Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-05-24

extreme, but, scrulinis nearer, there
were indelible marks of suffering and
sorrow upon it, and those it was in
reality which gave Dorothy Les er's
face It's greatest, most subtle charm,
rs the never-to-be forgotten expert
ences which caused those marks had
lifted her character high above the
ordinary level.
The guests departed lingeringly,
! and welcomed 10 the end by their
charming hostess; then Doro by stroll
led hatless out from the window and
across the lawn into IA walk winding
among the lime-trees.
She pluckcd bunch OF deep crimson
roses as she passed along, and fasten-
ed them in her waistband, and with
Just that touch of color TO make her
beauty perfect, she came face TO face
with her husband as she turned a cor
ner.
MY darling"
ejaculation, and Lord Lester {. asped
his wife in his arms as she happily
ran into them.
.Dear Eberhard, she said loV ing
ly, "you are late. or it seems SO 10
me.
"A good seeming, sweetheart;
came the instant | could get away.
Have you had pleasant afternocnP"
"Oh yes; great many people. l hey
were all very nice"
You think the whole human rice
nice, don't you, Dorothy"
Il have my pre,erences-1 Ike one
person better than Others" saucily
glancing up into his admiring eyes.
He kissed her for answer, and she
went on, twining her arm in her hus-
! bands the while: "SOne of them were
talking about the mutiny this after
noon. Eberhard. 1t brought back 40
to my mind those awful scenes -"
Il won't have it! You must not
think OF them, darling" qui@Gly.
"Ah. but | never could forget! My
husband, do you know what was the
greatest trouble-the keene't pain ]
had to bear in all that dread ul time?"
she spoke half shyly, with her caro-
est eyes raised, and a color on ncr
cheek.
You bore horrors that would have
killed another woman, like the heroine
you are, my own!"
but this-this was silly and selfish,
ana yet il was the worst. ! fancied
you loved poor Eivira still. and | pic
tured to myself your marrying her,
Eberhard. and | thought imagined
i fancied things that gave me pain
like nothing else could give. OF
course her death, poor darling, put an
end to everything"
Quickly, firmly Lord Lester spoke.
and as he spoke he stopped dead, and
placing his two hands on his wi e's
shoulders, looked straight in.o her
eyes.
Her life altered my feelings ut err
ly. did love her-I proved that by
all / sacrificed for her. but with that
sacrifice my love expired utterly. Had
you never existed. | should never have
turned again to Elyira! She was my first
love, | own, but the last is best" He
smiled into the sweet eye as his voice
thrilled, and his arm drew the slen-
der figure close to his heart. lyon
are my last love, Dorothy-my true
love; my best, the love which can
never falter or flicker for it is founded
on no attraction of face or form
Though you have all that as no other
woman can have, my own), but upon
the ever enduring foundation of deep
est respect and generating esteem.
When | watched you day by day in
that terrible time, darling, learned
what love akin TO worship could be.
learned to look up to you above all
other women, admire you. adore you
then, my wife but | loved you, YER
lily believe, from the day in which you
in your sweet kindly tenderness gave
me this'-he opened his vest and
showed the e litter Of the little crescent
THE thing that saved my life, Dor
othy-my talisman"
THE END.