The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1895-03-28
BENEATH THE ROUGE.

A woman sat at her dressing table, in
front Of the mirror, and dabbed cheeks
that were livid with patches of pink
color Her maid folded and put away
some drapery that had been flung down
on the bed and watched her mistress
furtiyely. Downstairs there were prep
arations for big party, and the day
light shone on the silver and orchids on
the dinner table much as it shone on the
face of the mister of the house with the
old pucker of discomfort between his
brOws, ready and waiting in the pretty
drawing-rOom; it shOne on the obstinate
b'otches Of color, which had to be renew
ed so often, in order TO hide the wife's
ashen skin.
Mrs. Marston had run away from her
first husband and been the subject for a
famous divorce case. The companion
OF her flight Lewis Marston, had mar
red her directly the decree was made,
aud certain less particular section of
society consented to overlook her lack
Of morals so long as she had good chef
and gave amusing parties.
There was one child of her first mar
riage left i'll its fathers care, and this
little Girl Of ten summers was lying
dangerously i'll.
The glass reflected eyes that were
stained and wild. She pencilled a black
line under the lower lid. and she thought
as she did 50:
They ought at least to let me see her.
70 be turned away from the house was
cruel, but Charles was always hard. He
Will never forgive. and then that other
woman will be bending over her bed,
VIII listen to her poor little weak voice,
viii nurse her, and will make much of
her will take my place"
She blackened one eyebrow and
tear fell splash on to one of the silver
brushes.
Only just to have seen her for one
minute-crept in like stranger and
looked ii her face. Three years ago,
Only three years since she saw me- aud
yet they will have taught her to forget.
My darling little girl, my own little
girl; oh, God help mc'
She began on the other eyebrow, but
her hand shook.
What a fright l shall look, tonight.
Marie, bring me all my diamonds-I
can't do without them, my eyes look so
dull. Bother this rouge, it won't stick
on There III make it somehow
She thought as the maid fastened
gIittering tiara in her hair that if the
child died that night she could have no
means of hearing. and she suddenly
started up and sat down at a writing ia
bic. She wrote to an old friend man
who had stuck TO her first husband and
cut her dead when she passed him in
the street and the letter ran thus:
Dear sir John: For PHYS sake, let me
know how Daisy Is. am halfSmad with
anxiety. Please IC; the pain ! am suffering
excuse tine liberty | take in troubling YOU
Dorothy Mar-tOn.
She sent her maid with the letter at
cIce, with command to find Sir John
Leane and Get an answer, if possible.
Then, with Il walk like queen, in
less from Worth, with her bediamond-
ed head and the roses on her cheeks,
she descended to the drawing-room to
receive her guests.
My dear, YOU'RE ID late, " said
her husband
She had long ceased to expect any
companiouship or sympathy from him,
so she answered carelesslv:
Am |. ft doesn't matter, as no one
has arrived"
But it does matter, he began. when
the door opened to admit a guest.
There was young guardsman with
a fair face who thought Mrs. Marston
good sort, and firted with her des-
perately in an elementary fashion.
There was Il society DOCTOR with
plausible manner gray hairs, and keen
enjoyment Of the sympathy and inter
est Of pretty women. He sat next a
stout lady with a contented smile and
P acid blue eyes. She was Mrs. Mars
TONS best friend and a little deaf.
Most OF the women were fast and most
o. the men were horsev. and they all
agreed at dinner that they had never