The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-06-29

I Immediately proclaimed their disbe-
lief. But, as IL to punish them for their
uncharitableness, Mr.. Hungerford APP
peared upon the scene about a week
afterward. He was well-to-do and en-
J gagged In a fairly prosperous business.
/ He was 49, but looked much younger.
| Somewhat grave in manner; upright;
with a kindly disposition; and to crown
ALL very much in love with Leora.
} To say that the aunt and uncle were
delighted, is to put It lightly. They
were overwhelmed with their own joy
| full gratitude. And Leora appeared to
have emerged from a butterfly and to
have become a human soul! Never had
she been so bewitching and at the same
time lovable. And yet, there were
times when she reminded one of Moth
ing SO much as a white purring kitten!
Three months afterward they were
married, and with all the display that
she could coax and kiss out of her
uncle and aunt. 1t is needless TO say
that she looked like a fairy flower in
her white wedding gown; and the hus-
band, if not a fairly handsome man,
looked so manly and good. and happy,
at the same time the disappointed suit
ors were heaping maledictions upon
the happy bridegroom.
And he was happy bridegroom--for
little while! The new house with it's
new furniture; the wedding presents;
the sense Of being her own mistress; in
fine the novelty of her new life, so en-
thralled her that she was all that a
young wife should be for a few months.
But WI en- the novelty wore off; when
her husband ceased to buy every
trinket that she begged for telling her
kindly, but firmly that he could not
afford 1t, there came GOODNESS in her
manner and feelings. At first, the good
man was puzzled and distressed; but
after time he began to realize that
he had married nothing so much as a
pretty. flower; and being wiser than
some of his fellows, he realized also
that he lad done it of his own free
choice; and he proceeded to adapt him
self and abide the consequence, with
out any outcry. But it was hard up
on him at times, and he became graver
and graver, and Leora pouted and fan
cied grievances where none existed
what q pretty flower had of cheer and
comfort, for weary, home loving
man. was not very satisfying; but then
men seldom think of that in the first
infatuation.
1T might have been that he could
have touched and wakened her better
nature, If ne had tried; but he did not
try; like us all, his own loss loomed so
large that he could not see others. Be
sides he knew as much of her needs. of
her inner nature, as If she had been a
French doll, and indeed, 1t might not
have availed at that time. Some ma
lures have the soul awakened as by
fire. IF Leora had had a child" I
near some one say. But she had none
And remembering the silly mothers of
that sort, 1 am inclined to doubt
whether even a child would have been
more than a puppet to hang pretty
clothes upon.
Unfortunately, it was at this Juno
ture that Mrs. Hungerford made the
ACQUAINTANCE of young lawyer and
his wife, Mr.. and Mrs. Rollo Bently.
Rollo Bently possessed more ambition,
plus good looks, than he did Of world
ly gear. His domestic affairs seemed to
be of the happiest. Sara, his wife, was
year or two her husbands senior
Though she was not strictly beauti-
tul, she was a refined and agreeable
young woman, who seemed eminently
bound up in her husband and their
two small children. She was a good
housekeeper, making ends meet in
some wonderful ways and looking like
the lady that she was, in her neat and
stylish dress People envied the Bent
lys. Rollo had so much talent; his
wife was so well suited to him, that
rare good fortune was universally pre-
dicted for them.
The Hungerfords and they could not
wen escape acquaintance, living not
only in the same town, but on the
same street; and they had even a
stronger bond to unite them. They were
all members of the same church, as
well as of several other organizations.
Ieeting. thus frequently, they became
somewhat intimate, uncongeniaI as
they might seem to be. Besides, Mr.,
Bently had no stable. although he
possessed a horse and buggy. And as
Mr.. Hungerford had room Cnd to spare
in his stable. Bently kept his horse,
and after a time his buggy also, in the
formers stable. This necessitated fire.
Guent visits at informal hours to the
Hungerford place, as Rollo preferred
to look after his horse himself, even
II he could have afforded to hire Mr..
HuEgerford's stable boy to do it for
him. OF course this strengthened their
intimacy; but Roll, as his intimates
called him, was not at all averse to
a pleasant chat with the pretty mis-
tress of the modest cottage
She somehow, seemed to have an
excuse for being out-of- doors when
ever the good-looking, dark-eyed young
lawyer called, ostensibly to feed his
horse, but often to go for a drive. At
first he impart.ally took his wife one
morning and Mrs. Hungerford the
next. And no one thought II amiss,
since Mr.. Hungerford was so often
away, or too busy. Leora was gener-
ally attending to her flowers, and there
was usually a transfer of a blossom
or two; and, where was the harm. Roll
thought, since they were nominally
sent to Sara; for so Leora insisted
upon calling Mrs. Bently These two
were not thoroughly intimate; there
was so little common ground, and they
were so very different; still, their in
tercourse Tas pleasant enough.
Yet perhaps, it was as well that Sara
did not see the pretty, copuettish mo-
tion Of the little hands; the glances of
the big blue eyes; the smiles of the