The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1898-12-29
On New YEARS EW.

On tbo sofa half in the LIGHT half lost
In tho sbadnyy n yvo,n,n Inv I'm nm rnensv
attitnSo Ivntcbino tbo yyritor With stoady
ewes Her face was baopard md male and
sooral rorrd In ard rnstriI ,yitb bnos 81
discontont bor hair In disorder
~ -, Iittlo toLIo b,, bor ia, ,,,oro , Lot
NJ ,naJicinc hott,as and n novel baif cut
tho nnner l. krifo Sticking In a rorooatborod
With n hottie nj chonn Smelling salts On
bcr {, n gers a nuontitY NJ faIse ieyolrv nIov.
ed hide and seek with tho freiipht. gleom.
inc from the folds Of bor crumnIed gown
There was nothing Of tondcrness or of
solicitrde en- tho r,nze which eho hent nnon
the man nv the table and she persisted in
it oItbongb she saw n irritated him Al
every nervous ejaculation her ewes CLEAN.
ed brighter than her Jewels and with no
flicker in their intensity. At every pause
of the non she moved rostlessIv. as If To
hurry it's mace, but She never turned her
head away
Rut nrcsentlv tho lnmnligbt with ono
last ftCul lean pasped and went plimmer-
inulv ont and the man threw down his
pen with a ouick exclamation. "Hanp
the lampsl Are they never seen to in this
houseY" He stumbled tentatively to the
mantelpiece, feeling his way with out
stretched hands, and searched carefully
across its surface.
The woman on the sofa raised herself
deliberately on one elbow and regarded
him, her eyes shining with malice.
"Really, is it worth while lighting it
apainY" she asked such a pity YOU
should have so much trouble, and YOU
have knocked over half n dozen things al
readyl should leave it alone. The fire.
light will last our time. l suppose you
are going TO bed within an appreciable
periods"
She sank back among her cushions.
"I cannot write In the dark :" he said in
n sullen tone.
Her laugh echoed through the room,
but she made no other reply.
"But of course that is of no conse-
quence."
"I did not say so, but-well, it costs
money nowadays to keep ones light burn
ing, and now that you have mentioned it
l am not sure-what reason have for
thinking it worth whileY"
"God knows; you have little" He
struck match with shaking fingers and
lit couple of candles, then crossed quick
ly to her couch and, bending, laid his two
hands upon hers. "Mapde, do not let us
quarrel We have only each other and
and it is the last night of the old year.
Perhaps "a better one is dawning for us"
She sighed impatiently and twisted her
hands away from his. Maybe"
shall read 1t to your" He had turn
cd to the table.
She nodded.
He carried his work to the hearth and
read, standing, with bowed shoulders and
excited lips, by tho moagor light. 1t was
evident that this mans work was much
to him. And when 1t was finished:
"Well?" ho said, turning to her eagerly.
She was playing absently with her rings.
"To think that l should have come TO
wear false stones" she said, the tears al =
most in her eyes.
II wish they were all behind the fire
every one of them" he said excitedly.
II dare say you do.
Then presently: II dare say 1t is very
good; but, then, don't know much about
that kind of thing. 1t Is too good prob
ably. Like the bread cast upon the wa
ters, 1t will come back to you after many
days"
There was time whom you cared
enough about that kind of thing" bit.
terly.
"Ah, l dare say-in the old days when
you posed as genius and were TO set the
Thames on fire."
"Maude, how can your You know that
I told you-you know that did not de-
ceive YOU. told you"-
ooh, they all say that, but they don t
mean it to be taken for gospel"
"I sold you that was no burning or
shining light"
"Did YOU mean me to expeot tbisp" She
thrust her hand toward the hare room
with contemptuous gesture that stung
him to tho quick.
"ThisY God forbid oh. know have
not done INV partl l have not done titbe
of what I meant TO do. But 1t was too
much to do alone. | have not had the
heart One must have sympathy-iust a
little sympathy."
"Just n little sympathy.n She MIN
licked his tragic tones; her lips twisted in
a sneer. bah! / am sick-sick to death
OF you fine, artistic people with all your
whining for sympathyl Other men can
dlspenso with such fine feelings and vet
earn enough money to keep their wives"
"Maude!"
"As for your worlS"-she leaned toward
him, and with her thin hands pushed the
hair back from her faCo-'I hate it What
arc they to me--your artistic idealsY
want To have l,nty to eat and plenty to
wear and plenty to spend, like other wo,
men"
ooh, it has all been a failure! know it
has been q failurel But | swear to you,
Maude that with another woman
"YesY Oh, go ont Do, please. / want
to hear about the other woman. She had
sympathy no doubt You would have set