The Lafayette gazette., 1893-12-30
THE OTHER WOMAN.
The Unpleasant Consequence OF
Clarenca'o Oarelessness.


Clarenos'o Oarelessness.
Tho Wagner sleeper jolted slowly
out of the brilliantly lighted depot aud
Its red rear lamps disappeared into tho
night, leaving behind the merry party
of wedding guests who stood Watching
the receding train.
Tho handsome young couple who q
moment before stood in the doorway of
the sleeping car, laughing back at the
coterio OF friends who were shouting
many parting in njunctions after them,
, now dropped side by side upon the vel
vet cushioned seat of q rear compart-
ment The flushed and huttered little
bride was dainty and sweet in a becom-
ing thing of gray, which had replaced
Shc sank wearily upon the sofa seat
beside her manly companion, glad Of
the first moment of respite she had en-
1oyed in hours; glad that they were at
last Off on their wedding journey.
Their senses had been kept in a con-
stant whirl by the strain and excite
ment of the day, and SO fast had events
been unfolding themselves that they
could scarcely realize what was hap
penfng. The whole thing had the
vagueness of an Intoxicating dream.
If they had suddenly found themselves
pursuing the old familiar round of life,
neither would have experienced great
cr surprise than is felt by tho man who
is rudely waLened from delicious
fancy of. sleep. The prospect of Il
quiet respite from the constant, an
noying, but wellmeaning attentions
of friends. and of being alone together,
thrilled each with n sensation of de-
light.
A delicate glow from a pinlE-shaded
lamp suffused itself through the little
compartment where a half minute ago
its modest light was drowned in the
DOWerfnl Ori ~ 1,o olo
trio candles, which shone through the
windows. "A passenger was growing
at n porter in tho corridor. Another
white-cappei porter was moving up
and down between tho buffet and
smoisinR-room, carrying suspicious
looking packages. At tho end of the
car the conductor was explaining to a
passenger where he could make con-
nection. In neighboring compart-
ment a mother was trying to quiet a
fretful child A young lady. not yet
ready to retire, although it was near
midnight, had seated herself upon one
of the folding seats in the narrow corri-
dor and was eagerly perusing a new
novel In the smolzing-room, two or
three men were smoking and talking
world
To all these people it seemed q very
commonplace bit of travel; to the
young couple in the pink-lighted com
partment, it was the journey of their
lives.
1y; now squirting off if determined
to do or die, and now bringing to with
n sud den jerk, stopping beside q hiss
ing engi ne which was humping a long
linc of cars together. AT such stops the
talk of the lantern bearing yardmen
could be heard beside the sleeper win |
dow.
In the first moment of their blissful |
quiet, the young couple caught each |
others hands "a tricl. that lovers have) |
and their eyes, filed with the light of |
love, met Even now the days events |
had the semblance of dream. The |
carriage, tho crush at the church, the |
flowers, the white-robed bridesmaids,
the minister, the ceremony, the torrent |
of congratulations, the reception, the
hurrying to the train-it was too unlike |
the rest of their lives to be anything
but dream. And yet it was true! The
ponderous sleeper was rocking over the
track.
To the lives of all men there comes
an hour. a day, perhaps, of sweetest,
completest bliss To the young man
with the bride, this hour had come.
His senses were thrilling with de-
licious feeling of man who has just
married the woman he loves. 1t was
the first time he had been alone with
her for days; the preparations for the
WeOulHg Dtld ACpC Lncm apart, Dut now
she was his-his! Not for u day, nor a
week-for q lifetime! 1t seemed a very
long time. and just now it appeared in
all the roseate hucs in which happy
youth sees the future. Now that she
was his she was different, but not less
dear in his eyes. He was q deep and
an earnest man, and this was the first
great happiness he had ever felt.
Her soft hands were clasped in hiI.
s.Oh, Clarcncc,' she cried, 81 am SO
glad it's over!''
Il am SO glad you are miner he said,
It was SO trying" she said. turning
her glad eyes upon him, II do hope it
all went Off well; L was SO badly ex-
cited that could not tell. must have
looked awfully frightened"
You looked like an angel" Z" he said !
II wanted TO squeeze you all the time
You big boy!' she said. s.You are
now and mustn't be foolish. If
vou think I looked well, don't care
for tho otLcrs Dut," she added, chow
could You tell-you were frightened.
clarence.'
DO you think 30, dearest9"
ieva your, l