The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1895-06-12

There was noise of swift footstel
crushing the gravel of neighboriH
path, and ere had time to move frol
my place of espial a gentleman can
hurrying forward, glad Joyous EXPIRE
sion on his face.
At the sound of his hasty approac
the white jeweled fingers were unclasl
ed, the fair face aroused from its a.
straction, the dGsky, luminous ey,
Wee lifted, and with a crimson smil
Margaret Elliot returned the newcon
er's greeting.
''Elliot, is Mr.. Vernon a relative c
yours ?' | ABRUPTLY asked, as we smok
ed an ante-noctural cigar and chatte
over old school days on the lawn befor
retiring to rest.
"Weli, not at present, but he sool
will be, | suppose"
'How? What do you mean?'
"Why, Margaret and he are to b
married next month";
"The deuce! / beg pardon, but
gave my petcorn most unkind knocl
against stone. How dark it is TO
night"
''Do you think so? | had Just beer
remarking how brightly the stars wer,
shining"
Had you? But surely Mr.. Vernon
is great deal Older than your sister,
''Yes certainly. He is nearly sixty
and she is twenty"
"What an AWFUL difference. | con.
slider such unequal marriages ought e
be forbidden. They are horribly wick.
ed and wrong. How can you allow it
RObert?r
''Well, you see, the circumstances
are rather peculiar. Vernon has beer
fond of her from child. Many year.
back he did my father great service, So
when he died, eighteen months ago
he made Margaret promise TO marry
him."
"And what are her feelings? Does
she like him? -
'I think so. She seems quite recon
ciled and happy. For my part / think
her a very lucky girl. Vernon is inn
mensely rich. Besides his estate here
he has a house in town and n shooting
bow in Scotland. Then he comes of a
good old family, and will spoil and in
dulge her to her hearts content"
ooh! well, L shall turn in now
Good night"
Six weeks later in my studio, nj Ken
sington, read me announcement of
the marriage of civilian Gale Vernon
and Margaret Alice Elliot"
The sun was sinking down from the
blue vault of cloudless sky. The sea
lay rippling and glistening each little
wavelet rejecting a separate sparkle.
had been on the beach all morning
sketching in a desultory sor' of way,
and was now returning to the hotel in
search of some solid reireshment
Brighton was unusually full-that is TO
say, Brighton can ever be unusually
full-the Kings road was thronged
with fashionable crowd.
was in an extremely lazy mood and
even with the hotel in sight sat myself
down on a seat facing the road, and
fell to idly scrutinizing the folks as
they went by. All at once my atten-
ton was engaged by group Of fthree.
They had passed beyond me before |
had observed them but | could per-
ceive that the occupant of the bath
chair, drawn by man in livery, was a
gentleman, and that the lady who
walked 10y his side was young was evi-
dent by the carriage of her shoulders
and the contour of her form, while
from the poise of her head | further
concluded that she was good looking.
Some subtle attraction impelled me
to rise and follow them; with languor
and fatigue forgotten, / set out in pur-
suit.
1 slackened my speed as came up to
them, and turned slightly 50 as to
cltch view of the lady's face.
"Mrs. Vernon ~
The color in her checks deepened by
ever so faint tinge, and for one brief
second there was a flicker of something
in her eye that sent an odd tremor
me. But the next moment
she was the weiIpred woman of the
world again, rs she smiled and extend
ed her hand.
From her / turned to the occupant of
the bath chair, and my emotion was
simply one Of shocking surprise rs |
her husband in the frail,
nmaciated frame before me.
When l saw him two years before he
was hale and hearty, with hair scarce
" touched by the frost of time; but
now his limbs were feeble and shak-
ing, and his scanty locks white rs driv-
en- snow.
"My husband is n great invalid"
come the quiet remark, as though in
answer to my plying astonishment.
Mr.. Vernon looked up quickly.
ayes, but / have no cause to conf
plain, for my dear wife makes my hours
Of pain and sickness SO bright with her
care and attention that / found more
happiness in ill-health than during my
long life of health and vigor."
That chance meeting led to many
others, and was speedily on terms of
intimacy with them. They
were living very unobstrusively, the
doctor having enjoined strict seclusion
and auietude as necessary to the recov-
ery of his patient, who but short time
had been smitten by stroke
Of paralysis.
Mr.. Vernon always accorded me n
cordial welcome, and it soon became
for me to spend couple OF
hours every evening in their apart
ments.
When we were alone together his
had but one subject.
Marearets goodness and accomplish
ments, and on this theme L was ever
an attentive listener.