The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1886-02-10

sh'ior anu UohelhcJOr ana Irlenu, DuG
he believed none the less in Miss
Churchill's goodness. The unknown
Mrs. Tregarthen might have been
guilty of anything in the world, but
this unhappy lady was maligned. The
mere fact that thousands of men have
boon just so certain as himself, and
have proved themselves mistaken, was,
OF course, nothing to him, The other
fact, that he was right, made his in
fatuation none the wiser. But now and
then, even in this poor world, the soul
has happy hopes that are justified, and
beliefsin goodness which are not thrown
away.
"Dear friend" said the actress,
speaking through her tears, "let me tell
you the whole truth. was to blame.
have known it, bitterly, always. But
/ have never deserved to be thought a
worthless woman" Both hearers
would have gone to the stake in sup
port OF that postulate without Sec
ond's hesitation. when my father
died Lima and were left in poverty,
and came to London as a governess.
There were private theatricals at the
house where was engaged, and was
asked to play in them. I was praised
SO highly that thought l might sue
ceed upon the real stage, and that
would have enabled me to do so much
for Lima. We had looked at the Era
to see where to hire our dresses for the
private theatricals, and saw advertise
ments there for actors and actresses. I
looked again and answered one or two
of them, and at last got an engage
ment."
She went on with her story, telling it
plainly and without ornament, and
growingmore and more self-possessedas
she told it. She told of her first encount-
er with Lorrimer, her professional en-
gagement with him. and her receipt of
the letter from Messrs. Lane g. Carter,
which informed her of the disposition
of her uncles property.
II had been known all this time as
Miss Churchill" she said then, "but
when returned to Gorbay took back
my own name, and tried to forget the
stage altogether. 1t was at this time"
and here again she began to falter-
"that met Mr.. Tregarthen; but 1t was
not until we were engaged that found
what an antipathy he had to the stage.
He thought that no good woman could
be an actress without losing refinement
and purity of mind. ! was frightened.
l was afraid of losing his affection.
hid the truth from him, but it was dis
covered by accident after our marriage.
Some one who had known me on the
stage spoke to me on the Island-he
was one of picnic party, or he came
with the archeologists, and he insisted
that was Miss Churchill. / tried to
dismiss him, but he was impertinent
and would not go. / told him at last
that 1 had been Miss Churchill, but
that wished to meet no one who had
known me by that name. Ny husband
overheard me. knew that he would
never forgive my deceit, and l left the
Island and came to London. He never
forgave me-he never tried to find
me"
Then she broke down altogether, and
for while cried unrestrainedly.
1t was hard measure for the poet.
To have been popiHay and c,fack-
anape once upon time is comAon to
the experience of many honest men,
but it does not often carry with it so
severe a punishment as was dealt out
to Ronald Marsh. Here he had been
magnanimously pitying this lady's sor-
rows for dozen years, and now it
turned out that he was the cause of
them.
Mrs. Tregarthen," lie said, trying
to face the truth. and to take all the
punishment he deserved. II was that
miserable impertinent II could have
guessed what my insolence would cost
you-"-Well, what was to be said in
extenuationP He could say nothing,
could undo nothing that had been
done. But surely the man who could
throw away such pearl Of woman
hood for such trivial cause must have
been afool past redemption. Nothing
can be mended by mere words" he
said, in voice so tremulous that he
was ashamed of it. She must hate the
sight OF him, and it was best to 90.
Phil caught his ashamed and miser-
able glance, and they were moving
away together, when Mrs. Tregarthen
arose.
"Do not let me lose my friend" she
said, almost piteously. "Will you
come tomorrow, Mr.. Mauricep Iwant
to hear shall be better able to lis
ten to you then. Will you Gomez"
yes" said Phil, simply; II will
come If you wish it."
She shook hands with him and with
the poet, and they went away.
~ am on fire with shame" said the
wretched poet when they were out of
doors. IL am grieved TO the heart.
All this misery was Of my making.
have known her for twelve years, and
there does not breathe a better woman.
She is as pure as flower, as charitable
as the day."
"She spoke the truth" said Phil,
who was greatly moved. II am sure
Of it. know it. But there was moth
ing in what she told us to make Arthur
part with her. There was something
else to poison his mind about her. He
could never have driven her away for
that alone"
Phil had to believe both in IRE
garthen and his wife, but the poet
found simple solution to the mystery.
1t was plain to him that Tregarthen
was fanatic and q fool. But even
that view would not reconcile itself
with the old stories of Tregarthen-a
man so foul-mouthed that his brother
officers could not endure him.
"Do you know the history Of Mr..
Tregarthen's expulsion from the