Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-09-12
MY FRIENDS WIFE.

After all am going to marry Lucille. It is more than year since poor Rob- ethon died, and-perhaps am donkey to do it at my time of life, but she is un- questionably a charming woman. She 4lade him happy, and-I am afraid am a fool. 1 feel, however, as though 1 owed it almost to his memory, and some thing to her too. Yes, there is no doubt owe her something in that line-and yet, good heavens, am not doing it on that account. I love her desperately, down to the ground.
 Dick" she said tome yesterday, look ing straight at me with her wonderful blue eyes-"Dick. why do you ask me now?"
 Better late than never" answered.
 She began, Five, six years ago you" and stopped.
 Il know. I was fool, Lucille. I never once thought of it though. You intended to marry
 And now?"
 "With your kind assistance do in tend to-"
 "Why?"
 Her question almost bowled me over. gazed at the carpet, wondering how 1 could best put it to her. Presently looked up, and as our eyes met blurted out, Because I love you, of course" did not mean to say that just then. The truth is that the idea of ''repara- tion" had got sole possession of my brain, and how to express it graveled me.
 Lucille laughed lightly. That, Dick, is 8 second thought. and not bad one for man who is offering himself as a husband. Still, want your first"
 T was thinking that, love apart, you have a moral claim upon me" A great wave of color rose and fell, leaving her beautiful face pale as mar ble. "A claim-really? A moral claim? Why moral? Why not material? When turn huckster, Dick, will traffic only for gold"
 saw what she meant. Loves gifts, | being no impoverishment of love, entail no Indebtedness upon the recipient. Love is paid for its gift in the giving. This, I thought, was a counsel of perfection and better suited to angels and angelic loves than to men and women in an earthly, highly conventional and British society.
 And that is why you wish to marry mel" she added.
 felt that I was on thin ice. No, darling, it is not. I love you. There's no harm in that, hope:"
 ''No, not bit. It is a very good req son. Genuine, Dick?"
 Quite, on my honor"
 The honor of an English general I of Enr1iSl still, of well tried friend-that is good enough for me. Here's my hand on it, Dick"
 That was only yesterday. It seems 2r years ago. Poor Robethon-he knew little. I do not think was to blame. I acted loyalty enough by him. It was like this, you see. Robethon and were pretty close friends. spent much ot my time at my clubs, and at one or other of them I was always coming across Robethon. The taste for chess was mu tual and was the ground of our first ac quaintance. We were about the same age-heading fast for 50. He was short and stout; was long and lean. had been all over the world, while ht had never been outside of England Sometimes I fancied he had never beer outside of London. If he had, he wa careful to conceal the fact. We wer, both bachelors. His chambers were clos, to St. James street, mine to Piccadilly We never visited each other though. H. was partner in well known firm o bankers, but had not entered their plac of business for 20 years. He had read world beyond me and was a gentle, sym pathetic, clean souled gentleman.
 I wish I could say as much truthful, of myself; no false modesty should kee me from writing it down. Still Re bethon cared for me, and I am deuce sure cared for him. His retcence wa characteristic of the man; it was like suit of steel armOr covering him froI head to foot. Sometimes 1 think it was fundamentally, shyness-noto of the ord nary kind. of which there was not traC Q about him, but deep spiritual shynes: On the other hand, it might have bee | due to an austere selectness of spirit, sensitive, delicate pride of soul. Th = clubmen held him in great esteem, in
 manner were proud of him, considere
 him an authority on disputed points (
 honor and the like and accepted h V judgment with docility and reverence.
 One day met lady on Pall Mall :" tall, fair, straight as a dart and with
 face that fell on me like 8 vision. turned and watched her, and while doing she suddenly halted, turned arour - and came toward me. I stood still.
 passing she gave me momentary glanc
 Ha, she was very lovely!
 A month or six weeks later there Wi
 a reception at certain foreign embass
 and happened to be present. It w
 not my kind of thing at all, but chanc,
 to be an old acquaintance of the emba = sador in question. There was a b
 crowd, and dancing was in full swin
 Passing by the ballroom, stood for