The Florence daily tribune., 1898-03-12

the Graftons reflects credit ON her gem
eraiship II not ON her general char
acter. She was deep in widows weeds
ard woe the lovely summer of 81 so
.org as she remained In the neighbor
hood of the mausoleum of the dear
departed, and Mrs. Grafton twice or
thrice ran down from the Point to
pour out sympathy and consolation, but
dear Fanny had sustained too severe a
shock. This dreadful, this mysterious,
this murderous assault upon Mr.. Ne
Lame had uunerved her completely, ,iaid
Mrs. Grafton. on her return to her liese,
and she docs not seem to rally at all.
Later, us we have seen, Charlotte took
her sister west, and later still the
araftons, en- route to Sedgwick at last,
stopped FIVE days in Chicago on their
way. and Fanny was at the station TO
meet them on their arrival and insist
ed then, as she had before by letter,
upon their being her guests ut her own
apartments ut the Clarendon. She had
lovely little room all ready for them.
Now Grafton was provident man, an
economical man, and five days hotel
bills made certainly n big hole in q
months pay. Something even then
whispered TO him that this extrava-
gnnce We're better than that to which
acceptance of the widows invitation
would lead. But he banished the
thought as unworthy and uncharitahle.
Fanny welcomed them with Infinite
tact and taste-made them feel that
their coming was blessing to her, so
sad and lonely was her life now that ii
WIS no longer blessed by the compan-
icnship and devotion of the incompar-
able husband whom she had lost. She
could not accompany them to the opera
or to concerts and theaters, but she
had the best seats secured, and Ned
and Charlotte were properly attentive:
and when il was time for the Graftons
t. move on the ladies' actually parted
with tears, Fanny looking so white, so
pathetic, so fragile, aud protesting that
Mrs. Grafton was the one friend to
whom her heart clung in its bereovc-
DeDti and desolation. A hacking lit
tie cough had already set in (this was
late in the falD, and the rigors of the
Lake Michigan climate seemed telling
severely upon the Cotham-born girl.
and urgently did Mrs. Grafton press
her to leave this clustering shore and
10 come to her in that land where
coughs and bronchial and catarrhal
troubles ere unknown, to bask in the
sunshine and drink in the delicious air
OF southern New Mexico; and Fan de-
clared THAT could she but be with Ilnr-
riet her cough would never worry her,
butt could not bet could not be,
There were important legal matters to
be settled. She must fight her battle
alone. She could not yet go so far from
that sacred dust.
All the same the Graftons were not
fairly settled at Sedgwick when Fans
legal difficulties seemed to have been
settled and her cough grievously aug
mented. The doctors talked of Bermu-
da or San Diego, but the idea Of going to
Bermuda, among strangers. was hor-
ror, so she wrote; and as for Coronado
where, less than year agone, she had
been so happy. so blest ?-no mol twas
impossible. Yet Chicago for the rest of
he winter was out of the question, es-
peci;ily since the estrangement that
had grown up between her and her rel
atives in the east, that had even to some
extent Involved Charlotte, her beloved
SISTER. Mrs. Grafton could not help
thinking how remarkably Frances had
developed since her school days. Then
she had never impressed anyone as be-
ing capable of much deep feeling. There
had been few months, indeed, when
Mrs. Grafton was angry and astonished
NJ Frances, but those were just after
she broke" with Randy Merriam and
married McLnne but Fan had wheedled
her out of this unfavorable mood and
convinced her that she had never really
cared for Mr.. Merriam, who, somehow,
failed to inspire her with that feeling
of respect. even reverence, which she
ieit was due the man she married;
whereas Mr.. McLane was a gentleman
of such dignity and force of character
shat she seemed powerless in his pres
ence. and his love was the sweetest fiat
terry, the most surprising, thrilling joy
she had ever known. Not until he came
did she dream what love really meant,
and then 1t was duty. it was justice, it
was honor that compelled her to release
Mr.. Merriam. Had she married him she
would have gone to the altar with lie
on her lips, for she loved another.
Grafton said nothing. but seemed to be
thinking a good deal. and it was plain
that he did not thoroughly approve of
the tickle Frances. When, however, Mer-
Ram surprised everybody al the Point
by his marriage to Floy Tremaine,
Grafton concluded it was time to drop
the matter.
All the same he could otsuppress his
surprise when Harriet announced that
Fanny had actually almost consented
to come to them. II thought you knew
l disapproved of that scheme entirely"
said he.
"You did. dear, when first spoke of
it, and so did ]. I didn't think II would
do at all, but Fan talked SO frankly
about Mr.. Merriam and the lovely time
fbey'.i had toupfbar NJ, fha p,ciffc