Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1895-03-21
BENEATH THE ROUGE

Awoman sat at her dressing table, IL
front Of the mirror, and dabbed cheekl
that were livid with patches to pinl
color. Her maid folded and put away
some drapery that had been flung down
on the bed and watched her mistress
furtively. Down stairs there were prep
arations for big party, and the daylight
shone on the silver and orchids on the
dinner table much as it shone on the
face Of the master of the house, with
the odd pucker Of discomfort between
his brows, ready and waiting in the
pretty drawing room. It shone on those
obstinate blotohes Of color, which haG
to be renewed SO often, in order to hide
the wife's ashen skin.
Mrs. Marston had run away from hel
first husband and been the subject for 9
famous divorce case. The companion o1
her flight, Lewis Marston, had married
her directly the divorce was made, and
certain less particular section Of soci
ETY. consented to overlook her lack o1
morals SO long as she had good chef
and gave amusing parties.
There was one child of her first mar.
riage left in its fathers care, and this
little girl of ten summers was lying
dangerously i'll. The glass reflected eyes
that were stained and wild. She pen.
ciled black. line under the lower lid,
and she thought as she did so:
''They ought at least to let me see
her. To be turned away from the house
was cruel, but Charles was always hard.
He will never forgive, and then that
other woman will be bending over her
bed, will listen to her poor little weak
voice, will nurse her and will make
much Of her, will take my place"
She blackened one eyebrow, and a
tear fell splash on to one of the silver
brushes.
''Only just to have seen her for one
minute-crept in like a stranger and
looked at her face. Three years ago,
Only three years since she saw me, and
yet they will have taught her to forget.
My darling little girl, my own little
grill o God, help me''
She began on the other eyebrow, but
her hand shook.
"What q fright shall look tonight
Marie, bring me all my diamonds.
can't do without them, my eyes look SO
dull Bother this rouge; it won't stick
on. There, I'll make it somehow"
She thought as the maid fastened q
glittering tiara in her hair that il the
child died that night she could have no
means of hearing, and she suddenly
started up and sat down at writing Ia
BILE. She wrote to an old friend, man
who had stuck to her first husband and
cut her dead when she passed him in
the street, and the letter ran thus:
DEAR sm JoHN-For pity's sake, let me
know how Daisy is. am half mad with anx-
iety. Please let the pain am suffering ex-
cuse the liberty take In troubling you.
DOROTHY MARsToN.
She sent the maid with the letter at
once, with command to find Sir John
Deane and get an answer If possible.
Then, with walk like q queen, in q
dress from Worth, with her bediamond-
ed head and the roses on her cheeks, she
descended to the drawing room to re-
oeive her guests.
my dear, you're late, " said her hus-
band.
She had long ceased to expect any
companionship or sympathy from him,
go she answered oarelessly:
cam I? It doesn't matter, as no one
has arrived. !"
''Bnt it does matte" - he began, when
the door opened to admit guest.
There was young guardsman with
fair face who thought Mrs. Marston
a "good sort" and f1irted with her des-
perately in an elementary fashion.
There was a society doctor, with a
plausible manner. gray hairs and keen
enjoyment Of the sympathy and inter
est Of pretty women. Hesat next stout
lady with contented smile and placid
blue eyes She was Mrs Marston's Is best
friend and little deaf Most Of the
women were fast, and most of the men
were horsy, and/they all agreed at din
ner that they had never seen their host
ess looking SO we'll.
"We shall meet at Birmingham to-
morrow" whispered the guardsman.
He was nice boy, and he defended
Dorothy Marston when her own sex re-
viled her.
She thought, ITO Hurlingham and
Daisy perhaps dying" Aloud she said:
"I'll come. / can drive you down, if you
like. You had better lunch here first. I"
charmed, Of course" /" he murmured.
The man ON her right asked her if she
had won money on the Derby. She
fancied she heard her maids voice in
the hall, and she wondered If she had re-
turned with any news as she answered:
~ made little Lewis was horribly
unlucky. He insisted ON backing some
beastly outsider. =
Then she laughed, slipped her cham
pagne and glanced at an old admirer,
half way down the table A timid little
woman at the other end caught the look
and hated her for it The recipient was
the girls husband.
"And now tell me some delightfully."-
naughty scandal. +. Mrs. Marston said to