded her with II delicacy that
never failed from her sisters we'll
meant but narrowing onslaughts.
Bell crept upstairs. Oh, those gold
en- summer days down by the sea when
first she and Vane Stephenson had met
and where he had asked her to be his
wife-how far, FAR off they We're.
When Nane Stephenson alighted ut
the little station OF Springs the
following evening his spirits rose with
sense of pleasurable exhilaration. He
had had some doubts and also some
compunctions about coming-for what
reason he himself best knew--but they
evaporated now.
The piazzas Of the hotel were full OF
graceful forms in thin dresses and a
band within was playing dance music
Vane repaired the damages inflicted
upon his appearance by travel and
then sent his card to n person register
ed, with his mother, us Mrs, and Miss
Lawton and maid.
Miss Lawton was dressed that even
ing, as was customary with her, into
the nearest approach to beauty in any
way compatible with the mate rlals
granted her (not too lavlshly) by ma
nature. Her French drcssmaker had
once remarked, with the approval of an
artist whose efforts are too often vast
ed upon pur-bIind generation, that
Miss Lawton had the gout somewhat
tapagucr, but that she was interesting
to dress, nevertheless, because she was
so ''rcsponslve.
In some way Vane felt grateful to
her at that moment for looking so we'll.
1t seemed to put him more at rights
with himself.
I dll not expect you, she said, with
little laugh that in subtle fashion
contradicted her words.
Did you not:;' in his impressive tone.
You might have known | should come
after you had said | would not have