Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1894-02-22

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lat least he imagined such to b.
the case, and in his sublime egotism
il would have been hopeless to have
tried TO undeceive him, had mar
ried this woman, the daughter Of a
man on the brink of'bankruptcy,
aud could any sacrifices npoa her
| part be too great to reward him for
his generosity:
He did not love her. but she
| must. love him with mingled awe
and gratitude for his beneyolcnce.
else fail in her duty as wife. In
fact, in his eyes, their Wedding had
been something after the order of
that of King Cophetus and the beg
| gar maid. and this noble gentleman
never hesitated to remind his wife
of the fact tha: bat for him her
i family would be even now in power
ty. and she probable a governess to
the children Of one OF her devoted
five hundred lady friends.
"It's all my money that makes
you, Mrs. Alroy- Money is as
necessary as the air we breathe, the
open Sesame to every pleasure of
life. Money made me, and have
made you. What could you do but
for the millions which back you. the
wealth, remember. that we should
both be very thankful for--and
careful Of"
This last was added cautiously,
in fact he hardly dared as yet re-
strict his young wife in her girlish
desires, but cunning and parsi-
mony were written only too plainly
in lis keen gray eyes and narrow
brow, and be iHwarlly calculated
how long It would be ere he could
lessen the rather small sum he now
allowed her Cor her little expenses.
Grace was too miserable in her
wounded pride aud outraged dignity
to notice this, however, and hurry
ing over her toilet, she joined Flo
in the hotel parlors. She never
complained to her sister, although
the despicable traits in her hus band 8
character auds'his liaily increasing
irritabillity rendered her wretehed
in the extreme.
How she loathed the rich dresses
she wore, the diamond fetters upon
her fingers, and even the food she
forced herself to swallow, for had
not his money bought then. all ?"
Yes, it had bought them and her.
Her eyes filled with tears. She
leaned on the balustrade of the bal
cony, and listened with oyerfowing
heart to the dreamy waltz music
the band was playing on the lawn
below. The delicious strains of
the NOrgeRblatter reached her ears.
and the throbbing pulse beating
measures of the music awoke men,
ories of her happy girllood. She
saw herself, just one year before,
floating down that very ballroom
opposite, in Grant Aubrey's arms.
She had never dreamed then but
what she would one day marry him,
yet here was she now bound for life
to another, the wife of man she
was growing to hatef She whisper
cd 1t only to herself with frightened,
wide-opened eyes. She hated him,
and would gladly have given back
all his benefits to have been free
happy girl once more. What were
the stings of poverty compared to
this intolerable slavery, every day
becoming more unbearable
Just now some one had stopped
beside her char, stopped a little
hesitatingly as if uncertain OF his
ground. There IS something beside
pity in the worldly selfish face watch
ing her every movement; for the
heart its owner thought to secure
HIS at last rebelled and Grace has
won, unconsciously, the gift she
once would have given her life for.
He stands gazing at her, yet Gtters
no word, and the tears falling fast
now as she fancies herself unper-
ceiyed, assure him of a fact he has
long suspected namely, that Ralph
Alroy's wife is very miserable wo-
man. am sorry to recount it, but
thrill Of joy illumines his face %
he makes the discovery; yet he.loves
her better than he has ever loved
anything else in the whole course of
his selfish life.
Something trembles on his lips,
words whose utterance wonld have
placed q wide gulf between them
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