Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1886-01-16

ny BERTHA BBRroN.

cheerful pictures on the walls, q centre
tab % piled with books and magazines
and journals, the very orea m of current
literature, q sweet-toned cottage piano
In the corner invttingly open and be-
side It On exquisitely carved little
stand loaded with music-hum orous,
sentimental, sacred something 70 graft.
~ every taste; birds swinging In the
sammy bay-windows and triIling a. II
fairly intoxicated with the ecstasy OF
living; roses and heliotropes, lilies and
violets throwing out delicious frAe-
rance; the furnishings Of crimson, briRl 3
and CHEEKY, not too good TO use; u Q
blinds swung back TO let In the whit
sunshine.
That was the room with n south and
west outlook; and sitting by the Jewel
of u stove, with It's glo wing anthracite
DIRE, were the two occupants OF the
apartment a widower ard q maiden
lady, very good friends, and my board
err.
The little cottage was my own, left
10 me ten years ago wnen Rupert
By mes, my husband, left rue for tbs
unknown life of which 30 much is
vAinly guessed.
All, we'll, thought then that life
held nothing more for me, and l would
fain have followed the loved one; but
death CO mes not for the asking, and lived
though sometimes vaguely wondered
II he knew Of my lonely life. As time
| vent on, life grew more endurable; the
1 tension OF heart and brain relaxed, else
should have grown wild. laid not for
get, oh, no! but learned At last to sub.
init to the iuevita ole and lear ned TOO,
that was placed here for som ching
more than the giving way TO my own
selfish grief.
There was . neiRbbor across the way
who had lost her husband, and could
not help seeing how resolutely she put
her shoulder TO the wheel. She did not
own . home, there WAS the ever. recur-
ring rent day TO be met, three small
children 10 be fed and clothed. II she
had wished 70 die when grief aud
troubls came, she had been sensible
enough not TO express the wish.
A slight, pale woman, she seemed too
fragile for hard labor, bat there was NO
alternative. She took boarders; ct fret
only few, but ~ she met with encou'-
sgement and support she increased the
mum Der.
Several years passed, aud she laid by
enough to bay little house and lot In
the suburbs.
her courage and ambition reused me
from my apathy. IL was true had
the NEGATIVE that slim ulated her exer.
tions, for had no children, but 1 was
too much alone, and more to break the
monotonousness OF my life than for the
Ip;odt, resolved to take q few boardeJs o.
had plen ty OF room, and when men
tioned my project / was beset with sp.
lpications. l took q half dozen table
DO irders, and my two spare rooms were
at once engaged.
Ny front chamber was taken by n
gentleman whom had known for
years. Howard Forest. q widower, and
. former friend of my husband.
He was q man Of forty, immensely
rich, highly cultivated, and he had
travelled the wide world over while he
had the rare talent of picturing In
glowing language that which he had
seen and heard.
The remaining room was taken by q
sing'e lady Of thirty. i've, who had for
lmerly been q friend OF my girlhood,
and into her life web had been wrough,
soule of the most s1mbsr designs that
Fate can weave.
1t was In the long ago, and though
she never alluded TO 1t, knew that q
blight had fallen upon her sunny
spirits, and that she had lost all faith
in mankind.
An n dent, impossible gir,, lone
Linwood's love had boon sought by O
man Of cultured talents and winning
manner. He had seen life in all lie
phrases, and he was q rare conversation
Ialist.
He spent o winter In the little town
Iof Clifton, whore the Lin woods resided
They owned beautiful residence, they
gave many entertainments, aud Hugh
Denholm soon became q " slcome guest
With his a,trac iveness and vtvacity he
was sure TO make friends, aud before
the winter was over he was the accent.
ed lover of lone Linwood.
An Englishman by birth, Hugh Den
holm had brought uuexcepiionable re-
lferences, and Mr., Linvotd aud bis
"ife were highly pleased with his at.
ten lions to lone.
;: Spring Game, with deliclte tints Of
zelda and forests, with opening buds,
and signing south winds laden with
fragrance of hSwers, with melody OF
birds, and lone Linwood was treadinR
on enchanted ground. A deeper light
glowed in her bonny eyes; there was q
sslvery cadence In her voice % she
. went about the old mansion warbling
} like joyous bird. How she loved
that man ! and he was devoted enough
TO satisfy her affectionate nature.
Their marriage was to be celebrated
. at nidsu miner. and tbs preparations
e went on from day to day for the com
1 ing wedding. The bridal tour was to
. take them TO the old ancestral home In
England, for Hugh Denholm had
II written his parents OF his coming mar
I rtAge, and they were prepared to wei.
; come lone rs daughter.
@ The We iding day drew near, and on
/ the day preceding 1t everything was
! In readiness. The guests were invited,
the least was prepared. In the guest
chamber was sprt ad out the bridal
rooe, o marvel OF beauty in pure white
satin, with trimmings of rare old lace.
Beside it lay the veil and orange-b bios
SONS, waiting the coming OF the happy
hour that the MORO " was TO bring; for
In time 80 short nothing seemed like
lily to intervene and with the excite.
| ment of the coming festivities brooding
over the mansion, the family retired at
q late hour.
Ione's eyes had been unusually bril-
liant that day; her cheeks were flushed,
her spirits were variable che had cried
ard laughed by turns, and her mother
had looked aDxiously at the fair girl
and wondered at her moods.
At N idnight, with her ANAL prepare
tiona made, Mrs. Iinwood was passing
to Der room, when low moan caught
J. her ear.