Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1896-07-03
A BROKEN LIFE,

Outside, the December evening was
closing in with gri1ny rain and heavy
!swirls of mist that drifted up Northum-
berland avenue from the river. But
within, the Metropole hotel was blaze
of light and color, and was merry with
the babble of voices and light laughter
of women.
In small sitting room on the second
floor it was deliciously warm and frag-
rant. a huge fire leaped and cracked
on the hearth, the soft radiance of the
electric light shone like spring sun
shine, and bouquet of pale, double
violets yielded sweetest incense to the
woman near whose elbow they stood.
She was a very lovely woman; beauti-
full with the gentle fragility of white
lily, with eyes like tremulous stars and
soft, yellow hair huffed into simmer
ing aureole about her small delicate
face. Her mouth was fashioned with a
plaintive droop at either corner, but
just now it was parted with happy
smiles and happier signs.
With hands that were as small and
transparent as rose leaves, she pushed
aside pile of foreign guides, maps,
time tables and writing materials that
lay on the table before her, and then
nestled back luxuriously in her chair.
"Ah! finished at last. What perfect
tour we have mapped out, and OIL Dick,
how divinely happy we shall be-"
The man who was sitting at her side
bent down and kissed her in that dainty
hollow of her neck just where the pink
curves of her ear were Swallowed by
rings of golden hair.
"Darling," he murmured, passionate
can make you happy, God knows you
will be so.''
His warm breath stirring in her hair,
his passionate words creeping to her
heart, thrilled the woman with emo
lion. She turned in her low chair until
she faced him, and took his hands-so
big and brave and strong-in her own
slender fingers. ,...
Dick she said, the laughter leaving
her lips, and bright tears growing in
her eyes. "My dear love, the thou ht
of our future, which is to begin so soon
now, almost makes me afraid. You see,
dear, .happiness-even kindness-and I
have always been such strangers, that
feel nervous, shy, absurdly apprehen-
sive, just as though were really about
to be introduced to some one 1 didn't
know
Happiness is the best friend, and the
easiest to get along with of anyone
know" laughed Dick Meynell, kissing
the little fingers that chung around his
own. Believe me, my child, you and
she will be inseparablc pals directly.
But you are trembling, Lydia. Let me
push your chair round to the fire. We've
had enough of Bradshaw and Baedeler
Tor to-day"
But before she would leave the table
Lydia sought along the scattered pa
.Pers till, finding what she wanted, she
folded it into the palm of her hand and
passed over to the fire.
II like to keep on looking at the list
of places we are going to-" she explained
with little smile, as she sank into her
seat. ut makes our honeymoon seem
Then as Dick Meynell pulled over \
chair for himself she spread the slip
of paper on her knee and slowly passed
one finger down the line of words.
'Paris, Nice, Naples, Rome and then
Cairo and the Nile Then in the SPRING
time back to Venice. and with the sum-
ner, past Itaiy's blue lakes away 70 |
switzerland. Afterward, when the au-
umn comes, back to Maynell Hurst, |
our hOme-Our home. where we shall
e like the people in old-fashioned story
ooks, and live happy ever AFTER
please God! my darling" muttered
eynell, unde. his mustache.
Dick" she asked. irrelevantly, 'do
III think it awfully wicked for me to
ant to be happy? Notwant in casual
shion, you know, but crave, desire. /:
arm for happiness with every throb
my heart and nerve of my body. ]
nder if it's very wrong" lc
Md he, remembering the tragedy oil