The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1891-01-30
A POOR REVENGE.

al am going to have two guests at
Elmdale the day after to-morrow,s re-
marked Mrs. Radcliffe carelessly one
morning to the old husband who adores
her and who is fully thirty years her
senior.
Eyes, my dear Ophelia," is the anna
Die answer, while Mr.. Radcliffe stirs the
:offee his wife has just made for him.
Il am so glad to hear you say so. l
was on the verge, my dear, of proposing
some such social distraction. And pray
whom have you hit upon?"
"You have met the lady, am sure.
She is Miss Eloise Bristow, and the gen
tleman is Mr.. John Folsom"
Mr.. Radcliffe considers this response
for moment, and then up go his gray
touched eyebrows in unmistakable as
tonishment.
"My dear, you must be making some
mistake. l have heard you say some
very hard things about both these peo-
pie. l remember your being very an
cry indeed at Eloise Bristow Just be-
fore your marriage for-for"-
Cant you recollect why?" interrupts
Mrs. Radcliffe in smiling Interrogation.
This was my reason for being angry:
Eloise chose to spread abroad certain re-
ports about me when was poor little
Ophelia Shelton, which, whether they
were true or false, concealed behind
them the desire of preventin. our mar
riage. You were sensible enough not to
believe the gossip, and so she was de-
feated."
''But have you forgiven her, Ophelia?
thought not"
Mrs. Radcliffes face is very calm and
gentle in its expression.
"Pshaw! my dear Radcliffe, what is
che use of cherishing grudges?"
True, Ophelia. And this Mr.. Fol-
som? You used to dislike him, well
remember. What was it, by the by,
that he did to offend?'
"Oh, it was two years before met
you, and during the year that lived in
Portsmouth with Aunt Fannie. All, hus-
band mine, what memory you havew
''I'm getting old, Ophelia."
Nonsense! You are as young as l."
Thanks for the delicious compliment.
watt kiss to you across the breakfast
table. Now, tell me what it was that
your Portsmouth friend did?
''He set very dear friend Of mine, q
Mrs. Farren, against me by telling her
that was trying to make her husband
fall in love with me. He never knew
that had found the truth out before
left Portsmouth, bat had"
"And You are going to have these two
people, both of whom I know you hate,
up at Elmdale!" murmured Mr. Rad
cliffe, lifting both hands in mock inten-
sity Of amazement II never could un-
derstand some of your whims, Opheia;
they are quite beyond me! By the by,
do these forthcoming guests know each
Other?'
mo; l doubt if they have ever heard
Zach others names. John Folsom has
always lived in Portsmouth, you know,
and Eloise in London. Mr.. Folsom is in
town now for month or so, have late
y heard from Mary Waldrom, an old
Portsmouth friend. He is here for busi-
less reasons-trying, Mary writes, to
ave little from the wreck of his fort
.lne."
"Ah! he has, then, met with severe
losses! knew he was rich-or, rather,
remember your telling me So"
"He has lost next to everything, they
say, by the failure of Rushit e. Stam-
mer."
"And, my dear-ahem! how about this
Miss Eloise Bristow? Is she-aheml-
well Off"
mot at all. A church mouse is in
handsome circumstances compared with
her.
Five or six days after the above con-
versation Mrs. Radcliffe's guests arrived
in Elmdale.
The guests find every hospitality await
ing them at the charming country seat
of Elmdale.
lyon have a most exquisite place here, -
Mr. Folsom tells his hostess, while they
are left alone together for few moments
on the night of his arrival.
''Yes? Do you really think so?" is the
weet answer. II am so glad everything
.)leases you. And how about Your fel-
low guest, Miss Bristow? Is not she
lovely?'
81 never specially admired brunettes, "
is John Folsom's reply, with a covert
glance at the flaxen tresses of Mrs. Rad
cliffe.
The lady laughs.
'Ah, it doesn't much matter. fan
cy, whether one be blonde or brunette, if
one has immense wealth."
Immense wealth! And is Miss Bris-
tow
Wealthy? Oh, enormously-one OF
ne greatest heiresses ] know Of"
'Indeedw John Folsom responds, be-
inning suddenly TO stroke his dark.
ilky mustache with considerable en-
srgy.
Not long afterward Mrs. Radcliffe is
alone with Miss Bristow.
my dear Eloise," she begins, "you