The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1893-01-03

Z DGduIlIIll, SO Q1HefHnLl lTOm OIQ6E
women, who are always thinking
only of themselves Thank you so
much. know can trust you. /
couldn't have told my mother or any
one but you
Now You must go: Ihayemy work
to finish. :,
The younger woman put her arms
round her. oh, you are SO good and
beautifuli r
The silk dress and the fur cloak
rustled out of the room.
The woman who was left alone
walked up p,and down, at last faster
and faster. till the drops stood ON her
forehead. After time she went
up to the table; there was written
illegibly in mans hand on frag-
ment of manuscript paper, Can /
come to see you this afternoon7 r.
Near it was closed and addressed
envelope She opened it In itwere
written the words. Yes. please
come
She tore it across, and wrote the
words, No, Ishall not be at liberty .
She closed them in an envelope and
addressed them. Then she rolled up
the manuscript on the table and rang
the bell. She gave it to the servant.
Tell the boy to give this to his mas
ter, and say the article ends rather
abruptly; they must state it is to be
continued; / will finish it tomorrow.
AS he passes number twenty let him
leave this note there" T"
The servant went out She walked
up and down the room with her
hands folded above her head.
Two months after the elder woman
stood before the fire. The door
opened suddenly, and the younger
woman came in.
II had to come-I couldn't wait
You have heard he was married this
morning. Oh, do you, think it is truea
Do help mep She put out her hands
Sit down. Yes, it is quite true.
.tOh, it is so terrible, and didn't
know anythingl Did you ever say
anything to him2'' She caught the
woman's hands.
II never saw him again after the
day you were here, so I could not
speak to him, but l did what 1 could. ;"
She stood looking passively into the
fire.
..And they say she is quite child,
only eighteen. They say he only
saw her three times before he pro
posed to her. Do you think it is
true2"
'.Yes, it is quite true"
He can't love herl They say he's
only marrying her for her rank and
her money"
The woman turned quickly What
right have you to say that2 No one
but know him. What need has he
of any ones rank or wealthq He is
greater than them ALI Older wom-
en- may have failed him; he has
needed to turn to her beautiful
fresh young life to compensate him
She Is a woman whom any man
might have loyed-so young and
beautiful. Her family are famed for
their intellect If he trains her she
may make him better wife than
any other woman would have done. :"
"Oh, but can't bear it; i can t
bear it. The younger woman sat
wife and have his children!"
''Yes, that is hard. " The elder
woman moved quickly. "Onewants
to have the child, and lay its head on
ones breast and feed it. She moved
quickly. 1T would not matter if
another woman bore it, if one had it
to take care of" She moved rest
lessly.
'.Oh, no, 1 couldn't bear it to be
hers When / think of her 1 feel as
if I were dying; all my fingers turn
cold; I feel dead. Oh, you were only
his friend; you don't knowi"
The elder spoke softly and quickly:
Don't you feel a little gentle to her
when you think she's going to be his
wife and the mother of his children3
would like to put my arms round
her and touch her once, if she would
letme. She isso beautiful, they say"
"Oh, could never bear to see her;
it would kill me. And they are SO
happy together todayl He is loving
her sor'
Don't you want him to be happy2"
The older woman looked down at
her. Have you never loved him at
all2"
The younger woman's face was
covered with her hands. "Oh, it's so
terrible, so dark, and shall go on
living year after year, always in this
awful paint Oh, If could only der
The older woman stood looking
into the fire; then slowly and meas
uredly she said: There are times in
life when everything seems dark,
when the brain reels, and we cannot
see that there is anything but death.
But if we wait long enough, after
long, long years, calm comes. It
may be we cannot say it was well,
but we are contented; we accept the
past. The struggle is ended. That
day may come for you perhaps
sooner than you think. She spoke
slowly and with difficulty.
No, it can never come for me. If
once / have loved thing, love it
forever. can never forget.
Love is not the only end in life,
There are other things to live for.
''Oh, yes. for youi To me love is
eyerythingIp
Now you must go, dear"
The younger woman stood up. sIt
has been such comfort to talk to