Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-03-26

what had given him this mania TO
northern fishing?
And now the fishing and the trip wer'
things OF the past. They had no
turned out as delightful in reality as II
authorization somehow, aud yet wha
had gone wrong Despard, on lookini
back. found it hard to say. That moth
| ing had gone wrong was the truth O.
the matter. The weather had beer
fine and favorable; the party had beer
well chosen; Lennox-Brown, the yacht!
owner, was the perfection OF host.
at was a case of the workmen, mo-
of the tools, / suspect" Despard said t
himself one morning when strolllne
slowly up and down the smooth bit oil
level path outside the drawing room
windows at Makerslea Vicerage, he al
lowed his thoughts to wander backward
some little way. 81 am sick of it all, y
he went on, with an impatient shake,
testifying to inward discomposure.
Pm a fool, after all, no wiser, indeed
very great deal more foolish, than my
neighbors. And I've been hard enough
upon other fellows in my time. Little
knew cannot throw IL oil, and
what TO do l know not.
He was staying with his sister, his
only near relation. She was older than
he. had been married for several years,
| and had but one trouble in life. She
was childess. Naturally, therefore,
she lavished on Despard an altogether
undue amount of ssterly devotion.
But she was by no means an entirely
foolish woman. She had helped to
spoil him, and she was beginning TO re-
greet it. :.
"He is terribly, quite terribly blase, "
she was saying TO herself as she watched
him this morning, herself unobserved.
II have never seen it so plainly
as this autumn" and she
sighed. HE is changed, too; be IS
moody and irritable, and that is new.
He has always been so sweet-tempered.
Surely he has not got into money diff
culties-I can scarcely think so. He is
too sensible. Though, after all, as
Charles often says, perhaps the best
thing that could befall the poor boy
would be to have to work hard for his
living"-a most natural remark on the
part of "Chares," seeing that he him
self had always enjoyed thoroughly
comfortable suiiiciency-and again Mrs.
SeIby sighed.
Her sigh was echoed; she started
slightly, then, glancing round, she saw
that the glass door by which she
stood was ajar, and that her brother
had arrested his steps for a mo-
ment or two, and was within couple Of
wards of her. II was his sigh that she
had heard. Her face clouded over still
more; it is even probable that tear or
two rose unbidden 10 her eyes. She
was a calm, considering woman as a
rule; for once she yielded TO impulse,
and, stepping ont, quickly slipped her
hand through DIR. Norrey's arm.
my dear Despard," she said, what
sigh! 1t sounded as If from the very
depths of your heart, IT," she went on,
trying to speak lightly "it you have one,
that is to say, which l have sometimes
doubted"
But he threw back no joke in return.
~ have never given you reason to
doubt it, surely, Maddie?" he said hall
eproachfully.
mo, no, dear. I'm in fun, of course.
But seriously"
"rm serious enough"
Eyes, that you are-too serious
What's the matter, Despard, for that
there is something the matter am con
vinced?"
He did not attempt to deny it.
"Yes, Madeline" he said slowly, "Im
altogether upset. I've been false TO eli
nv own theories. I've been a selfish
enough brute always, know; but at
least | think I've been consistent. I've
chosen my own line, and lived the life,
and among the people that suited me,
and"
"Been dreadfully, mlserably spoilt
Despard."
He glanced up at her sharply. No
she was not smiling. His face clouded
over still more.
"And that's the best even you can say
of me?" he asked.
Mrs. Selby hardly let him finish.
"No, no. / am blaming myself more
than YOU" she said quickly. "You ART
much-much better than you know
Despard. You are not selfish really
Think of what you have done for others
how consistently you have given VI
those evenings to that night school.
lone week-what's that? AnC
there's no credit in doing thing on
likes. l enjoy those evenings, and III
more than can say for the average o
my days"
But his face cleared a very little a
he spoke.
"Well," she went on, "that show
you are not at heart an altogether self
ish brute" and now she smiled little
"And all the more does it show how
much better you might still be il yoI
chose. lam very glad, delighted, Des
pard, that you are discontinued and dis
satisfied; knew it would come soone
or later"
Mr.. Norreys looked rather embar
raised.
"Maddle," he began again. "yor
! haven't quite understood me. didn'l
! finish my sentence. / was going to sa.
that a least l had done no harm to an,
| one else; If no ones any better through
me, at least no ones the worse for my
seifshness-oh, yes, don't interrupt,
he went on. II know what you'd like
TO say-'No man liveth TO himself, the
high-flown sort OF thing. l don't go II
| for that. But now have not ever
kept my consistency. You'd neve
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