Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1895-04-27
Strangers Yet.
BY F. H. R.

written for the INDEpEND ENT.)
A table, Uttered with business pa
pers, and q man, pen in hand, sitting
with lowered head, bending studi-
ously over the documents before
MIN. The room, study, is richly
and handsomely furnished. The fire
is blazing cheerfully, but the soil
tary occupant of the apartment looks
sad and weary enough. He lifts his
head and looks across the table. 1t
is net happy face by any means.
At this moment Jasper Cameron
has the appearance of broken
hearted man. He has laid aside the
smiling mask that society demands,
and the eyes gazing steadily across
the table but seeing nothing, are
filled with pain, that the outer world
little guesses is far more natural
than the every day expressions that
he wears before his fellowmen.
After little while he pushes
away the papers, and rising, stands
leaning against the chimney-piece,
looking down at the leaping jets Of
fame.
He is tall and comedy enough for
all the WEAKNESS of his face. The
clustering brown hair is thick and
curly, but the eyes and mouth are
pitiful in their set sadness. The
windows Of the soul tell their own
story of trouble and sorrow. There
is no need for him to try and blot
out the trouble by a smile; no eyes
see him as the lines deepen in his
forehead and his set mouth hardens.
The handle of the door turns, and
in second, even before the door
fully opens, the expression of Jas
per Cameron's face changes. 1t is
grave still but the pain has given
place to look of careless indiffer-
ence as he glances up at his wife en-
tering the room.
"Going out" be asks, and wheels
the arm chair towards the fire.
"You forget this is the night of
Lady Gordon's ball." she answered.
True; l had forgotten"
She crossed the room, and husband
and wife stand for a moment side
by side.
care YOU not coming?" she asked,
with ever so slight an accent of sur
prise in her tone, as she looked at
him.
No; am busy tonight"
Her eyes follow his to the litter Of
papers, as she shrugs her shoulders
disdainfully.
"You needn't mind those tonight
unless you choose"
"Pardon me-" he said, an odd look
coming into his face.
A silence falls between them. He
goes back to his chair and bends
once more over his work. She stands
on the hearth rug, her eyes looking
into the fire. The light shines on
her white silk dress and flashes on
the diamonds on her neck, on her
arms and her hair. Everything about
Milly Cameron bespeaks of wealth.
The very lace on her dress repre-.
sents small fortune in itself, yet
the expression on her face is hardly
less miserable than her husbands
was few moments before.
A fair, sweet face it is, small and
oval. The fair hair catches every
CLEAN of light and keeps it there in
its glossy eurls; and the eyes large,
bright and brown, would impart
beauty to any countenance.
Jasper" said she without turn
ing round.
well" answered he, looking up
at her standing fair and lovely in the
radiance of the fire and lamplight.
Won't you come tonight ?" with
her eyes still fixed on the fire.
"Do you want me z" he inquired,
and bis voice is calm enough, but
sudden yearnlng leaps into his eyes.
She does not see it, nor the hard ex-
preston that replaces the momen-
tary tenderness at her answer.
1t would look better to have you
with me-" she says. trifing with her
fan, as she spoke.
You are not usually SO particn-
lar about appearances" laughs he,
at which his wife's lips twitch con-
vulsiyely.
1T does not matter, them she
said, coldly.
Two lines Of a song came into her
mind
J CATER years of life together.
After touch OF welded hands,
A girl with childish voice had
sung it the other evening, and for
one second her husbands eyes had