The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1896-01-18

brilhancy OF Ailce's conversation. Arm
leigh listened to her with delight He
was clearly impressed. An intellectual
man himself, he could appreciate intellect
ual talk, especially when it was set off by
sweet and musical voice. Then, too,
the whole expression of her face seemed
changed The calm immobility, which
usually had graced it, was there no longer
1t had given way to new and radiant
vivacity. In her eyes, when she addressed
Armleigh, shone brilliant something
which almost looked like challenge To
meet that look from such quarter, and
not to feel the pulse quicken and the heart
leap, would have demanded superhuman
restraint. Ronald Armleigh had many
fine qualities, but restraint of this descrip-
tion was not among them. He was clearly
being fascinated by this new development
in Alice's charms
What people say is not always of
much moment. They are given to speak
ing without knowledge and criticising with
ont judgment. But what people said
upon this particular matter did have some
groundwork of reason and good sense.
They asserted that if Alice Baines had
taken this line in the first instance, nobody
could have found fault with her. 1t would
then have resolved itself into a contest
between two sisters for prize to which
neither had greater claim than the other.
But to have acted as she had done, to have
taken no pains originally to strengthen her
hold upon Armleigh, to have let her
childish sisters affections become deeply
engaged with him, and then, when he was
on the point of making that childish sister
happy by declaration, to use every effort
to draw him back to herself-at the risk
of wrecking poor Bob's happiness, and,
perhaps, breaking her heart-why, this
was as cruel thing as jealousy, in its most
extreme form, could devise. Such conduct
toward friend would have been odious;
toward sister it was shameful, unpardon-
able Heaven grant the effect might meet
with that failure which it handsomely
merited
Heaven, however, did not grant it.
The effort proved successful. Bob's white
face and miserable expression betrayed
that, long before Armleigh's engagement
to Alice was announced, Bob s little dream
of happiness was over. Alice had dissi-
pated it finally and forever. But twas
not merely the loss of her lover, though
this was chief, but also her sisters con-
duct in the matter, which cut Bob to the
heart. Until this unhappy affair, Bob
had experienced nothing save the tender
est kindness, the most caressing care, from
Alice And then-on sudden-to be
so treated by her, it was as Incompetent
sible as it was unnatural and cruel.
Only once had Bob ventured on timid
remonstrance Alice had answered her
thus, hardly, and almost with seorn :
"Why were you not happy and content
with Gerald? Gerald is far more suited
to you than Ronald Armleigh You would
never have made Ronald happy.
Bob had burst into tears at this unfeel-
ing retort, and, without apology or any
attempt at solace, Alice had left the room
No other word on the subject parsed be-
tween them.
The Gerald of whom Alice had spoken
was an old admirer of childish Bobs, and,
until Armleigh's appearance, had been
that young lady's first favorite. He
lacked Armleigh's brilliance of manner
and distinction of bearing As love-
maker he was his hopeless inferior Many
people called him stupid. That he was
not. If rather slow of speech and silent
of temperament he had plenty of good,
sound sense, and, withal, possessed kind,
true heart and loyal disposition, which far
outweighed his external disqnalifcations.
Everyone could see that he was devoted
to Bob. Bob had liked, had even been
very fond of him. She might, perhaps,
have thought that she loved him, had not
Ronald Armleigh taught her what love
really was. But now her eyes were opened.
She knew love now. She knew, also,-
how many have known it thus ?-that
with the loss of her beloved had gone from
her the capacity of that first sweet senti-
ment; that its sublime inspirations, its deep
intensity, its pure delight, would neyer
throb in her quickened pulses again.
Bob did not feel bitter against her sis
ter. She scarcely felt indignant; she was
simply crushed and broken All who saw
her hollow eyes, her sad face, her dispir-
tied bearing, were struck with pity for the
poor child. Alice alone remained obdu-
rate, and, as far as could be seen, unfeel-
ing. 1t was unlike what Alice had ever
been before until this miserable affair
But her obduracy was easily explained.
Those of US who have wronged our dear
ones are the last to betray pity for them
in their sufferings. For those very suffer-
ings are our own condemnation. And
we, therefore, concern ourselves to make
as light of them as possible.
The wedding was solemnized before a
very small company, consisting chiefly Of
the bridegroom's relations. On Alice's
side only an aunt or two, and Bob-poor
Bob-were present. The ceremony was
cold, stiff, and, if the truth must be told,
gloomy. That was scarcely wonderful
Bob, indeed, tried hard to hide her misery
But those wan smiles were only the more
melancholy for the attempt, and her very
presence was a spectre at the feast
People said that, if there was such a
thing as Providence in this world of ours,
Alice would never find happiness in her
union with Armeligh, which she had con-
trived, so cruelty, at the expenses Of her
little sister. True, Bob did get over the
blow sooner than might have been expect
ed; true, the faithful Gerald found favor
again in those childish eyes, and something
that he one day said to her brought back
to them the sparkle of life and happiness.
Yet this did not in the least exculpate
Alice, who, at the time of inficting her
unnatural blow could never possibly have
foreseen the happy conclusion.
The people who thus expressed them
selves had reason, by and by, to be very
cock-a-hoop There was such a thing as
Providence in this world Of ours, and Alice