Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1894-01-27

/ TURN, ana Sne saw nef rather. There was
an angry light in his eyes, although he
smiled.
$50 our young gentleman has gone?'
Eyes"
"M-m,' and he pursed up his lips re-
fectively as he swayed lightly to and
fro, his hands behind his back. "Just
so. It's the way Of the world. l know
it. have seen my friends depart on
by one Only the few stauch ones have
remembered and remained. But there
is one consolation. We haven't LOST
much. Our young friend was fail
( specimen Of the genus cad
( Virginia WINGED at the word and shield.
ed her face with her hand.
1--WE don't want him. i've learned tc
snap my fingers at the pleasures that
won't stay and make the most Of those
/ that will. Wen snap our fingers, Viz.
/ ginia. He's gone away like a puppy
with a bone he wants TO eat alone. Let
him go"
I But still Virginia looked out at the
snow and felt each of the city's mufiled
sounds like the surge from a sea on
which her dearest had embarked leav.
ing her alone.
Wen not miss him, Virginia" pur-
sued her father in the meditative voice
that maddened her 10 dumb fury in
that moment. She opened and closed
her hands and set her lips hard Il say
We'll shed no tears for him. Wen 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 moro from a man whose
father was Il brown listed Irish immi-
grant, his mother an ignorant girl of the
plains"
He lit a cigar with Il nice deliberate
ness and put on his cape and hat.
"Fm going for q walk i'll the snow
now. This room depressesme Stir the
fire and turn Up thel 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 cares5
could not haze chilled or sickencd her
more. She coall not cling to her father
and sob out her pain. He had always
quietly transferred his grief5 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 masl, laughed at her from
the corner. The keysof the organ flashed
back an eerie intelligence.
"Never again. they seemed to say.
"Never again
A trembling seized her. She fell face
downward on couch and threw her
arms out wide. How cruel ii was, this
sting of human love flung back to feed
in bitterness upon itself! Oh, was tLcre
nothing moro in life than this? Was
thisall? How had she failed: What had
she forgotten or passed by that might
have held him2
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 Above the angels
might have coveted. There Is sometimes
sufficient fascination in a trick of man
ner, just the fall III 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. Ills sympathy, his smile
had made her Sunshine. And now lie
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 cud-
died against her like a bail OF down lap
ping her flesh in soft sympathy with its
scrap of a tongue.
A cry broke from her. She caught it
wildly to her heart. Ii 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 quiverng lips. She
pushed the kitten from her with a fran
tic movement. and then with contra
dictory tenderness picked it up again
and held it against her lips, weeping
wildly, as women dowhen pants robbed
of hope. Why should she hurt ii: What
had it done more cruel than Tom: SHE
had held him too closely 10 her heart
He turned and scratched her.