Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1889-06-23
ADDENBROOKE.
I'll never do you wrong for your own sake.
AUS Vel That Ends WeH.

AIS Vel That Ends WeH
I.
Lydia could not help wondering why On
earth Addenbrooke should be go anxious 20
marry her.
She was standing at the window, her
eyes mechanically folio wing the familiar,
insignificant figure of the professor as he
plodded down the gravel walk to the gate;
and when he had passed from view she sat
down in the nearest chair and continued
her reflections. 1t was very strange. She
had no love to give him, aud had told him
so, quite frankly; he must know, as every
one knew, of that miserable affair with
Lawrence Fleming; was he not Fleming's
intimate friend, the last person who had
seen him before he went to African
Moreover, her glass had taken to rahsct-
ing a woman who Yves cad and pale and
old before h8r time; surely not the woman
with whom man would be expected to
wish to begin his life.
When we have become to ourselves a
burden il is hard to realizs that our pres
ence can be desired of Others.
And yet she had been aware Of Adder
broOke's devotion from the days of the
good but obstinate little boy, with taste
for chemical experiments, to those of the
modest young man. who lurked unobtru-
sively in doorways for the purpose of say
ing good night to her, and was always at
hand to I'll up vacancies She lad been
aware of it, but had given it but little
heed; now, N her loneliness, her sorrow,
the thought of that devotion moved her
strangely.
She had seen herself drifting on to
middle age, haggard, lovele,s, unlOved;
the sOrriest of speciacles, the emotional
woman, whose emotions have wrecked
her. AddenbrOoke and AddenorOOke's
love interVOsed themselves like shield be-
tween her and her fate.
She had given him no answer, but chs
knew now what her answer would be.
The door opened, and Mrs Gray, her
mother, came iRto the room.
She sat dowR in silence-a chill, COM
fortress preseAce--and regarded her daugh-
ter from the distance.
These two women lived together with
out prof. or pleasure to either. Mrs Grey
was capable OF making sacrifices, bat she
lacked the priceless gitJ Of hOme-msking;
while Lydia, on her part, chafsd beneath
the restrictions of relationship In which
neither affinity nor affection bore part.
so it WAS to be Johnny Add3nbrOOke
after all " reflected Mrs Grey; "a Cover
street professor Of no particular disiinc-
ton. Well, Lydia was getting on, and if
GIRL means to marry she had better man
age to do so before che is five and twenty.
And there had 6esn nothing it seemed,
in that affair with young Elem
ing" MIS- Grey was disappointed II is
true that Fleming's father kept glove
shop in Regent street, whereas the Alden
brookes had been gsntlefolks for genera
tions; bat nobody minded that sort OF thing
in these days. Lawrence Fleming went
everywhere, did everything; his new book
from Africa had made him more of hon
than ever; hence be YRS more to be de-
sired as a husband than poor Johnny, who
went nowbere to speak of ana did nothing
bat his work.
Lydia rose slowly and went over to me
writing table.
As she took up her peD the whimsical
though. struck her that when the other
children had carried their pence to the
sweet shop, Johnny had always preferred
to invest his capital 10 mysterious com
pounds at the chemists. A faint smile
lowered about her lips as she wrote
When the letter Was finished, che laid her
head moment on the desk and smut her
eyes. The old dream, from which she was
turning forever, had rushed with cruel
vividness into her consciousness:
Behut dich Colt, es war zu schon gewesen;
Behut dich Colt, es hat NIGHT sole sein.
She rose, stiff and cold, went over 10 her
mother.
Lydis Was graceful creature, tail,
slight, faintly colored; some people thought
her beautiful, others could see no beauty
IN her whatev-r.
Mamma" she said in her strange, pa-
thetic voice, 'Pcofsssor AddsnbrooSe has
asked me to marry him and 1 have written
10 say yes
Addenbrooke was spending the evening
as usual with LYDIA a. st. Johns Wood
They were alone together, Mrs. Grey bav-
ing diecreetly retired to Der own room, ano
the talk between them flowed with ths
ease of intimacy and affection.
It was not three weeks since Their en-
gagsment, and already something OF Al
denbrooke's calm happiness was beglnnlng
to be reflected in Lydis's face She ap
nreciated. what only women Can appreciate
the Consciousness Of making anOther's hap
niness BY tire mere fgct OF her presence.
That is. l th.nk, a pleasure too subtle for
the masculine palate. Now, % she laid
her hand lightly on his, she enjoyed, as 1t
were. a ref ctiop of the delight which she
knew herself to he conierring by the act.
Johnny" she said. will you let me
tell Won to night what l have always
meant to tell you? about myself and-that
other per-oa." Sac fnished her phrase
inns vaguely. not doubling hat that Ad-
depbrocke had mentally rounded 1t of
vito greater accuracy; somehow ner lips
refused TO utter the name OF Lawrence
Fleming
my dear" he answered gently, tel
me nothing which distresses you. l don't
want to know. know you have been
very unhappy; bat ons day, | ASSURE you
you are going to be happier than ever"
She smiled half sadly. JOHNNY let
me tell you 1 think 1 ought Perhaps,
when YOU have heard, you will want to 60
away from ne-from woman who bee
beer so cruelty Inundated "
He laughed, drawing closer to her IN the
"Since that's it, Lydia, perhaps you'd
better tell me!'
He say that she would nsver rest till che
had djsburdened her mind of the old, un-
happy things, about which personally ne
had small desire 10 learn.
They we're az infinitely touching, these
mar women and their love stories; their
anxious Interpretation OF looks ana w0'us
and smiles; their pathetic, careful gather
ing up of crumbs 80 careleasly scattered
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