The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1893-10-13

TCoNTINUED.-CoNIM SEPT. STH. !
1--WE don't want him. I've learned to
tnap my fingers at the pleasures that
won't stay and make the most Of those
that will. Well snap our fingers, Vir-
ginia. He's gone away like puppy
with a bone he wants to eat alone. Let
him CO."
But still Virginia looked out at the
snow and felt each of the city's muffied
sounds like the surge from sea On
which her dearest had embarked. leaV-
ing her alone.
"We'll lot miss him, Virginia, pur-
sued her father in the meditative voice
that maddcned her to dumb fury in
that moment. She opened and closed
her hands and set her lips hard. ~ say
We'll shed no tears for him. Well for
swear all sentimental dreams if we had
any. Well remember that his leaving
the church for the stage was, viewed in
this latter light, but an evidence of the
rowdiness inherent in our young friend.
Very, very rowdy. We will console our
selves by remembering how much we
are above him and that we couldn't
have expected more from man whose
father was a brown listed Irish immi-
grant, his mother an ignorant girl Of the
plains"
He lit cigar with nice deliberate
ness and put on his cape and hat.
"Pm going for walk in the snow
now. This room depresses me. Stir the
fire and turn up the light. When come
back, I'll have you play that little thing
by Mozart"
He turned her lightly to him and
kissed her on the brow. If her flesh had
been touched by marble lips, the caress
could not have chilled or sickened her
more. She could not cling to her father
and sob out her pain. He had always
quietly transferred his griefs to her.
How could she expect him to help her
now?
But when he was gone the loneliness
became unbearable. His voice could at
least keep the shadows from closing
around her like tomb. Her heavy
glance took in each familiar thing. The
girl with the mask laughed at her from
the corner. The keys of the organ flashed
back an eerie intelligence.
''Never again." they seemed to say.
Never again"
A trembling seized her. She fell face
downward on a couch and threw her
arms out wide. How cruel it was, this
sting of human love flung back to feed
in bitterness upon itself Oh, was there
nothing more in life than thisp Was
this all? How had she failed? What had
she forgotten or passed by that might
have held him?
For, say what we will, a woman's
heart does not beat only for the strong
and true. Weak men and bad ones have
without effort controlled love the angels
might have coveted. There is sometimes
sufficient fascination in a trick of man
ner, just thu fan in voice, to outweigh
in loves inconsequent balance all the
Christian virtues.
1t was Tom Virginia loved. No one
better, no one higher. He alone had un.
derstood her. His sympathy, his smile
had made her sunshine. And now he
was gone.
A soft purring at her side, an animal
warmth against her throat, aroused her,
and she saw that the white kitten had
crept under her arm and now lay end
died against her like ball of down, lap
ping her flesh in soft sympathy with its
scrap of tongue.
A cry broke from her. She caught 1t
wildly to her heart. 1t was something
living that pitied her, But the little
thing wriggled from the violent EN-.
brace. spat at her and scratched her on
the cheek.
Virginia started up, laughter heavy
with sobs leaving her quivering lips. She
pushed the kitten from her with fran
tic movement, and then with contra
dictory tenderness picked it up again
and held it against her lips, weeping
wildly, as women do when paints robbed
of hope. Why should she hurt itr What
had it done more cruel than Toml She
had held him too closely to her heart
He turned and scratched her.