Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1892-12-23
brenton was perhaps more earnest and
engaging than he knew as he renlied. ssI,he


engaging than he knew as he replied, "The
question is, Do you know what mean?"
| Lily was equal to the situation still. 81
don'5 believe you know YOURSELF said she
| cheerfully.
| "Ah, well, if you have SO little faith in
| my knowledge as that" he began. Just
then they were interrupted by Julian
Reed, who approached, casting glance Of
solicitude at Brenton, who at once set out
to talk eminently sane commonplaces by
| way of an example.
! In the ensuing weeks Brenton was more
assiduous than ever. He came to see Lily
Paret as often as he reasonably could Re
danced with her, sent her flowers, m {
himself her servant. He did all the b,. K
ing in the sunlight of her presence Which
is expected from young man who is in
love. And all the time old Miss Sarah
thought he seemed to grow stronger,
brighter, handsomer.
Lilly is his very life!' she exclaimed
rhapsodically in the privacy of her lonely
house to the Paret diamonds, which were
the only confdants she had
Matters went on thus for two months.
Then Brenton suddenly disappeared. He
was seen no more in the club or cafe,
drawing room or ballroom Every body
was asking, "What can have become of
'him?" Old Miss Sarah could not make it
out. Lily's mother inquired of Julian
Reed whether Brenton was ill. sIm
afraid he is" said Reed, and reproached
himself for not having told somebody
about Arthur's insanity.
you're afraid he is?" retorted Mrs.
Paret Indignantly. st seems to me you
ought to find out"
Poor Reed excused himself feebly, and
went off to look for Brenton. But it hap
pened that the very next day Mrs. Paret,
who seldom walked, was on foot near her
house. and met Arthur Brenton himself,
looking exceedingly well.
"Why, what has become of you?" she
inquired.
Nothing" said Arthur; give gone back
to my work, as usual"
"What do you mean?"
"pll tell you," he said. IT had confined
myself too closely. My doctor said I must
throw everything over and take recreation.
He prescribed society. l accepted his adj
vice. I've had splendid time, and now
Pm all fresh again for my studies"
"Oh!'' Mrs. Paret returned somewhat
chillingly. "Im glad to hear you have
ment, but you've survived the dose; so
it has turned out well-for you"
"My dear Mrs Paretr' Brenton ex-
claimed. "Don't call it dose. I assure
you it has been charming experience
Thanks" said Mrs. Paret, and left him.
Brenton feared that something had gone
wrong. His own sensations, moreover,
confirmed the fear. He was not comfort
able. Somehow, in spite of his refreshed
state, electricity did not seem quite SO at
tractive as formerly.
In short time Lily Paret's interest in
social affairs also relaxed. With her light
brown hair, her delicate coloring, her grace
full, quiet, listening manner, she was as
charming as ever, but beyond question she
grew paler and more inert day by day. The
doctor was summoned (the same discern
ing person who had counseled Brenton).
''Miss Paret," he announced, "needs a
change-not of scene or air, but of occupa-
ton. If she could drop society and become
engrossed in some intellectual pursuit I
should expect it to do her great good. But
it is a hard thing to manage"
Lily, however, did not think it hard. She
dropped society forthwith for time. HAY
ing had a good college training she was
able to start off fairly well on the pre-
scribed line.
And what branch Of study do you think
she chose? Curiously enough, electricity.
In her ardent, feminine way she chung to it
all winter, SO that when Brenton, begin
ming to feel run down again, tried the old
remedy and plunged into the "stream Of
gaiety," he did not find her there, and
promptly plunged out again. The old rem
edy was no longer eficacious.
Lily, in her new occupation, which was
considered by her circle to be und1tly &C.
centric, improved a little as to health and
cheerfulness, but as for Brenton, he felt his
powers declining steadily.
Z Late in May he attended meeting lit
tie way out of town, which was to witness
some new and rather remarkable expert
ments, and to his surprise he found Lily
there too. The tests were to be made on a
somewhat exposed hill, and the weather
being unusually warm the common phe-
nomenon of May thunderstorm was soon
developed. This interrupted the business
for which the party had assembled, and
they all hastily sought shelter.
What has induced you to go into this
study" Brenton asked Lily, with whom
he stood apart from the rest in a Quiet
nook.
II might ask what has induced you?'
she said. ''You were tired of society, I
SUPPOSED"
mo. No-that is-never of you, Miss
Paret am tired of myself"
''And you have kept away from us SO
long because you thought we might get to
have the same feeling about your" Lily in
quired with arch serenity.
Brenton felt some kind Of a current
rushing through his heart with more cleo
tromoti7e volts than he had ever meas
ured 'If I dared to believe" he began
impulsively, ''that you would not tire of
mel
At that instant a violent burst of thun-
der drowned his voice. The expected
tests did not take place on account of IAN
electrical disturbance of the atmosphere"
as it was explained.
The disturbance extended to Julian Reed
when he heard of Brenton's engagement to
Lily. "Why the deuce didn't speak be-
fore?" he said to himself But Brenton
was quite satisfied with the days expert
ment. 1.-THE exchange Of positive and mega
tive forces in our lives" he playfully OBJ
served to Lily, twas great success" And
old Miss Sarah, having received the news
from both of them, smiled tenderly upon
her confidential diamonds and put Arthur
Brenton into her will.-George Parsons
Lathrop in Pittsburg Bulletin