Middletown transcript., 1897-09-18

Vho AnOAOoaS AA0A"A ohA PhJoiNoA AO6OA
GRAFTON of the whole of mankind, and
intermittenly, womankind. She diff
fered from many of the women wit
missions and views, inasmuch as sh
was young, handsome and married.
1t was in regard to her marriage
however, that Myra had created some
thing akin to astonishmenti in the mind
of her friends She had accepted th
proposal Of Ronald Fame and falsifie,
her own proposition that 'sit was thl
duty of man or woman never to mar
ry an individual who was not an intel
lectual equal.n Ronald Fame neve
made any pretence of intellectual ac.
quirement above the average, and 81
her friends wondered. Ronald, him
self even, when a couple of years hat
passed, could not understand why hi
had won her.
He had not been the only suitor; ont
rival especially, man older, more
gifted in every way than himself, had
run him hard. But, in spite of every
thing, he had won, and with that ht
was content. There had been few
whispers that he was rich and a good
match, but if Ronald had heard them
he put them aside without heartburn
ings. He thought she was of too pure,
too noble nature to accept him be.
cause of the luxuries with which be
could surround her. He was frankly
proud Of his treasure, though at times
he felt that to be the husband of pop
ular lecturer was not without its
drawbacks. Oftentimes, indeed, when
she was holding an audience enthralled
with the charm of her silver voice, and
magnelizing its units with the spell of
her beauty, her husband was wander
ing moodily about his home, which
seemed so dull in her absence, until he
was forced eventually to ind society at
his club. Marriage was not the
ideal state he had pict ured, but he was
of a happy disposition. and be would
have done anything, put up with any
thing, in order that Myra should gain
a moments qualification.
At last, however, an event occurred
that WIS destined to cause him consid-
cradle nDeasiness. One dull February
day, when London was its murkiest,
with cold yellow fog wrapping up
everything inside and out, Ronald came
In from his club. and went straight to
his wife's boudoir. He expected to
find her alone. 1t was already past six,
and had be Iemaint d away long enough
for the last Of Myra's friends, with her
oddly assorted bundles of opinions, to
have departed.
He nearly always managed to be alb
sent him self on occasions when the
presence of the strong-minded phalanx
was expected. Their enthusiasms
bored him, their voices Jared on his,
nerves; sometimes be almost shuddered
at the prospect that his sweet-voiced
Myra might become even as they were.
He expected to find her alone, but as
he opened the door he heard a clear
male voice enuuciating some doctrine
of emancipation. There was only the
light Of the fire in the cosily-curtained
room, and for moment be could not
distinguish the features of the stranger.
1t was not until Myra, rising, said:-
"You surely remember Philip Pres
ton," that be recognized that his wife's
visitor was no other than his unsuc-
cessful rival.
Fane's first impulse was almost one
of anger. What right had the man
in his house? But it soon died away.
He had been away from England and
been cured of his love-sickness. It
was only natural that he should wish
to renew an old acquaintance. So he
greeted Preston cordially.
Its SO long since l've seen you that
in the dusk / really didn't recognize
you. Been back long?"
1.-TWO or three weeks" replied Pres
ton indifferently. $50 many of my
old friends are dead or dispersed that
it is very pleasant to find some one I
know, and SO l called in here, and Mrs.
Fame made me promise to remain TO
dinner.n
They drifted into general conversa-
tion, and Ronald learned that Preston
bad gone away poor man, but re-
turned a rich one. He had no suspic-
ion that Preston's presence was die
tated by any other reason than that he
had given. It was enough that his
amused Myra.
If he had heard the conversation
which had preceded his entrance, he
might not have been disposed to have
treated Preston SO warmly, for he |
would have learned that the old lover
had returned with the intention of TAX.
ing up his love-making at the very |
point at which he had dropped it. But
10 was blind. His wife, young, hand
Iome, clever, was the soul of honor; his
'riend was clever, too. 1t was natural
hat they should each like the compan-
onship of the other, they had SO many
IDEAS in common.
Philip Preston became a constant
Iisitor at the Fsnes' house. Some-
lines be escorted Myra to her lectures,
net her there more often than Ronald
vas aware ot. more often brought
'er home. It became evident at last
o Ronald that be hardly ever saw bis
wife alone. be began to fancy that she
'voided his presence, and was con-