Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1894-02-17


towards evening, just as she was entering
the garden. gate, fashionably dressed,
Georges carriage would dash past her.
Shopping. for the mere pleasure OF
spending money. was one OF her favorite
amusemcnts. and so absorbed her that she
was often detained much later than she
had intended. They exchanged . cool
bow at the turn Of the staircase, and
George hurried into his own rooms. hiding
his emotion under the caresses he law
ished on his little girl, who stretched forth
her arms TO greet him.
Sylvia seemed to have completely for
gotten the past or, IL she recalled IL at
times, IL was with a natural contempt for
a character so unlike her own. Her time,
too. was occupied. After some hesitation,
she had decided to take lessons in sing
ing, thinking it rather late in life To begin
the piano; and, twice a week. Madame
Zola, black haired Frenchwoman, gave
her lesson from twelve 10 one o'clock
Sylvia said TO herself: "Annie plays tho
piano; she is thought an elegant and ac-
complished woman. i am determined
that the world shall say as much for me-"
The poor child did not dream of study.
or of real Improvement in any way; she
passed her life in the shops, and with the
milliner and drcssmaker.
There was an artiicality about her
something. perhaps. caught from the imi-
taton pearls she had handled so long; q
little Of their brilliancy without depth,
and Of their frsgility. She was herself al.
imitation pearl, fair and brilliant but
Annie Speed was real jewel. a deep-sea
pearl; and when the two women were to-
gether il was easy To distinguish the iIni-
tafipu from the nat "A raj lrppWf h
OF all Annie's surroundings, the one
which Sylvia most envied was her child,
a dainty mass Of ribbons and lace. She
had no thought of sweet maternal duties;
no knowledge Of Annie's long hours OF
wakefulness, Of anxious watches and ten
der hopes. She never ienged for the
touch of dimpled fingers. nor dreamed OF
glad awakenings, merry shouts. and
splashing water. No mother instinct was
aroused within her empty heart. She
simply regarded the child, with its fow-
ing robes. in the arms Of its stately nurse,
as a charming accessory TO her morning
walks and spring toilettes.
She had only her parents or her hus-
band as companions; consequently she
preferred to go out alone. Her husband
annoyed her by his awkward caresses,
and habit he had Of tapping her like
a child on her cheek or under her chin
His very way of sitting and looking at her
irritated her; IL was so like a big New
foundland dog.
Her parents she had contrived TO get
rid of for the time being by inducing her
husband to rent for them little house at
Hammersmith. This had put an end to
Mr.. Chipps frequent invasions, and TO the
interminable visits of her mother. who
elated by her daughters good fortune
was gradually falling into idle habits.
Sylvia would have much liked to get rid
of the DE Lacy's. She was annoyed by
their living so near her; but the old actor
was not easily moved from situation that
he liked near the theaters and the Strand
Then Dora was attached TO their rooms
and their dingy court. dark at four
O'Clock, was 10 her like the familiar face
of friend.
Sylvia however. rarely saw her old
neighbors, and her life would have been
solitary enough if il had not been for the
amusement that Annie procured. Each
Of these. nevertheless. She looked upon as
new injury, and she said 10 herself
"Must / always he indebted 10 herr
When she sent her tickets for the
theatre, or an invitation for the evening.
even while she hurried TO dress she
thought only of crushing her rival. These
occasions, however. became more and
more infrequent, for Annie was much oc-
cupied with her child. But when Mr.
Gray came to London he never failed to
bring them all together. He always III
vited them Ia dine at some famous
restaurant, and then took them to the
theatre.
He would talk Familiarity to the waters
at the restaurant. laugh loudly at the
theatre. and make their party as conpicu.
ous as possibly. On the occasion of thess
rather vulgar festivities, which George
contrived sometimes To avoid. Annie dress-
ed very quietly and thus escaped obser-
walton; Sylvia, on the contrary, made
gorgeous toilette. took front seat in the
box. and enjoyed the coarse jests of the
old countryman. She looked at herself in
the mirrors. and. with an air of proprie-
torship, placed her opera-glass, handker-
chief. and fan on the cushioned ledge in
front of her. The commonplace glitter oi
these public places enchanted her, and she
accepted them as the cpitome Of luxury:
she bloomed therein like pretty paper
flower in snowy china vase.
One evening at the Gaiety, when a great
crowd assembled to witness a new play,
among all the showy women present Syl.
via attracted the most attention. All the
opera glasses in the house, influenced by 0
certain magnetism. were one by one direct
ed to her box. Annie was annoyed and hnal-
ly relinqaished her chair TO her husband,
! and took refuge at the back of the box.
George, young and handsome, looked n
Sylvia's side like her husband; while
Florence, older and graver, appeared te
belong TO Annie. who i'll her dark and
quiet dress had the air of woman who
no longer courts admiration.
Going out. each took the arm Of her
neighbor, and pert young miss, com.
menting loudly on Sylvia's appearance
used the words "her husband" and the
foolish little woman was in a glow of de.
light. These simple words sufficed tc
awaken crowd Of wicked thought1
/ plans that for some time had slept -
the recesses Of her nature. She looked al
Florence and at Annie as they walked in
front Mrs. Speeds quiet elegance seemed
dowdiness TO her distorted vision. She
said to herself: slow vulgar l must look
when / have my husbands arm!" Her
heart beat more quickly as she thought
of the distinguished-lo looking pair she and
| George would have made. And when she
| saw Annie and her husband enter the
we'll known brougham, she allowed her.
self TO dwell on the idea that Annie had
stolen the place, and that she had right