The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1895-06-06

when Archy said:
Flora Kelvin is engaged to hand
some young cavalry officer; he is quite
| splendid in his uniform, L assure you.
understood it was an old attachment.
She is not to be married until next
month, as Captain Home is obliged to
return to duty at present
"Ah! I'm glad of that. I shall go and
see Flora tonight and tell the little lady
what think of her.
Then he opened his heart about his
other trouble, and Archy listened very
| patiently while he described the scene
| of the previous night. He could offer
him no consolation, however, except the
! assurance of Shakespeare, that "a wom-
| an often scorns what best contents her.
| It would certainly have been both the
WiSeSt and kindest course to Mark to
| have been grateful for the oblivion
granted by the Kelvins, and quietly ac-
copied the same; but this was utterly
| repugnant to the young mans feelings
and pride. To be dropped without re-
gret and reproach wounded both his
self-esteem and his affection. He felt
nearer in love with Flora than he had
been for many weeks, and a sense of
wrong and injustice, which under the
circumstances was ridiculous, haunted
him, blending irresistibly with the mis-
cradle hope that Flora was as unhappy
as himself. That night found him wait
ing again in the little drawing room
where he had SO often waited for her.
Look up at me once more, Flora, and
yet us speak honestly together. You
know you love me and you are going to
marry Captain Home"
81 do not love you, Mr. Elliott" she
replied, raising her large dark eyes and
looking him steadily in the face.
"Since when have you ceased to do
SOP"
'Since I ceased to know you worthy
of my love. If you will be rude and COM
pei me to speak, it is best for you to
know the truth. I did love you, but
do not love you now. If you taught me
to love you, you taught me, too, to de-
spise you; to find my idol clay was
miserable lesson
"You soon found a new idol said
Mark with a sheer
'Mr. Elliott might have spared the
sheer. Satan rebuking sin is not very
consistent spectacle"
"And we are to part thus, Flora?"
eve ought never to meet again. Why
did you come? I will tell you why" she
said, her eyes blazing with suppressed
anger "You came hoping that you
would make me suffer miserable re-
greet, to insult me with apologies which
are in themselves insults. DO you not
understand, sir, that there are wrongs
enought to forgive? Allow me to pass
When he reached home there was
sound of mirth and music strangely at
variance with his feelings. Mary was IN
one of her most radiant moods, and
seemed to have forgotten the little dis
agreement Of yesterday. She asked him
to sing with her, confided to him her
private opinions of the company pres
ent, and, in short took him into the
most f1attering degree of intimacy pos
sible.
For the next two or three weeks all
went prosperously. Aunt Margaret was
happy with hope. Marks hope was al
most confidence. Mary as bewitchingly
coy and tender, and, over the whole
house was a happy expectancy when
almost intoxicated the happy lover.
Day after day Mark had resolved to
put his fate to the touch.
A night or two before Flora's mar
rage Archy came home with Mark to
dinner, and the subject was brought
incidentally under discussion.
'It is strange you have no invitation,
Mark" said Mrs. Elliott. 81 thought
you were rather intimate there"
"Not much sc" answered Mark, drop
ping his eyes.
A few evenings after the opportunity
Mark had been eagerly looking for ar
rived. His aunt left the dinner table
early and Mary and Mark were left
. alone When coffee came she took her
favorite chair before the fire and sat
gazing with great interest into the cup
as if she read her fortune there.
Mark stood gazing at her until her
beauty inspired him with desperate
| courage. Then he told her how precious
she was in his eyes-how dear to his
heart. But on Mary's face was only an
incredulous smile, which gradually
changed into a look of sorrow and re-
gret.
"Have you nothing to say to me, Miss
Peyton-not one word Of hope?'
"You will hardly expect it,Mr. Elliott,
when I tell you that Flora Kelvin and
I have been the dearest of friends I
knew you by her letters-so fond and
enthusiastic regarding you-long before
I saw you and accepted your aunt's
| invitation partly in the hope of being
the means of introducing Flora to her,
| and assisting at a happy denouement OF
her love for you. Since then I have been
the confidant of all her grief and disap-
pointment. I heard you degrade the
woman who ought to have been your
wife into "a nice little girl-a very pleas
ant partner for dance! And after all
this. Mr. Elliott, can you hope for mo-
ment that am DESTROYS of occupying
a similar position? am very sorry for
you, but all things find their equivalent
in this world, and you are only paid in
| your own COIN"