Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1896-10-01
SOME SINNERS,
"Your letters, misS I"
"Thanks, Payn.


"Thanks, Payn."
Beatrice was in bed. She often wa
in bed, even when the third and fourt
deliveries came. With the letters tn
maid brought cup of tea. She drew
the rose pink curtains to give her mis-
tress an opportunity to enjoy her letter
and the tea; also she was curiou
about the effect Of that envelope witt
tic postmark Portland " She was no
supposed to know, but she knew. Sh,
had had great experience as lady
maid and relished mysteries
And, sure enough, she had her reward
this time also. The moment Beatrice
caught sight Of the Portland" lette
she flushed so that her complexion haC
no need of those pink curtains to en-
hance it, and with apetulant movement
of the hand she overturned the dainty
little silver stand with the tea. Payl
uttered a sympathetic cry.
"Take it away" said Beatrice. "a
don't want any, after all.
Payn was quite loath to go There wat
another letter with the postmark
"Maidenhead, and Payn was curiou.
about that also. But she was not allowed
further indulgence in drama at mel
mistress expense.
Leave me, l said I wish to be
alone" Beatrice calculated, with, foI
her, an unusual show of temper
Certainly, miss" murmured the
girl in the most humble and deferential
of tones.
Then Beatrice fell back in bed, with
the Portland" letter crushing tighter
and tighter in her small right hand.
Shame flooded her, as the tea the car
pet, and many memories incident to the
sense of shame.
And consequent upon this feeling
Beatrice's beart grew angry with fate,
and she asked herself why she, of all
women, shculd have been subjected to
such fearful humiliation.
For an hour she lay thus Then,
though still with preoccupied thoughts,
she rang the bell and bade Payn help her
to dress.
If you please, miss" said the well
conducted maid as she entered. 81 was
just coming to say that the viscount is
here
"Oh, yes," murmured Beatrice.
"You can go and tell him to amuso
himself with breakfast. or cigarettes, or
anything, and Chen come back. We must
hurry"
They did hurry, though not unreason-
ably. The viscount was not n young
man who liked to be kept waiting, espe-
cially by the lady Of his brief but warm
affections. Yet all the while, for the
life of her, Beatrice could not help
thinking Of other things.
She had burned the Portland letter
without opening 1t, and as il in retribu-
tion the writer now came but more
forcibly before her
While Payn did her work with that
smooth celebrity that made her so great
treasure Beatrice lived in the past.
And these were some Of the pictures that
passed like dissolving views before her
lively mind:
The home vicarage with her white
haired, worried parent and his imbecile
money troubles. Why had he, u clergy
man, mixed so unwisely with the
worlds affairs? eve are ruined, my
DEAR" he walled. with his old head
bowed In his hands on the breakfast ta-
BILE. 'Thereis Is only one way ont of 1t. /"
"And what is that, papa?" ssks q
girl of 20 springtime edition Of the
beautiful woman upon whose face Bea-
trice looked SO impassively in her mirror,
while Payn brushes her hair.
"If," moaned the old man, "you
would but marry Paul Williams.
A wedding She (Beatrice) and lit
Gle middle aged man, upon whose clean
shaven face there rests an expression of
irritating pride and reverence! The
usual nonsense afterward. Then they
are together in carriage, though her
dress leaves little room for him. He is
whispering in her ear. This is what he
says:
my darling, there is nothing on
earth I will not do to make you happy
NothingP'
A great house in town, Hveried serv-
ants, gliding and lights, flowers, the
admiring homage of the world and of
the many smart young men in particu-
lar. A little harassed. baldheaded man
somewhere in the background
"Who's that little ape?" she hears a
young diplomat whisper to youth like
himself, with nod at the little man.
"Don't you know? Why. it's Mon
sieur lie Mari, to be sure''
Then laugh---such laugh! Anon.
the first of the young gentlemen, having
an opportunity, kisses her hand and be-
comes impassioned.
A curious conversation: my dear
Beatrice" says the little bald gentle.
man-how bothered he looks. yet how
kindl-"if you are sure 1t will MAKE
you happy, it shall be done. But ! must
not disguise from you that am playing
a dangerous game. Fer myself I care
not; it may lead me into trouble Of the
worst kind, but you, please God, will
even then oe spared the miseries Of
want That / have contrived.
eyes" says the woman, brutally i'm
perious and cold, I'VE must certainly
do II. I don't believe your talk about
CA9ToRIA.
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