The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-08-25

she was purity and goodness personifed
Many women of society, who applauded
her dancing, but would have tossed and
turned away their virtuous heads if they
had met her in drawing room, could
not have submitted their lives to such a
scrutiny as hers would bear. Even dear
good Mrs. Hurlstone would have taken
to her bed had she known of her Johns
marriage to premiere danseuse of the
Italian opera-not only because he was
already engaged to the girl of her choice
but chiefly because of her horror of such q
mesalliance. Inreality, the mother to have
been made wretched by this marriage
was iSignora Celia. Lisa was much toe
good girl for John Hurlstone, and never
under any circumstances could he make
her Z devoted husband. She was pre-,
pared to give up the stage-anything
erything-for him. But if he had
lived with her quietly for three months
domestic life would have palled upor
him, and had temptation come in hi:
way he would have yielded to it. he
would never have been unkind to her;
that was not his nature; he would aserely
have sought other attractions.
But fate did not give him a honeymoon
of the conventional sort. He saw very
very little of his wife-so little that
many tear mingled with the rouge Oh
her cheeks and aided the cold cream in
its effort to take off the stage ''make up
when the opera was over and he had not
come.
1t was not because John did not want
to see Leoni that he stayed away; it was
because he was troubled and annoyed.
Mortimer kept him at the Mutual Divi.
dend office until late at night, and he had
great deal of ugly work to do. The
colonel, as l have said, could not write
anything but his name, and John was a
skillful penman, so his talents in that
line were given many an opportunity in
these all night sittings. John knew that
he was doing wrong, but he said to him
self: Mortimer says it's all right, and ]
can't go back on Mortimer" How
quickly Mortimer would have "gone
back" on him if it had been to his inter
est to do sol just now, however, it was
to his advantage to conciliate John and
to use him.
In the midst of his excitement and
annoyances John received a long and
loving letter from Amy, telling him that
she and her mother were coming to New
York to buy the material for her trous-
seau. sit may seem to you, dear John,
that 1 am taking time by the forelock;
but haven't minute too much. l am
going to make everything myself. No
other hand but mine shall take stitch
in my wedding clothes. 1t is an egotisti-
eel idea, perhaps you will say, but I
want to be busy all this time, and 1 want
work that will not prevent my thinking
of you every minute. As l sew the hours
away, every stitch will have the name of
my own beloved John sewed in with it.
If you think this is foolish, dear John,
forgive me. I will try and be less silly
after the happy day that is coming"
John read this letter over slowly, word
by word; then, letting the paper slip
from his fingers to the floor, he sat for a
few minutes gazing vacantly before him.
He could not think clearly; he felt like Il
man in a stupor If he had been cruel,
he would have sent letter to Amy Bay
liss, telling her that he could not marry
her because he loved another woman.
That would be the shortest way out OF
the difficulty, but he did not want to
pain her, Poor Amy! Why does she
care for such good for nothing as l am?
can't tell her don't love her, because 1
do; love her as a brother. But brotherly
love isn't much, after what I have pro-
tested. Well, it's nearly five months be-
fore September; good deal can happen
in that time; good deal has happened
in less time Thinking won't help mat
tiers, anyway"
So he threw Amy's letter in the fire,
and, walking over to the sideboard,
poured out half a glassful of brandy and
drank it slowly, Then he took mouth
full Of ice water, lighted cigar, and,
throwing himself in big chair, began
to think again.
Hang it all! can't a man get away
from his thoughts" he muttered aloud.
As he rose impatiently from his chair
again his eyes fell upon the large photo
graph Of Leoni on the easel '.Leoni-,
my own-my wifei 1 haven't seen you
for days, my darling. Poor grill I'll go
see you this moment" And, taking his
hat and top coat, he walked over to
Broadway. There he hailed coupe and
drove at once to the Cellas'. Signor
Celia had not left his bed yet; he was
suffering good deal of pain. Signora
had gone to the market-to Washington
market, she made such good bargains
there and had such variety to select
from. John sympathized with Signor
Cella's pains, but he thanked heaven
that Washington market was not block
farther up town. He could have Leoni
all to himself for once, and he had not
seen her for so long that he felt he could
never see enough of her. How beauti-
full she was, and how he loved her-for
the time being!
Leoni was at first disposed to show a
little GOODNESS and take John to task for
having stayed away from her so long;
but he was an expert at making his
peace with women, and Leoni was soon
placated. What happy two hours they
had! John forgot all about Amy, the
Mutual Dividend and the rest of his trou-
bles, and thought only of the moment.
He told Leoni that he would be at the
Academy that evening to fetch her home,
and he kept his word. Signora Celia in
sisted upon his coming in and having
supper with them, and he accepted the
invitation with eagerress. His evening