The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1892-07-02

the man who loved you as a child, ana
more deep and tender than the old, leave
you to bear your burden alone?
No, never. She had as good II right to
love and happiness as any woman in the
world Why should she live this long,
slow death, when he could give her far
better things?
"You want to tell me something" she
said "Is its it that you are going
sooner than you thought?
81 am going at once.
She watched him with parted lips, wait
ing, perhaps guessing what was coming,
for his voice had no sound of farewell
in it.
elisa" he went on, ''when l first came
back tried in my blundering way to show
you that my childish love for my pretty
tyrannical cousin was gone, outgrown.
''Yes, l understood; if it had not been
SO, you would not have come.
Il would not, Lisa | came back to be
your friend, and | stayed to be your friend,
and l saw your sweetness, and your patience,
and your suffering. And now | love you
ten thousand times more than ever you
were loved in your beautiful youth.
''Oh, my beautiful youth p 1t was
cry of bitter regret for good things hope
lessly past.
''There is no woman on earth more to be
pitied than you. Your youth is gone, and
your beauty is gone, and you have nothing
instead of them.
"Why do you tell me ?" she said YEARLY.
''Do | not know p
elisa" he went on, "some women have
to bear poverty, and bear it because their
husbands love them. Some have to bear
neglect, but their lives are passed in ease,
and they do not mind it; others who have
neither love nor comfort have pride and
pleasure in their children. What have
you? | alone love you, why should you
not love me? alone want you, why may
| not have you? Lisa, | swear to you
that if your husband loved you, l should
not; if there had been any hope in your
life, should have been content to have
passed out of it in silence; but you know
as well as | do, that the shock once over,
no one will even miss you. Remember
what happened just now.
1t was true, she knew it. If she had
died that day, she knew how little differ
ence it would have made in her home.
"Your husband, whom you trusted in
your youth, fails you now. Can you deny
, it?"
"No."
"And to which of your children can you
turn, saying This one at least will be
the comfort of my age? "
''To none of them"
elisa, will you come with me tonight
to Mergui?'
They stood facing each other, few feel
apart. There was no passion in their voices
or their eyes. She only waited while he
spoke his unalterable conviction.
"You have no idea what it will be like, u
he said "Instead of your life here, with
its endless sights and loveless patience
instead of the burden which has worn your
poor, weak hands and bruised your dear,
true heart, you will have rest, and perpetual
summer, and soft airs, and endless love and
tenderness"
Il will come
"We will go tonight" he said. 81 have
had news which makes it absolutely neces-
sary that l should go at once. If you
come with me, Donald will never guess
where we are. He will not think have
gone to Mergui, because | have so often
spoken of going there. He will think that
was only blind
Il dare say
"The train starts at 11:30. Will you
come to my rooms? That will be better
than your going to the station. Stations
are so crowded. | should not like you tc
be in crowded station at night"
II will come"
"He-Donald mean-will not be back
until late, you say? The steamer will have
started before he finds out you are gone.
81 suppose so"
"Till tonight, then. We must part now
have things to arrange, Do not be late.
Goodbye"
"Good-bye, Lisa, my love. will max,
you so happy"
"T hope so, think so; and should like
to be happy before | die, and no one wants
me here"
She rose as she spoke, and he put her into
cab at the door,
ado not be later than eleven" he said
"No."
She did not look up as the cab drove off
she sat as in dream. So it was all over
; the long, bitter, joyless struggle-she wa:
going to be happy at last. One person ii
the world wanted her, she would 90 to him
and her place here would simply close up
No one would miss her, no one would ever
be surprised; whatever she did had always
been displeasing. She had tried so hard
[ to be good all these years. and what was
the use?
The harassed servant showed no surprise
as she reentered, only inquiring if, since
she had come home, she would clean the
plate as she usually did on Wednesday
afternoons Lisa said, Eyes" and put OF
her apron to begin, laughing softly to her.
self as she polished the best teapot and the
not very numerous spoons and forks, to
think that she should never do such work
} again, for she was to be drudge no longer
but happy woman, loving and loved.
The time passed quickly, she was as
tonished 10 find how late it was. When
the children returned from the party they
: were tired, which was fortunate, for il
made them inclined to go to bed, and they
went on her suggestion without any oppo-
sition The eldest girl had stayed with her
father Lisa was annoyed and distressed,