The Wilmington daily Republican., 1895-04-09

now d thousand tender emotiens Bhe is
still the ono woman In the world fQx hinis
And she leaves him. The deadly dulIness
Of tho place nnd The monotony and deprss-
sion of sickrpom soon get tntolerhble.
She hos always been quito selfish. Admiga.
tion is the breadth Of her life. And who
is there to admire one In the coal country
She goes back to town, and telegram In
forms her of his death.
Sho laments him and curses herself pas
sionately for few days. But there Il the
estate to see about and ones black and all
aorts of things. 1t Ia a relief to her-it
would be to any woman SO plnced-that
modern widow is not required to make
herself wholly frighttul. II am not sure
that black Is not moro becoming to me
than anything else," she says. Tho fact
affords her a great deal of consolation
She soon resumes her usual mode of life.
She Is moro admired than ever. She Is
very rich widow indeed. Her style deteri-
orntes perhaps. But that does not matter.
Her admirers are not too particular.
And then she falls Ill herself. 1t is not
common Illness; II does not affect her
brain or incnpnoitate her body; 1t only de-
stroys her beauty. She goes TO the best
physicians in London and abroad. She
tries quackery. She spares herself no
trouble or money. While she Is going
through treatment she shuts herself up In
. the great house In tho coal country. For
awhile she almost despairs. She reads
great many French novels and tries desul-
torily and with llttlo Of her former splen-
did yigor and brilliancy new religion.
And she hears of n doctor-a great special.
list for diseases OF the skin-whom she has
~ 10 ba
ligion and puts herself under his treat
ment. 1t is irksome always and some.
times painful, hut she carries 1t out with
courage and resolution not ignoble. She
suffers, and not a complaint passes her
lips. She has never boen weak woman,
She is not weak now, and her whole hap.
piness and success in life are at stake
Ono afternoon when she has been sit
ting, bored to death, looking above her
novel through the window at the dripping
autumn garden, the great doctor Is an
nouncod unexpectedly.
Doctor" she exclnims, "how good of
you to look me up! ! should have gone
melancholy mad II you hadn't como! This
is the most hateful place in all England.
How much will you give me for itS"
She has still her old viyaoity and the
manner of a beautiful woman. She Ia per
fectly dressed, and In tho creeping shadows
of the November afternoon, with her face
half hidden by her white hand, ono might
fancy her lovely still, A fickor of freight
falls on her hair now and then, and 1t
looks shining, like gold.
II have been studying your case mad
am, says the doctor. He is comparatively
young and eager in his profession. He
looks straight at Lenn ns he speaks.
"Wellf" she says. She sits down at the
tea table, which is placed near the fire,
and alters tho position Of some cups. Tho
china clatters little in her hands. ut Is
not well, fear" he answers not easily
and after awhile. IL have come here for Il
purpose, madam. l have made up my
mind--I think 1t right to tell you-that
can do nothing moro for you. Your case
is incurable' without there is q wall OF
wet wind; within, q burning coal drops
on the hearth, blaokens and dios out.
Its lie' she cries suddenly. Its a
liel'' And sho turns upon him in rage.
After awhile he leaves her. She believes
him. Perhaps she believed at first The
short twilight fades very quickly. The
fire almost goes out. One last fame shows
haggard and terrible, the face which she
used to say with some sort of Justice was
the most beautiful in London. "A horror
of great darkness covers her at last.
''lf 1 were woman in book, )" she
whispers, Il should kill myself, but in
real life shall go on living and living
forever"
And her head falls upon her hands. -
Cornhill Magazine.