The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1886-05-05

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have worshipped her. Young, old,
single, married, there were none but
paid homage az her shrine.
Frank Lambert was badly bitten
by her charms. He was two-snd-
twenty. home for his first long leave.
Mrs. Vernay encouraged him more
than any OF the others; perhaps be
ing such boy she looked on him
as a safe game. l knew that she
stole his heart with the first glance
OF her violet eyes, and that he has
never recovered from her influence.
We were sitting together one after
noon in the Lambert's drawing-room
when Kenneth walked in. Tore
mouth was not mere than ten miles
from his retreat, and he had walked
over, not to pay his mother pass
ing visit, but to stay if she would
have him.
Did any mother ever refuse to re-
ceive her eldest son? How the girls
laughed at him. declaring their
prophecies true, and saying he: was
weary of solitude. l felt little sur
prised at him. Only one preserved
her faith in him this was Grace
Cheslyn. the girls friend, almost
like another sister. She was STAY
with them, and upheld Kenneth
whatever We might say.
Mrs. Vernay dined that night
with the Lamberts, coming in like
some beautiful being from another
world. jewels glittering in her dress,
and in her bair q snake that glitter
ed with diamonds and rubies.
We all came in and paid court to
her, Kenneth included. She looked
with interest at him, saying:
All The Hermit brother. / have
so wanted to see you. Have you
left your seclusion ?"
Yes we all knew he would"
quoth Marie Lambert. THE cold
weather on that moor could not be
endured"
my sister is mistaken" said Ken
meth ; II left for other reasons, and
did not particularly like coming
away from my solitude.
We will teach you the pleasure
ofsociety," Mrs. Vernay cried. SOL
itude is horrible. Man was not
made to live alone"
Did see Kenneth vince? | could
not tell.
Then Grace came. asking Mrs.
Vernay to write in her birthday
book. And the beauty inscribed
Lily Verney" in clear, beautiful
writing matches as herself.
Kenneth read it over Grace Is
shoulder.
Your name is Lilith," he said to
Mrs. Vernay.
"Who told you that? ?" she asked,
and be replied
Il knew it, without offering any
explanation.
'Lilithl horrid" murmured
Grace, as, with Frank, Mrs. Vernay
moved toward the piano.
Il think it pretty; why hOrrid ?''
Marie asked.
"DO you know about Lilith p
her friend replied. "She was Adam 8
first wife, and for transgression was
turned out OF paradise. She is the
enemy of all little children andwhen
Jewish babies are born the nurses
write 'Lilith, avauntl against the
wall lest she should come and kill
the child. And tradition says that
she still baunts the world as beau
tiful woman, who entices men to
marry her, and then strangles them
in her golden hair"
"A tradition" said /, something
like the legends of the Greek
Lanai"
How do you know that there Is
not truth IN traditions and folly In
them 2 Kenneth asked.
Meanwhile Mrs. Vernay was sing
ing song after song, and with every
note stealing away bit of Frank s
heart. And her music won Ken
meth to her side, for he took his
brothers place at the piano, and
stood there turning over her pages
| believe in all the wrong places, for
ne looked more il her face .han at
the music.
| confess that in those days l was
vexed with Kenneth. for he seemed
to have taken a sudden and mex
plicable plunge into the society
which a few months previously he
had adjured forever. There seem
ed only one expianation-his ideal
life had proven dull and inksome.
Everywhere met him, chiefly with
Mrs. Vernay often Frank was with
them. wee-begone, undesired third
party. And the girls declared that
it was shame Kenneth, who rallied
against marriage, should come and
steal her away from his brother.
4 few women there were who dis
liked Mrs. yernay. Ny wife was
one Of them, and well enough we all
knew the reason. For when, with
pride.she one day showed
of the children to the pretty widow,
Mrs. Vernay turned from them
with a cold look of disgust, saying,
Il detest children" An insult no
mother could forgive. That un-
natural woman" my wife from
henceforth called her.
How lovely she locked at the
Christmas ball when radient with
ieliyht. she crossed the room TO say
% me, Look at the progress of my
Here is Hermit in
his frivolous scene"
Il wish | was at the chapel" ;"
Kenneth himself remarked, and GER
.ainly no man looked more unsuited
o ball room. He had grown pale
md thin during his solitary life, and
wore thoughtful air l never before
had noticed in him.
why on earth didn't you 90
,aci ?" said /. Nothing has sur
,rised me more than your appear
Ince here"
II knew it would be So" he an
wered. II had to come"
Then in that incongruous place
he began telling me his experiences
q that wild solitude.
Il began to think my life there