Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1892-06-16

creature came TO naught-for the time.
She waited quietly on him each morning,
speaking no word unless pressed.
"She is not fool, but she seems to
have no SOUL" was his mental calcula.
ton.
The summer waned.
Why did Lucille's step lag, and why
had her pink face lost its bloomf He
was to go away? Yes, it had come to
this-that this man with red brown hair
and the beautiful voice, brown eyes,
suaye manners and polished address
this man had wakened the marble Ga
latea into life.
He was no artist, but he had the soul
of one. He was only a young city
broker out for summer holiday, but
he had looked deeply into the soul of
this little family. He saw the husband
was harsh, cool, indifferent and unap-
preciative, and the wife stultified by a
monotonous round of soul narrowing
household duties.
The day of the parting came. He
uClu hCL udIluS ClOSc' 'OOOuuY, MIS-.
Hardy. I'll be back next summer"
She hung her head like shy school
girl, but it was not shyness; it was the
sickness of despair that bent her neck,
but she spoke no word. Careless man of
the world that he was, her detection
moved him.
IF ever can serve ypu-if you ever
need aid appeal to me-
She wrenched her hands free.
at is hardly probable that Lucille
Hardy will need your aid. Go-and
goodby."
proud to the last, and yet l could
have sworn she had grown to like me. "
All! thank God for that woman's
pride that enables her to hide so much
and to set the world at defiance!
Lucille crept up to her room and lay
on the lounge for hours, but she uttered
no sigh and made no moan, only looked
out of the window with wide open, tear
less eyes.
Surely he did not read my secret
surely he did not go away believing that
Tlove him? And yet l do, oh, dol and
God knows how am to live all my days
without seeing him.
Her husband never dreamed Of the
sIeepless nights and fearless agony she
spent by his side while he slept the sleep
of the just. For months she went about
pale and thin, but her hours of thinking
were developing her. She was begin
ming to be less afraid of her husband.
One day she said:
"John, | must have some books to
read"
"Why" he asked laconically.
Because wish them" she answered
firmly.
do yoz have time to read?" he asked
severely.
81 shall make time"
He was astonished, but the books were
procured.
81 must read and study that l may
become q companion for him." she
thought. But the summer came and
went and Mr.. Bellairs came not
At the end of two years she said
John, l shall get piano"
He was astonished again. +Iucille
you are becoming extravagant. You
know very well am not rich man."
Il realize that quite well. Neverthe
less l have helped you to accumulate
what riches you possess, and am just as
much entitled to piano for my amuse
ment as you are to costly machinery
that will lessen your labor"
Was this logician the gentle, submis
sive and accomplishing wife of two
years ago?
But the piano came and Lucille re-
newed her music, learned in her girl
| hood.
The fourth summer John told her that
Mr.. Bellairs wished to return, for he
had unconsciously to himself begun tc
consult his wife in all things.
SIN that case must have a servant.
do not care to become a dining room
maid for acity gentleman"
So Mr.. Bellairs, jaded and wearied
came to this peaceful home once more.
Perhaps shall find nepenthe here,
he told himself, remembering with sat
isfaction the i'll concealed grief of Lu
cille at their parting four years ago
But the winsome faced girl had vanished
and in her place was stately wa1nar
as we'll dressed as any in his own circle
and as quietly refined.
| When he came down to breakfast s
chubby country girl waited on him, anG
at night his hostess entertained hin
with good music and charming conver
sation. "Tve half mind to fall in bovt
with her now," he said, as he went tt
bed.
"Thank God, the scales have falle1
from my eyes," she said, ''for | know
that I shall never meet that godlikt
man who is my ideal, and shall in time
even become contented with that which
l have. 1t is so sad to know that al
our love, all our despair, all our suffer
ings must end thus. That happiness il
a chimera and content only found il
ministering to others. can be content
now to be Johns cook.
But she laid her fair face on hel
dimpled arm, and looked sadly into the
sad violet eyes that peered at her from
the glass before her.
Remuneration and resignation are pos.
sible only to those who have outgrowr
the beautiful dreams of youth, and un
selfshness is bearable only to those who
no longer care for themselves. Literary
Transcript.