The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-04-29
SHE NEVER MARRIED

"Auntie, will you tell me story2 The
story, you know, you've promised me so
often--why you never married. Do you
remember, Auntie, when was little, you
used to say it was because no one had
asked your. I never believed that, and
the girl laughed. "Then you promised
you'd tell me when was IS, and now
am 1872 and Miriam gave a tug at her
skirts with all the pleased proprietorship
of long dresses. $50 do, auntie, dear"
every well, darling" Miss Daneby
sighed, and Miriam drew up her chair
and rested her golden head on the old la
dy's knee.
''Now, auntie, I'm ready" and Miss
Daneby began.
II was just about your age when
came out, and for months past I had
looked forward to a London season and
thought my first ball would never come.
But the much looked for night came at
last, and, when dressed and ready to start,
thought it the happiest moment of my
life, but it was nothing to what followed
The flowers, the music, the lights, the
bright dresses, and the gay people wan
dering hither and thither, all dazzled me
and put me in mind of fairyland 1 did
not lack partners, and danced till the
small hours of the morning. Every one
said had been a success, but paid little
attention to any of their remarks. / had
enjoyed myself wildly. What more could
want to make me happy? / was very, very
young.
''Soon after, met Mr.. G. remember
1t was almost my first dinner party, and,
having sufficiently recovered myself from
a fit of shyness, looked round at my next
door neighbor, and there, on my left, were
two blue eyes laughing at me. He must
have noticed my shyness, 1 fancied, and,
with the pride of youth, 1 deeply resented
it. After that I found the blue eyes nearly
always smiled when they looked at me-
and 1 got to love that smile, and even that
evening I realized that only foolish IS
could take offense at such trife, SO we
laughed and made friends. All through
dinner he talked to me a good DEAL and !
forgot my shyness and became commune
cative on many subjects.
After that evening we met frequently,
danced together, rode together-in fact,
hardly a day passed without our meeting
till at last began to look for him, wheth-
er in the park or at ball or concert. AT
that time life was trimming over with
happiness. I had no very definite idea of
the future, and the present was so sweet
that preferred not thinking of a change
of any sort.
1.-The first spot on my happiness was at
one ball, where had expected to find Mr..
G., and though I was not enjoying
things bit did not want to come away.
Perversity of human nature And only in
the carriage did 1 confess to myself that
had staid on in the hope of his turning up
late. Well, he didn't, and it was with
somewhat heavy heart went to sleep that
night but by next morning the cloud had
passed away. We're we not going to meet
and ride together?
could his presence make any difference
to my enjoyment? At first I laughed at
the ideas but soon found it was not to be
laughed at. Where he was, there my en-
joyment was complete, but where he was
not I seldom cared to stay. Naturally peo-
pie began to talk about us, and, as is the
way of the world, specialized as to what
would come of it, if it would be a good
thing or not. Well, let them talk What
cared II was SO certain he loved me tina
smiled when people told me that Lady
Dallas was doing all she knew to catch
him for her daughter. Poor Alice Dallasl
Why, he never so much as looked at her
when was nearl How soon was pride to
have fall
''The summer was nearly over, and PEG.
pie began to hurry away from London.
We met again in the country and spent
long days together, and again people be-
gan to wonder why ne did not propose.
Perhaps I was the person who wondered
least, for was / not sure that sooner or
later he undoubtedly would? Then, one
Sunday evening, we parted, to meet again
the following week, but somehow that
meeting never came about. In the long
months that followed 1 remembered him
as saw him last, waving his handkerchief
from the carriage window.
'Then, one day, l heard he was engaged
to Alice Dallas. At first I would not be-
heve it, but when belief was forced upon
me my grief knew no bounds Till that
day I hardly realized how fond L had
grown of G., and the prospect of a long
life without him appalled, me. cried as
if my heart would break, and then pride
came to my rescue. Full of courage and
firm resolve, 1 took up the thread of my
daily life and hoped not only to hide my
feelings, but to still the dull, aching pain
by plunging wildly into reckless excite
ment. 1t was all very well for bit, but
the reaction was bound to come, and l dis
covered that 1 must try some other remedy.
eve met several times after the engage
ment was announced-as friends-and
talked and laughed as in the old days,
save perhaps for a touch of bitterness,
which then I had never known, and the
sound of my voice seemed hollow and IN
real, perhaps because tears were SO near
the surface. Then came the wedding and
subsequent congratulations, and L was
among the first to offer mine, and was it
fancy that thought the bridegroom looked
at me a little wistfully and was hardly as
radiant as the occasion warranted? But,
then, no one thought it was love matchl
Had not Alice herself given out that she
did not care for him? And her But, then,
why had he taken this step?''
Miss Daneby paused, and in the now
fast gathering darkness Miriam could dis
Germ a silent tear, while she herself was not
unmoved.
4Auntie,'' said the girl, slipping her
hand into the old lady's, 'fwhen people love
like that, do they ever forget?''
81 don't think they ever quite forget,
but time softens all grief and often leaves
one the better for its mark. When I found
that excitement could not heal my wound,
I began, in small way, to try to find
some work to do, even if it were only help
ing those who were suffering around me.