Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-09-24
TrTN REGISTER SUNDAY September d TWEL7E PAGES

most comfortable chair. his murky eyes
half closing.
Tea! All, what is more grateful to
a tired body than cup OF teap" Inis
was 2 staple remark, always delivered
with gusto by Mr., Kent after lengthy
communion with mixed drinks. zine
fragrance OF it, The sorcery OF home Is
exhaled from q cup Of tea But
hope, my dear, you have something
else. A chop or q bit Of salad"
Virginia watched him as he looked
across the tips of his delicate fingers In
fuddled meditation and felt her face
burn. Her joyous anticipations OF the
first night spent together had been de-
plorablv amiss. Tom was discouraged
and silent, half aegry with her and en-
ragged at the world. Her father had re-
turned after one Of his "bad days"
when the remembrance OF all he had
misused and lost stung him to drink
and perhaps TO find the ghost OF his old
pleasures in the hazy enchantment Of
fered by strong liquor.
Alb, there was hope for Tom. He
would forget this disappointment. de
would Join the race again. He had
still lance to throw. But poor old
dad! Perhaps she did not half guess
what thoughts tortured him. she knew
his annuity tricKled through his fingers
now in small personal e1traVagances
lust as the thousands had gone when
she was little child, but she could not
blame him.
To dress presumably aud drop in
upon old friends for chat and glass
of port, sometimes to dine with them
In the club where once he had shone
with uuequaled brillisncy or TO pay Tor
an orchestra chair when an OLD comedy
was presented were the surviving joys
OF his decadence. His friends did not
know in what corner of the town he
had hidden himsef And meanwhile
Virginia worked and saved, stealing
only odd moments for her reading and
music, practicing depressing economies
that robbed her cheeks OF color and
sometimes gave to her deep eyes an ex-
preston OF fear.
But she loved the old man. Her pity
for what she termed his miSfortunes
made her tender to his faults. Not so
Tom, who had watched the pitiful little
tragedy for two years. This exhausted
spendthrift, this cold materialist with
dreamer's eyes, this autocrat with a voice
of honey, Sauve, dainty, well hammered
he disliked as much as his native
geniaity permitted.
Tom threw himself on lounge and
shading his moody eyes from the lamp
light watched Virginia as she went
lightly from cupboard 10 table, noted
the streak OF waVering pink staining
her cheek, the eagerness with which
she hnrrled to anticipate her fathers
maudlin requests.
"Ah, Virginia, how stoical you are!
how steadfast! how tender and passion
ate!" he thought, a deep, warm pity
rushing into his heart.
And he had been impatient with her
for telling him an unpalatable truth,
had ragged at one more defeat and turned
from her in bitterness! He had dared
to do this! Had be forgotten how often
he had seen her smile in the face OF de-
spair?
His repentance, like all his moods
was Quick and intense, the desire TO
make amends tormentIng, unappeasa-
bic. He wanted to tell her what brute
he felt himself. He was conscious OF a
sudden warm impulse to fold her in his
arms and comfort her.
The physical helplessness OF woman!
What lovable misfortune 1t must al
ways seem 10 strong man! Every
movement Of Virginia's young figure,
the subdued expression Of her proud
little mouth, the dauntless pose OF her
head appealed to him, awaking the In
stinct OF protection until IL throooed an
importunate fire In his heart.
IF could help herr he thought,
with savage longing.
While regarding her more intently
than he knew, her eyes, those lovely
eyes more green than brown aud to-
night more golden than green, met his
in a questioning, entreating fashion, and
the look stirred him strangely. A warm
lood poured over his heart. His veins
pulsed heavily with an incomprehensi-
BILE fever never known before, and the
pain Of it was nervous and sweet.
AS he had felt for a brief moment
when he stood by her side In the mys-
ferrous twilight, so he felt now, only
the strangeness, the pain, the delight,
we're intensified hundredfold. He
drew his breath with a feeling Of awe.
After dinner he sat down to read. 1t
was useless. His heartbeats were hot
and thick. A medley Of indefinite spec
ulations crept between him and the
printed page.
He threw himself upon his bed and
tried to think what he should do, now
that he had iorsWorn the ministry and
the possibility OF success as a dramatist
had shriveled under that days blight.
But that was useless too. he started
to his elbow and looked with excited
eyes into the darkness.
He felt he was not alone. 1t was as
II presence stood at his side, a new
truth upon its lips, gift within its
hand.
"Do you not know me?" voice OF
crystal sweetness seems to whisper. 81
come to all men sooner or later! Some
find me early and some when youth is
gone. | come by strange ways. /
weave strange spells. The heart that
once feels my lava touch Is never the
same again. There is naught to with
stand me. For am Love-"
TO BE CONTINUED.