River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1896-05-21
A BROKEN LIFE.

A BROKEN LIFE.
Outside, the December evening was
closing in with grimy rain and heavy
swirls of mist that drifted up NOrthum-
berland avenue from the river. Blu,
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 IL 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 a 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 a white
lily. with eyes like tremulous stars and
soft, yellow hair fiuffed into simmer
ing aureole about her small delicate
face. Her mouth was fashioned with q
plaintive droOp at either corner, bu;
Just now it was parted with happy
smiles ard happier signs.
With hands that were rs small and
transparent as rose leaves. she pushed
aside a pile of foreign guides, maps
time tables and writing materials that
lay on the table before her, and then
nestled back luAuriously in her chair.
"Ah. finished at last. What perfect
tour we have mapped out. and oh! 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.
~, IF love and truth and tenderness
can make you happy, God knows you
will be so"
His warm breath stirring in her hair
his passionate words creeping to bcI
heart, thrilled the woman with emo
ton 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 thought
of our future, which is to begin so soon
now, almost makes me afraid. You sec,
dear, happiness-even kindness-and
have always been such strangers. that
feel nervous. shy, absurdly apprelen-
sive, Just as though 1 were really about
TO be introduced to some one / didn't
know"
"HapPiness is the best friend, and the
easiest to get along with of anyone ]
know" laughed Dick MeynelI. 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 Bacdeker
for today
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.
Il like TO keep on looking at the list
of places we are going TO. she explained
with a little smile, as she sank :nto her
seat. cit makes our honeymoon seem
nearer"
Then as Dick Meynell pulled over 4
chair for himself she spread the slip
of paper on heI knee and slowly passed
one finger down the line of words.
paris. Nice Naples. Rome. and then
Cairo End the Nile Then i'm the spring
time back to Venice. and with the sum
mer. past Itaiy's blue lakes away 20
Switzerland. Afterward, when the alI-
tumn comes. back to Maynell Hurst.
your home-Our home, where we shall
be like the people in old-fashioned story
books. and live happy ever after"
please God, my darling" mutterrsI
MeyueII. untle- his mustache.
Dick" she asked. irreIevantIy, do
YOU think it awfully wicked for me 10
want to be happy Not want in a casual
fashion. YOU know, but crave. desire.
yearn for happiness with every throh
OF my heart and nerve of my body. I
wonder If it's very wrong"
md he. remembering the tragedy of
her past life. ON which even at that m,-
ment the curtain was only Just fail
ing. smiled tenderly as he said:
tAtAs NNft io>sA0lN VISIT Itf-
all the hapT mess that is owed you"
She aid rot answer directly. but lift
ing the '.iece of paper from her lap
she scar ned il with drawn brows and
puckercd mouth. Presently she dropped
il wits a sigh.
Dick, il l could be happy-absoluJe-
~, entirely happy. Just for so long as our
jOurncyings are to last. think cou.,i
die content. )hi don't look so
shocked" she cried, stretching pretty.
pleading hands out TO him. II do not
want 10 debut l am afraid to wis.,
TO live. An, dearest. YOU would under
stand me better IL you knew what the
word life has meant 10 me-"
She rose from her seat, and crossing
the fur rug sank down at Dick Mey
nclTs feet and pillowed her fair heal
on his knee.
II want to tell you. Dick. for the
first time. for the last time. what M
past life has been TO me. Do not stop
me; feel l must speak of it before
! bury il out of sight, out of remeuI-
6rance forever"
She took his hand in hers, and as she
spoke on, patted ant smoothed aud
kissed il as loving women will.
Il was unwelcome when I was born.
Ny father and mother openly avowed
t'.eir dislike for children, and neither
ever forgave the other for the addition
10 their family. In these days they were
rich, but l was left to servants and gov
srnesses who treated me as they pleased
was IL, and my parents were almost
strangers TO me. when the financial
crash came which dragged my fathers
lame, with scores of others. through the
mire of all England Poverty and the
narrowness of our new home brought
me for the first time into daily and
hourly contact with my parents. Oh
Dick. It was hameful-terrible 70 live
With two people who never met without