The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1897-05-06

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out, and she never suggested going
and never made any serious attemp
to get work. Her orphan and pennl
less condition served her as q usefu
means Of appealing to the sympathy
Of the elderly party" AS time wen
on, Hannah saw less and less Of hel
lodger, her cousin appropriated as hel
charge his study and laboratory, ant
1t was bitterness and gall to HANNAH
to see her administer to him all the
little attentions which she had beer
wont to perform.
Hannah, with her heart smarting a,
the bitter injustice of things, could no,
tell her that she was day by day rob
blng her Of all that made life bearable
And as, when n woman Is particular.
ly busy, man generally thinks she is
"fussing," and choosing to do some.
thing totally unnecessary, the elderly
party" came TO look upon 1t as quite
natural that Madaline should be his
hourly companion, and that she should
sit in an easy chair while Hannah, hot
and weary in mind and body, should
toll and strive for them both.
After Madaline had been with them
three months Hannah's lodger came
into fortune. 1t was not large one,
but II would enable him to live in ease
and comfort for the rest of his life.
When Hannah heard the good news,
what she dreaded most did not happen.
He did not suggest moving into more
luxurious lodgings; he seemed to con-
slider himself fixture in the wains-
coted room with its cottage window
and old oak floor; but he bought more
pretty plants and fresh hOthouse flow
ers, which Madalne now accepted
with a blush and prettiness that sent
his blood coursing through his veins.
One morning, when Hannah was
ironing, with the table piled high in
well bleached linen, the elderly party"
came into the kitchen with Madaline
He walked straight up to where Han
nah stood, with her hot face bent over
the steaming shirt, and drew Madaline
forward.
Hannah. your cousin has promised
to marry me. She is young and beau
tful, and / am only a plain scholar,
but | will do my best to make her n
good husband"
AS If it had been thrust through her
body with the point Of bayonet, each
word went to Hannahs heart. 1t
ceased beating. Madaline, of course,
knew why her cousin had so suddenly
tainted, and the poor little bit Of tri-
umph made her heart beat quicker,
but when she looked up at her lover
his face was pale with fear. She saw
a look of agony in his eyes as he
turned them to her for help, which told
her that she did not possess the heart
of the scholar so completely as she
thought, and the devil in her was
reused.
''Oh, you need not be so alarmed;
she has tainted through sheer jeal-
Ousy."
For one moment he stood transfixed;
all that he had been blind to for years
was made Main to him now, and in
that moment he recognized the heart
lessness of the woman he had proposed
to only ten minutes ago.
"Are you n woman to tell a womans
secret and make light Of it?'
Madaline was frightened at the look
of scorn and contempt in his eyes,
which had always looked at her so
gently. She stood at bay, and watched
his trembling hands sprinkling Han
nahs face with the cold water she had
used for sprnkling the linen. 1t was
kept in small white bowl on the
ironing table.
1--WE not said anything that the
whole village does not know, Arabella
included, that Hannah Fletcher has
been waiting to marry her lodger for
the last ten years"
Then, by God, I'll marry her now.
l love her, tell you." He chafed the
pale cheeks, and rubbed the thin
hands. T've always loved her. Oh,
my God, Oh, my God, what selfish
fool have been!
You loved me but ten minutes ago.
For simple scholar you are wonder
fully quick in love-"
Ten minutes ago I did not know
that 1t was Hannah I loved as a man
ought to love the woman he marries.
Your beauty deceived me into believ-
ing that l loved you. had not given
thought to love until you came. ask
your forgiveness"
Tears, which were always ready,
came into her blue eyes at the harsh
words he had spoken, but she knew
that they Were true. She had no love
for the grave and elderly scholar; he
was to be her refuge from work, and
she loved ease. She stood for mo-
ment or two and watched returning
quiver over Hannah's
pale face, and then she turned to go.
"After all, Hannah is growing old.
and she has been good to me. will
not rob her of her elderly lover"
A lover was waiting for Madaline
half mile out of the village. He was
a provision dealer, and Madallne would
have preferred being the wife of a
Queen.