Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1896-05-14
A BROKEN LIFE.

Outside, the December evening was
closing in with grimy rain and heavy
swirls of mist that drifted up Northum-
terland avenue from the river. But
within. the Metropole hotel was a blaze
of light and color, and was merry with
the babble of voices and light laughter
of women.
In a small sitting room on the second
floor it was deliciously warm and frag-
rant. A huge fire 1eaped 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 f1uffed into a 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, aud then
nestled back luAurionsly 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
1y, 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 her
heart, thrilled the woman with emo
tion. 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 see,
dear, happiness kindness-and 1
have always been such strangers, that
1 feel nervous, shy, absurdly apprchen-
:sive, just as though were really about
to De introduced to some one [ didn't
know"
Happiness is the best friend, and the
easiest to get along with of anycns
KNOW" laughed Dick MeyneH, kissing
the little fingers that chung around his
own. Believe me, my child, you and
she will be inseparable pals directly.
But you are trembling, Lydia. Let me
push your chair round to the fire. We've
had enough of Bradshaw and Baedeker
for 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.
81 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
nearer"
Then as Dick Meynell pulled over /
chair for himself she spread the slip
of paper on he, 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-
mer, past Itaiy's blue lakes away to
Switzerland Afterward, when the au-
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" muttered
Mcynell, under his mustache.
"Dick." she asked. irrelevantly. ''do
YOU think it awfully wicked for me to
want to be happy? Not want in casual
fashion, you know, but crave. desire.
-earn for happiness with every throh
of my heart and nerve of my body. j
wonder if it's very wrong"
And he. remembering the tragedy of
her past life, on which even at that mt,
ment the curtain was only just fail
ing. smiled tenderly as he said:
Lydia, you cannot possibly wish for
all the happiness that is owed you"
She did not answer directly, but lift
ing the piece of paper from her lap
she scanned it with drawn brows and
,siickered mouth. Presently she dropped
&c with sigh.
3aDick, if could be happy-absolute-
ely, entirely happy, just for SO long as our
iourneyings are to last, think l could
die content. Oh! don't look SO
shocked" she cried, stretching pretty.
Dleading hands out to him. II do not