The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1896-05-21
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. But
within, the Metropole hotel was q 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 it 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 q bouquet of pale, double
violets yielded sweetest incense to the
woman near whose elbow they stood.
She was very lovely woman; beauti-
full with the gentle fragility of white
lily, with eyes like tremulous stars and
soft, yellow hair fuffed into simmer
ing aureole about her small delicate
face. Her mouth was fashioned with a
plaintive droop at either corner, but
Just now 1t was parted witt h1ppy
smiles and happier sighss
With hands TINT were as small and
transparent as rose leaves, she pushed
lside pile Of eignguidcs, maps,
time tables and writing materialsSth that
lay ON the table before her, and then
oestlcd back luxuriously in herchair. +
'Ah! finished at Lost. what's perfect
tour we have mapped out, and ohi Dick,
how divinely happy we shall be-"
The man who was sitting at her side
bent down and kissed her in thnt dainty
hollow of her neck just where the pink
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 her
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 see,
dear, happiness kindness-and I
have always been such strangers that
[ feel nervous, shy, absurdly apprehen-
sive, just as though were really about
to be introduced to some ono didn't
know"
Happiness Is the best friend, and the
easiest to get along with of anyone 1
know" laughed Dick Meynell, 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 Baedelzer
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.
f like to keep on looking at the list
of places we are going to-" she explained
with a little smile, as she sank into her
seat. 1T makes our honeymoon seem
nearer"
Then as Dick Meynell pulled over 3
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 att
tumn comes, back to Maynel Hurst.
your home-our home, where we shall
Z be like the people in old-fashioned story
books, and live happy ever after"
1.Please God! my darling" muttered
Meynell, under his mustache.
:'Dick," she asked, irrelevantly, edo
you think it awfully wicked for me to
y want to be happy? Not want in a casual
fashion, you know, but crave, desire:
/ yearn for happiness with every throb
ssof my heart and nerve of my body. I
wonder if it's very wrong"
And he, remembering the tragedy of