Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-12-08

U
the insertion Of shirt-studs. but in vain. A
generous tide Of patronage flowed in upon his
competitor.
The doctor and his wife sometimes discussed
the anomalous character Of the woman with
whom fate had brought them in contact.
Il can't quite make her out" the doctor once
remarked; to look at her one would think her
incapable OF feeling-that she had scarcely
human instinct. She is developing into the
hardest business woman ever saw. Yet / am
she was stimulated by courage of the highest
order. an heroic self-forgetfulness that con-
quered her own physical weakness"
II understand her perfectly" returned his
wife. with prompt feminine decision; ''she is
constructed on a different principle from ordi-
nary women. Some gentle instinct of symps-
thy-of womanly tenderness-is wanting in her
composition. l have seen her day after day,
you know. my dear and I ought to be able to
judge: Though she is not a bad sort Of woman
at ALL she generously conceded.
Curious sort Of name. isn't it-Mrs. Ruth
stanI 1t has a very fancy sound.
1t doesn't sound like a real name at all, " re-
turned Mrs. Belden, severely; ''oh, she has a
history behind her, and We shall know it some
day. depend upon it,
1t so happened that the very next day the
doctor stumbled across an old friend, newly
arrived in the place, and brought him home.
Bessie, you remember Jack Grosvenor-the
oldest friend I have. You remember he would
IF he hadn't been busy getting married
himself thousand miles away. Yes, 1 remem-
ber and l am very glad to welcome you to our
home, Mr.. Grosvenor." said the doctors wife,
holding out her hand with a winning smile.
But there was no answering smile on the face
OF the man she SO cordially greeted. She re-
membered her husbands description of the
gay. hght-hearted fellow. and tried to identify
BIN with this sober-taced. reserved man, who
had silently seated himself by the window, and
VIVA tha lot ~r,x h
stracted air.
Jack has just come back with party from
Guaymas,' explained the doctor; ''he has
made rich strike down on Pocahontas Noun
tain
THAT is very good" said Mrs. Belden. abb
sently, wondering why her husband should
make such point of his friends business sue
cess or speak Of it as if it were of vital inter-
est to her.
q am glad for Jack" proceeded the doctor.
little awkwardlv; The has been telling me
something OF his experience to-day-you don't
mind me telling Bessie, lakeland he's had Q
hard pull. Worst Of all, he lost his wife,
Il am very sorry"
mo, not that way" hastily interrupted the
doctor; 'lost sight Of her. He left her in Den
yer three years ago. Heard from her once or
twice, but his roaming life was not favorable
to correspondence. He now tells me he has
lost all trace Of her.
How very stranger' Her woman's curiosity
was reused. "And she was such pretty wo-
man, Mr.. Grosvenor. l remember the lovely
race OF the photograph you sent us, when you
were married. Such dimpled. laughing face!
Where was it l saw one that reminded me OF
it, not long ago?'
Il can't say it seems so very strange to me, ~
remarked Grosvenor, taking part in the con-
versation for the first time, and speaking in a
labored, husky voice. Il wonder that she put
up with it SO long. We had had a hard time of
IL Tor years. You know how she had been
reared up. She was a Miss Ruth Stanhope. of
Richmond, of the old Virginia Stanhopes. l
was never able to provide, for her in the way
she had been accustomed to at home. left
her with almost nothing She was a proud.
spirited woman. She tired of the struggle and
went back to her friends. / had hoped she
might hold out on account of the boy"
The boy? Then you had child?"
GrosvenOr assented with mute gesture,
Ruth Stsnhope," repeated the doctors wife,
| slow y. looking steadily at her husband who
sent her back significant glance: and the
boy-how old would your little son be now,
Mr.. Grosv enor?''
"A little more than seven years"
Robert, have an errand that must be at
tended to at once. You and Mr. Grosvenor
will excuse me. l will not be long"
Mrs. Belden had snatched up a broad
brimmed hat and was tying it under her chin
as she spoke. her eyes kindled with excitement,
her cheeks lit with a sudden fame. Jack Gros-
venor, aroused from his apathy, looked curl
ously after her as she sped down the street, her
head in whirl. As she few along the side
walk, she tried to balance and arrange the
queer facts and stranger memories that were
Hitting through her brain. She remembered
something of the splendor of Jack Grosvenor's
wedding. and the contrast it had presented to
| their own modest nuptials. She recalled an
| account she had read of the marriage BANQUET
and the list of notable guests who were in at.
tendance. She saw in anticipation the bare
room qhnnf xrifh ice ha~v< vo~l,
strip Of rag carpeting along the center, the pine
bedstead with its worn coverlet the wooden
chairs, and the woman bent over her ironing
board, contrasting it with the Astounding COM
forts and generous hospitality Of that southern
home.
high wind was blowing, and clouds of dust
darkened the air about her. Battling with a
| miniature sirocco. she vet found time to mar
vel at the strength of character that had en-
abled the petted southern girl, born and
Graded III the lap of luxury, deliberately to re-
| nounce the life Of ease open to her, and con-
denim herself and her child to the life of toll
| and hardship that had resulted so disastrously.
The gentle woman's heart filed with love and
| sympathy, and she was ready to take Jack
| GrosvenOrs wife into her arms and crv over
| her sorrows and humiliations.
Her heart was chilled at the sight of the
cold. proud face, whose severity was increased
| by the piece Of stiff white muslin bound about
| the head as protection from the smoke and
cOal-QuSt OF the rOnlng-StOve. Mrs. Belden
| looked in mOmentary adherence at the mass
| of lace and embroidery lying upon the ironing
| board. guessing only too well the owners of the
| tawdry splendor.
what! do you work for them?"
For moment the woman gazed calmly upon
her questioner, then turned with an expressive
glance to the low pallet where her boy lay
sleeping, by his side the crutch that must be
| his lifelong companion.
Notwithstanding the mothers impassive de-
meanor, the eyes of the visitor filed with sud-
| den tears. She twirled her hat-strings and
| searched the cold face, wondering how she had
| best communicate the tidings of which she
| was the bearer. She observed the dignifed
| movement of the tall figure across the room.
the shapely hand that changed the cool iron
| for fresh one. and she remembered how the
| same hand had held light without finchinR
| while the little boys limb was being taken off.
With what disdainful front she had faced
| poverty, and how sternly she had repealed
those who offered sympathy and help! Such a
woman would have nerve for anything. Why
| should she plan to spare her what would at
most be more than a slight surprise
Mrs. Belden ended by iinging all her scruples
| to the wind
my husbands old friend, Jack Grosvenor, is
at our house,
| "Alive!''
The word spoke volumes. The pain and
| agony OF years were concentrated in the cry.
The hot iron she was holding dropped upon
the lace draperies and burned its way through