The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-12-08

-, 80 IcHrfnuvr your yrnu,.,--
, ,oo.,,,,ss on TWO years agos" she asked
No; | have forgotten them rcnlicd
o'ficklandtwith frown. '''''
ana the two looked into each o,her's
eyes like two duelists wv" V''''' {
c. W hen viii YOU come here" asked
rms evening. will BRING me
lhihes' and | shall slightly disarrange
,his and that hope shall not neon.
N'niencc YOU You are NOT oynactin,,
any ono.7 NPV''"'s
no one. was going ont. If Won
"'7'', Wiii stay and assist YOU, MY on.
Saeemont D. unimportant."
Fray go. We should hayeto talk and
we have nothing to cay o. each other"
Nothing. Will YOU dine here
No, thanks; III go home now. and
return by-and-hv.7
She nose Strickland bowed ia re-.
spouse go her bow, conducted her 10 tbo
"ooT without another word. and re.
turned with a sense Of relief TO the
library. ''''
" hon he returned home. shortly after
midnight tie house had resumed AN
aspect long strange to 1t. Li.Als were
burning m the drawing room. ANA
liillc alteration IN the arrangement Of
lhe furniture tad restored 10 the room a
FORGOTTEN Cl4ce. Bouquets Of flowers
h.lcd the vases. and a FAINT sweetness of
violets iluAtsl about the h4ll and stair.
case HE piano was open. and some
music stood on the bOoastand On the
toudoir table was q work basket By
the hearth his visitor was sitting in a
lo" CHAIR. her little feet halt buried ~
the bear Kin rug. and her head rlpased
on hei hand, while She gazei wistfuly
into the fire
VA 30 "a dream Derha's flowers.
b,iiha'a music. Bertha herself in lis
home agam' Two years misery can.
'sl.t m an evening" In "a moment
rushed 4.loss his memory golden Woo.
ING. q proud wedding, happy months.
.lll The bitter day # s. paIation IL
turned away. and passed to lis room.
saving. Good might"
Good nisit! replied his Vie, with.
out mayin-.
Tbs strange event that had taken place
In Gerard Sulcklanl5 house prevented
none ~ Ifs inmates enjoying whole
some nights lcst Bertha. persuaded
that tomorrow comedy could elect nc
zeal change in her relation to hcr has.
band. went 90 lel room with the feeling
If one who spends d night in a hotel
Strickland. similarly regarding the past
as iU,mcdidhle read in bed Tor half Ill
hour aud then fell asleep
H. r-t r4Tici thoy had both com
miitel Cd thousand iollics After meet
Ing h,r 90 "a table dh0te. Strickland lau
VuruDdhcrhlli over Europe, vanquisLco
tA. din dlu-s 81 an approach o. hci
father m his secluded country house. auo
llIuat0 lv. assisted by the iady's pfaycrs
and tears. gained DIE Old man reluctant
consent 3D. -Clrcnler his idOlZed daugh.
Ser. The young married people, passion.
tiely attached To each other. enjoyed
fifteen months ct remarkable happiness.
and Then came ihe'end.
Bertha became jealous. Devoted t.
hlr husband proud. AAsiy, immoderate
m al heI thoughts aud emotions. she re.
,uteJ. with ail the intensity of hc'
nature, m cling between Strickland
and lDrner flame. u dance. % mole.
hall an hours conversation. The hus
band unfortunately met her passionate
lXpOstulauon5 with tie dlsdainiUl in
s0Iciance of an easy mpei4ucnt The
inevitable consequence cn-uod. bitter
misunderstanding. An impudeut serV
amt. @ malicious acquaintance. half
dozen yenOmOus tongues. dashed the
Wife'- Jealousy into madness. An cX
PLANTATION demanded from her husband,
was refused wilha sheer. He had begun
~ think her proud. unloving woman
and. under the circumstances, Judged
self justification ridiculous. The follow
inc morning she entered his library, and
with marvellous calmness, without quav-
eIing over single word, announced tC
him their immediate sepaTation-lOr-
ever Taken by surprise, Strickland
tried to temp0rlze, Acknowledged he had
been thOuohlless, did all IN mans
power u avoid the rupture. Bertha only
replied so proudly, and with 50 much Sc
verify. that self respect forbade him fur
Their self defense.
They separated Strickland externally
bore his misfortune with quletness, and,
in counsel with his own conscience, con
Guided his life broken and ruined by his
own want OF tact. The husband and
wife met two or three times as people
who barely know each other. lie de-
voted himself 10 professional duties, ie-
sumcd some If his bachelor habits and
amused himself as he could She led
quiet. almost solitary life, restricting hei
pleasures 10 such simple enj0yments as
She could provide herself at home, and
seldom appearing in public. On one
point both agreed, 70 write regularly 70
Bertha's father, repeating such steTeO-
typed phrases rs Bertha Is well and
sends her love. / believe she wrote t.
Won a few DAYS ago" Gerard IL well,
and 40 present very busy. He VIII not
TINS year be able to accompany me 10 the
seaside.
1t will be easily believed that 10 60 10
her husbands house and to ask favor
of him had cost Bertha pride struggle.
80 For papa's sake; for papas sake she
reueafed 10 herself, 10 steel her nerves ~
tho humil alton, which. however. Suick- /
lands cold courtesy had considerably
lassanod Ifha would b. anuauv cor-'d
nate on the morrow, httle sfiillf "a iil'i'
.air command and some clever pretend !
u2 might enable them safely 10 conduct
acs farther through the few hours - De .
.pent in town. TO see him off from We
ORA. and. with q polite bow, 10 separate f.
,nd return to their several existences.
Dinner was ended, Ar. Gregory smiled
and happiness, and the two .
,ctors at the opposite ends Of the table Of
necessity smiled too
Their parts had proved difficult. From .
he moment Of tie old gentleman az
ival thew had had TO call each other by
heir Christian names, and to use tie .
lille endearnonts of two married Teopie .
.,ill In love. More than once word, an .
ntonation, that sounded like an echo q .
Il the dead past. made Strickland pale +
md Bertha tremble Their embarass'
ncnt momentarily increased. The more .
perfect their assimilation the b'''eIeF T
vas the secret ren0rse that wrung me .
.carts e both of them whilst they eA- F
hanged Tor meaningless things words, T
ooks and smiles, once the most sacfed /