Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1892-05-05

should be no bludgeon blows, no awk-
ward carnage The death stab should be
given clean. with scientific skill and
swiftness, and the blow once given. she
would retire to her own room and let
her victim find what solace she could in
solitude. Norma was not wantonly
cruel; she could impale a foe, but she
| had no desire to witness his contortions.
After death scene she shrank from the
grewsomeness of burial; she preferred a
decent drop curtain and the grateful
darkness.
After some idle conversation she delft
! ly turned the talk upon New York and
| the life there, and rallied all her powers
to be picturesque and entertaining. She
held her listener entranced with rapid,
clever sketches of society and the men
and women who composed it, drawing
vivid pictures of its usages, beliefs and
modes of thought and expression. Grad
ually she glided into personalities, giving
some of her individual experiences and
sketching in an acquaintance or two
with brilliant, caustic touches. Soon
Thorne's name appeared, and she noticed
that the listeners interest deepened.
She spoke of him in warm terms of adj
miration-dwelt on his intellect, his
talents and the bright promise of his
manhood; and then, observing that the
brush had ceased It's regular passes over
the bright, brown hair. and that the
gray eyes were on the fire, without pause
or warning she spoke of his hurried
courtship and sudden marriage. She
WINGED involuntarily as she saw the
cold, gray pallor creep slowly over the
g.-l's face, and noted the sudden tremor
that passed through her limbs; but she
steeled herself against compassion and
proceeded with her brushing and her
narrative like one devoid of sight and
understanding.
Il cannot expect you, who know Mes
bit so slightly to be much interested in
all this" she said, watching Pocahontas
| through her lashes. II fear | only bore
you with my story, but my mind has
been so exercised over the poor fellows
troubles again lately that | must un-
burden it to some one. You have no
personal interest in the matter, there
fore you will forgive my trespassing on
your courtesy, especially when | tell you
that I've no one at home to talk to. Mes
bit wishes particularly that his story
shouldn't get abroad here, and if |
should revive it in Blanche's mind she
might mention it to others. Mamma
would not, but unfortunately mamma
and / rarely look at thing from the
same standpoint. It's been relief TO
speak to you--far greater than speaking
to Blanche. Blanche is so excitable."
Yes; Blanche was excitable, Pocahon-
tas assented absently; she was bracing
her will and steeling her nerves to en-
dure without finching. Not for worlds
would she-even by the quivering of an
eyelash-let Norma see the torture she
was inhicting She felt that Norma had
an object in this disclosure, and was
dimly sure that the object was hostile.
She would think it all out later; at pres
ent Norma must not see her anguish. 4
woman would sooner 90 to the stake and
burn slowly than allow another woman,
who is trying 10 hurt her, to know that
she suffers.
Norma continued, speaking gently.
without haste or emotion, telling Of the
feverish brightness OF those early days
Of marriage, and Of the clouds that soon
obscured the sunshine-telling of the
ennui and unhappness, gradually sprout-
ing and ripening in the i'll assorted union
shielding the man, as women will, and
casting the blame on the woman. FL
nally she told Of the separation, lasting
now two years, and Of the letter from
his wife which had caused Thorne's pre-
cipitate departure the day after the Shir-
ley ball.
But of the divorce now pending she
said never a word.
Have they any children?" questioned
Pocahontas steadily.
And was told that there was one-a
little son to whom the father was at
tached and tie mother Indifferent. II
was strange case.
Again Pocahontas assented. Her
voice was cold and even; its tones low
and slightly gearied. To herself it APP
peared as though she spoke from a great
distance, and was compelled TO use ex-
ertion to make herself heard. She was
conscious of two distinct personalities
one PROSTATE in the dust, Inundated,
rent and bleeding, and another which
held "A screen pitifully before the broken
thing and shielded it from observation.
When Norma bid her good night she re-
sponded quietly, and rising accompanied
her guest to her room to see that every
arrangement was perfect for her com
fort.
Far into the night she sat beside her
dying fire trying to collect her faculties
and realize the extent of the calamity
which had befallen her. The first, and
for the time, dominant emotion was
singing sense Of shame, an agony of
rage and humiliation which tingled hot
~ through her, and caused her cheek to
fame and her body to writhe as from the
lash of whip. She had been degraded;
an insult had been put upon her. Her