Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1890-08-08

old familiar places and people comical
incidents of her own home life; long,
chatty accounts of life at High Adhesion,
and every little bit of news she could
gather. So we'll she knew what o trial
WAS this new life tc him, and after the
gayety and splendor and adulation of his
whole past existence So well she
understood how hungry he would be for
home news now But amusing as her
letters were they always helped him,
too Strengthening him, and cheering
him, as well as giving him Just that re-
lief of hope which they were intended
to give. And when he told her so, and
thanked her, he pleased her az no words
of his had ever pleased her in the old
days of their betrotha.
It was to him that Marjorie was writ
ing on q certain autumn day, when Lima
entered the library and sat down to rest
beside the fire. Marjorie was staying al
High Adhesion, as she often stayed even
now, for Lady Adhesion and Lima both
>loved to have her there, and knew, too,
that her own home was even less bright
for her than it usad to be. Before she
finished her lettoR, she turned and spoke
TO Lima.
"Any message for Neil?'
"I was just thinking of him, the girl
answered, simply; 81 suppose because ]
guessed to whom you were writing; or
perhaps because his mother has been
talking of him and wanting him"
cit would be so much better for him
to come home, wouldn't itP" asked
Marjorie. waiting eagerly for the reply.
81 don't know. He knows best"
"Do you tell him how his mother frets
for him, Lima, and how her strength
fails ?"
"Yes, when 1 write"
Z" suppose, then, returned Marjorie,
with little sigh, " that he is too busy
to come. Col. Stuart says he is always
busy. Busyl-I cannot tack the word
to Neil in my mind even yet. Col.
Stuart is going to Scotland tonight"
"Why?" asked Lima, involuntarily.
"I do not know" was the slow an
Bwer; "unless he goes to see Neil. He
would hardly start off on a couple OF
days visit to that distance to any one
else, would he? Yet, Idon't know; he
has SO many friends and fellow-ofhcers
scattered over tho kingdom. am glad
he is going away for little, because he
seems to be growing SO quiet here. he
has not cared to join in our petty gay
cites lately, as he always used to do"
"Yet he is just the same" returned
Lima, earnestly, "kind and good and
helpful to all.
Eyes he could not be otherwise.
Why, he makes even Hawkedale pleas
ant when he is there; and it is not, you
are well aware, a naturally pleasant
place, less SO than ever now. Papa still
refuses to believe that my engagement
with Neil is cancelled, and insists on
talking of it. on purpose to prevent the
possibility of any one imagining it over.
And he makes me listen to it until ]
burn with shame. Oh, Lima, it is so bit
terly humiliating and there is nothing
in life to make up for it. Even you, my
lonely child, are scarcely so unutterably
lonely as am. You are of use, and you
ne loved, although you have no rela-
lions. 1 am neither, though have ia
ther and sister. But you are good; that
must make all the difference"
Such q speech from Marjorie struck
Lima as sadly as Responding words al
ways do strike US from lips that are used
TO fun and laughter.
&C. wish, sometimes" continued Mar
jorie, very low, "that they would drift
away-all the wearisome things around
me, all the wearisome tasks before
me-that it would all be over, Lima"
"Oh, Marjorie, 1 am so grIeved to see
you, sad - she whispered, lovingly.
"This mood is so unlike YOU"
"Unlikei Why2 Because am one
OF those thoughtless girls who never
Marjorie, with q quick laugh. "Why,
We are just the very ones who suffer
most from this dismal mood-what shall
I call it-reaction? Just the very ones
to suffer most heavily and despondently,
when we do suffer from it at all. But il
will soon pass with me; for it had no
business to come and am not, even
yet, quite the one to nurse such a feel
ing, though it may master me for the
time. / shall-ah, Lima, you are sent
for. Lady Athelston has not given
you long recess, has she? While you
are away, will finish my letter then,
If you are not here, will come to YOU"
Bnt Marjorie seemed in no hurry to
finish the letter. Left alone, she leaned
her head on her hands and let her
thoughts have their own way. Sad
enough these thoughts were, as minute
after minute she sat there, alone and
istless.
"I will try, will try to be BETTER"
she whispered to herself at last, raising
her head and pushing the hair from her
temples; I will try and then shall be
Nv ASooO L SuPpOoO ~. AOu1O
viii be married soon, and then perhaps
papa will be kinder to me, as shall be
She only daughter he will have with
him. Poor Louie!" sighed the girl,
with look Of real pity in her eyes "I
would rather ten hundred times live
alone with papa at Hawkedale than
marry such a poor little vain nonentity
As Lord Lythwood. Poor Louie But
but how sad it has been ever since
Gerard Athelston's death |"
"Col. Stuart"
he came forward, with his easy at
homOness, as Martin closed the door
upon him SHUT Marjorie felt the color rise
In her face as it had never done before
at his pproach-almost as if she had
been detected in wanting him.
am going to Scotland, Miss Mar
torie," he said, standing at the FIRE, with
his back to the desk on which her unfin-
ishsd letter lay, land want to know il
you have any message to intrust to me
Tor Neil. am going to try to bring
him hama nth va