The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-02-23

lived in Boston. Did you ever know"
The hostess Interrupted her.
oh Mrs. Terhune," she exclaimed
"have you seen my husband? He was
looking for you some time ago, and
want to see him about a carriage for Miss
Bertrand. I'm awfully sorry TO interrupt
this charming tete-a-tete but it could not
possibly be helped
We'll pardon it," laughed Preston, 'ff
you Will tell your, husband not to repeat
the miSdemeanor"
The hostess laughed, Mrs. Terhune
blushed charmingly and assured the lady
she had not seen her husband, and Pres
ton wondered If there We're a Mr.. Terhune
to make a. nightmare of this delightful
dream Of his.
ton, as the hostess departed.
Whether" resumed Mrs. Terhune,
you had ever known in Boston any one
of the name of Groton."
Il knew slightly an elderly woman of
that name who lived with some distant
relatives Of mine" said Preston, after
say she was an old woman"
Had she a son2'
Not that L ever heard of. But she may
have had a dozen," added Preston.
She had one said Mrs. Terhune, so
coldly that it almost sent chill down
Prestons back.
How do you know" he asked in so
much surprise that the oddness of his re-
ply did not occur to him.
Il married him. she answered frankly
Preston was startled by this confession.
for it came to him as a confession, not
withstanding marriage, as a rule, Is not
one of the hidden secrets of a man or
woman's life 1t was her manner, per-
haps, that affected him. and, perhaps, It
was the fact that she was now Mrs. Ter
hume.
But you are not Mrs. Groton?" he said
inqWringy.
'fOh, no. and now she laughed with a
lightness that might have been nervous
you must understand thai ii is possible in
this country for a woman to marry again.
and / married again. Edward Groton, -
she said in harsher tone than Preston
thought such a sweet mouth could frame
was my first husband. ] was only IS
then, and the world was very fair to me-
So fair that thought all who composed it
were fair. / am older now"
Not a great deal" he interrupted. soft
ly.
"Oh, yes, a great deal"
Three or four years, perhaps?" and
there was a question in this remark OF
his, for he had been wondering how old
she was
among women on a point Of age, "and
then a few years. ! am thirty"
The answer pleased him, for he was 40.
although he never confessed 1t.
The most delightful period in a woman's
life'' he said heartily.
THANK you" she smiled very gently.
but may j go on with my story?"
Really ] beg your pardon" he said
"but my interest in your present makes
me forget the interest | should have in
your past. You were saying the world
not so noW2'
only as one catches glimpses of the
light Then 1t was all sunshine; now
there are gray clouds. Yet have not lost
all my trust in man, and there are mo-
ments when even the bitterness that has
tinctured my life disappears, and / feel
that there IS still sweetness In the Gun"
Preston experienced an impulse TO draw
nearer to her, and he yielded to 1t
promptly.
After two years Of married iife," she
continued, my husbands conduct be-
came such that / found II impossible to
live under the same roof with him. Then
l went back to my gir.hood home, not
broken hearted. but oh, so hard and so
unlike the girl who had gone forth under
the orange blossoms and the sunshine and
the faith that women have. Within a
year l had secured divorce and was once
more free. Do you believe in divorce2'
There was a pleading in her voice and
her eyes were moist. What answer save
one could man give to a woman's ques-
ton under such circuT1stalces2
Indeed, my dear Mrs. Terhunc," he