The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-04-18
MISPGAGEDCONF!gENGE.


the fender. He thought she looked very
beautiful, sitting there in the soft. rose
ate glow Of the grnte fire, with the
shadows creeping 70 cnresslngly over
her white neck and her hands toying
with that tiny fan Of ostrich feathers.
Then It suddenly struck him that there
was something peculiar about her eyes.
Sometimes they were sOft, 30 brimful
Of tenderness and honest friendship;
and then, again. they were cold ana
staring, and half cruelsin their scorntul,
bitter expression.
Did he understand herr He did mot
know A man as experienced as he Is
too wise to hope to correctly read 9 Ho-
mans character and disposition, even
after q years clOSe acqualntaneeship.
That he was DESTROYS Of marrying her
he wan assured. He loved her, ana was
che not beautiful, accomplished and
possessed OF ample fortune? He had
fully resolved tofpropoae before he left
i her that night, when she turned her
face toward him and said:
iaTell me, Sidney, how often have you
been In iove?"
I''As often as have had opportunities
10 meet beautiful and charming women
liks yourself he replied.
And you? Tell me, how OFTEN have
you been in loye?" aH
The Beautiful bare shoulders shrug-
ged. and she said, languldly:
What an absurd question to ask
woman.
well. then, he ventured, perhaps
YOU viii tell me how many men have
been In love with you2s
"How could i? You know lonthe
mathematics Besides It would take
| days to count them, and could not
fdncy more stupid task"
ITO be sure" he answered, "but have
you forgotten them all2"
"Oh. no. not all. There was kodgef
Brndley-you know he committed sui
eide after i'had refused him for the
third lime. Hd,was so young should
hive been moro careful. but am not a
dafe-tase Of mems hearts, It's no
| fault OF mine it mems emotions make
| lunatlcs Of them"
| tae looked at her in establishment,
and noticed that the strange, cold look
was In her eyes, A disgust crept unwil-
| llhgly into his heart as he realized the
bitter unnaturalneSs OF her cruel wards.
aTheu there was that absurd little
| sontherner-I really can't remember his
nlme-who dragged one Of my other
admirers Into duel. It was so selfish
and unreasonable. of him to annoy me
with the publicity OF such a foolish
nffair."
Her companion was silent. Could any
thing equal this woman's heartlessness?
He wondered what conditions and en-
virouinefts had brought about this alb
iect and hopeless selhshness He had
never seen her in quite such q mood
| before. To marry such woman would
be to walk through the gates OF ever
lasting perdition, and he thanked be-
nevolent providence for rescuing him
from such fate.
"ae looked at her again. Now her
eyes were warming with some pleas
ing memory, and her lips were parted
.'I'ye heard" she said. slowly, "that
however many love affairs a woman
has. she Is bound to remember her first
one. / remember my first one so Wen.
II was when was a mere child-only
s0yenteen-and inspired by the romance
II worldly ignorance. Ny Romeo would
not come within miles Of my ideal now.
But then, was SO young and tnexper-
iHnced."
SAnd had heart" Sidney Grahap
added.
IA :heart2' she repeated: "oh, yes,
I've heard OF hearts Men have them
but women never, except, perhapsswhen
+ UNI| UIlNFIHEV E1Il0bAOAlAA taAt
Size paused. Then added, slowly; you
we're rude to interrupt, Sidney. Shall
s continue my story"
Nothing would phase me more.
6gA5f I said. / was sssrely o school,
rirj = she went on, "a child, feeding on
| ~ f6nance of fiction. At that time /
| II6sd on kympatliy with such characters
flle beautiful Lady Marion, ana
4 led OF the happiness Of dying Tor.
modern William Wallace. So, Of
96iirs6. / made an idol OF and worship.
e6d Ere very first admirer that chanced
y come my way. And how devoted ne
isi He was nearly double my age ana
4 iarie. handsome man.
isW'2 walked In the moon lIght-when
Il sdiiis zeal away from boarding school
= M when / was kept in he would
l,sr5l al, a fence below my window and
.,iSG isve-sOngs on his mandolin. In
vi Va INDUCED in many Of those alb
ilS foIiles OF youthful fancies laugh
~ Then think of what fool was,
Il N ,l,nw Imagined myself devoted to
$50 live OF my life. The other girls,
v ehoolmates, envled me with az
fbSlr hearts, especially when l would
sf6nd Ia them the more Insane parts OF
,sS,nv fender missives that my
5,so sent me. / think, in truth, II
more TO annoy the other girls than
nv other reason 'thSe 7 gave myself
i,- M, thoroughly to romantic love-
etneS and sentiments;
AZ ala 1t all end?" Sidney Graham
la6 as she ceased speaking and be.
min to toy with the absurd little
Il feathers. ibid Juliet finally
..,es1 her Romeo and did he, like one Of
,scessors, find soiace in sulclde?"
course, j tired Of him and IN half
+ the very sight OF him filled me
s,.f WEAKNESS and disgust, she re-
I.I NAnd he positively refused 70 be-
when / dismissed him. Suchte tor
ns he became with his appeals
-n5 SttAra! TEEff! Men are so selfish, 80
onnble."
fhaps he.really loved you"
il5d doubt / think loved him-for a
IN "a. But how brutal OF him to
hsraiEtentl When said, THE
~ n iinished; let US part, friends"
sha ravedilike lunatic, exclatmlng that
Max a mans heart was not to act
rce, but tragedy" Ian
low long did he annoy you thus "
n FOR several years." she answer.
"Yhe time seemed endless. met
IL everywhere and at every oppoftu-
tfy. ~ ifnpiored me to marry him, to
n n, was when first saw him.
md you?"
Insulted him in return. At hrSt l
/ laitiS5 rim. hut his persistence mad
d me and used every means IN my
r3.sisr 10 rid myself Of him."
fitfth what RESULT" he questioned.
tiiie suddenly disappeared she an
ifsd "some said he had gone to In
IA others that he had become herr
n n nd was fast losing his mind do
= ifnow really whatever became OF