The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1895-02-02

] STtitt ul1lHeT udDle Oh peTSCllS WHO pduse Ill
their talk to listen to and look at her. She
is the central figure everywhere she goes
Her candor and frankness are inimitable.
Her vanity is of its kind perfect, and she is
always comfortably assured that every
man in the room is in love with her.
Her daughter who is about II years old
usually goes about with her. The contrast
between the two is exceedingly effective
and wholly in Lena's favor. The daughter
is a feeble and nervous imitation of mamma
and very much afraid of that lady's sar-
casm and brilliancy. Lena indeed is very
little troubled by material instincts. She
appropriates her daughters lovers with a
delightful aplomh and brilliancy. She is a
hundred times better dressed and better
/ looking tnan this girl. 81 have more
brains, my dear Mabel " she is in the habit
of saying, Gin my little finger than you
have in your whole head"
When Mabel has been married for few
years and is defving mamma from a safe
distance, Sir George falls i'll The illness
is alarming. 1t even alarms Lena. In the
very middle of the season she goes down to
the coal country to nurse her husband.
She puts on a very becoming cap and
delightful apron. She is for a time quite
attentive and good natured. She cheers
the patient with the most deliciorIslv scan
dalous and piquant stories which she has
heard in town. The sick man always lies
so that he can see her. She has done her
best to break his heart, and he loves her
still. The touch of her hand raises in him
now thousand tender emotions. She is
still the one woman in the world for him.
And she leaves him. The deadly dizziness
of the place and the monotony and depres-
sion of a sicllroom soon cot intolerable.
She has always been quite selfish Admir-
alton is the breadth of her life. And who
is there to admire one in the coal country?
She goes back to town, and a telegram
informs her of his DEATH
She laments him and curses herself pas
sionately for few days But there is the
/
sorts of things. 1t is a relief to her-it
would be to any woman so placed-that
modern widow is not required to make her
self wholly frightful 81 am not sure that
black is not more becoming than anything
else she says. The fact affords her
great deal of consolation
She soon resumes her usual mode of life.
She is more admired than ever. She is a
very rich widow indeed. Her style deter.
iorates perhaps. But that does not matter
| Her admirers are not too particular
And then she fall i'll herself 1t is not a
common illness: ii does not effect her brain
or ncapacitate her body: it only DESTROYS
/ her beauty. She goes to the best physi-
clans in London and abroad, She tries
/ luackery She spares herself no trouble
or money. While she is going through
treatment she shuts herself up in the great
house in the coal country. For awhile she
almost despairs She reads IA great many
| French novels and tries dcsultorilv and
with little of her former splendid vigor and
/ brilIiancy new religion And she hears
OF doctor-a great specialist for diseases
of the skin-whom she has not yet seen
She filings aside the new religion and puts
herself under his treatment. 1t is irksomc
always and sometimes painful, but she
carries it out with a courage and resolution
not ignoble. She suffers, and not a com
| plant passes her lips. She has never been
a weak woman. She is not weak now, as
her Who'll. happiness and success in life are
at stake.
one afternoon, when she has been sitting,
bored to death, looking above her novel
through the. window at the dripping
autumn garden, the great doctor is an
nounced unexpectedly.
Doctor,n she exclams, chow good of
you to look me up! should have gone mel
ancholy mad if you hadn't come! This is
the most hateful place in all England
How much will you give Inc for it,
She has still her old vivacity and the
manner of beautiful woman. She is per-
fectly dressed, and in the creeping shadows
OF the November afternoon, with her face
half hidden by her white hand, one might
fancy her lovely still. A flicker of fire
light falls on her hair now and then, and
it looks shining, like gold
Il have been studying your case,
madam" says the doctor. He is compare
lively young and eager in his profession
lie looks straight at Lena as he speaks.
''Well"' she says. She sits down at the
tea table, which is placed near the fire, and
alters the position of some cups. The china
clatters a little in her hands at is not
well, | fear" he answers not easily and
after awhile 81 have come here for pur-
pose, madam. have made up my mind
i think it right to tell you-that | can
do nothing more for you. Your case is
incurable." Without there is a wall of
wet wind; Within burning coal drops on
the hearth, blackens and dies out
Its a lie" she cries suddenly. elisa
! lie" And she turns upon him in a rage.
/ fter awhile he leaves her She haliavns