The advocate., 1894-03-28

rled to him, l meant to Stlpulate that
the minister should make slight
change in a portion of the ceremony, so
as to make it fit the facts. hate hy-
pOcrisy, and am not a blasphemer; so
the minister should skip the God part
God isn't in it in such a marriage-an
say: What cash hath joined together,
let not love for some real man put
asunder.' l am Old-fashiOned enough
to believe that woman should love
first, instead of marrying first and then
hunting a lover afterwards. Still, / had
no friend at home to whom l could talk
freely, and papa has been so persistent
that | was on the eve of yielding. l
wished to see you, for you seem so diff
ferent from the rest; and so | came
here before taking the fatal leap. am
glad | did, for am strong now, and l
shall tell papa plainly that ne must
never mention the subject again or l
shall leave home"
"My influence must indeed be re-
markable," said Mrs. DelOrme with a
smile, elf simply being few hours be-
meath the same roof has so braced your
will. So far as l am aware, l have as
yet said not word on the subject. But
why do you dislike Charley so, and why
do you feel as you do? Do you love
somebody else? Is that it? If so, my
experience bids me tell you to marry
the man you love or never marry at
ALL"
"Y0Ir experience, Aunt Halle? Why,
did you not marry the man you loved ?
Had you a rOmance-a broken dream,
as it were? Tell me about it, Aunt
Halle. Then l shall feel that you can
sympathize with me-"
Mrs. DelOrme, saying she would re-
turn in moment, went to recOnOitre
possible eaVesdropperS, then went to
the sacred drawer which held her dearest
keepsakes, and returning handed Lena
an old miniature Of the fashion OF years
ago-a daguerreOtype in black double
case.
"That is the picture of the only man
| have ever loved, and old as | am get
ting, l love dear Tom as l did when /
was a girl. He was young lawyer,
and a bright one, too, but he was very
poor, and my father forbade him the
hOuse-Or rather made me do so. Some
time before my brother Marshall had
married against my fathers wishes,
and his conduct toward Marshall was
so dreadful that it terrified me, and |
dared not disObey. So l married to
please my father, not myself. Tom left
Virginia, and l have never heard of
him since. L wonder if he ever thinks
of me as l am always thinking of him.
Oh, Lena, it is hell on earth to live
such lie as my married life has been.
Don't"
And seizing the miniature cOnyul-
sively, Mrs. DelOrme kissed over and
over the pictured face Of her old lover;
and throwing herself upon Lena,
sobbed as if her heart would break.
Lena was startled at such an unWOnted
burst of tears of passion in her usually
placid aunt, and in terror at her own
danger cried:
ooh, help me, Aunt Halliel Save me
from such a fate! You know how
bitter it must be. do not love Charley.
l know l shall really love somebody
else. Help me, won't you?"
Mrs. Delorme, reused by Lena's evil
dent agony of dread, recovered her own
composure as soon as possible in order
to calm her niece, and it was we'll, for
scarce had she regained apparent Sc
renity when Major Delorme entered
and conyentionally greeted his niece
previous to entering upon course of
interesting remarks about the weather
past, present and to come. This put
an end to the conference upon more
interesting subject, and Lena soon re-
tired.
All, my readerl There is, even in
these days of hard cash, a lesson for
others than Lena Graham in the hidden
bitterness of Mrs. Delorme's welded
life Shnna IL and rnnrpSS II as Won will