The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-02


lent match for a man. And by way of a
wedding present she sent Fanny a grace
fully bound volume of poetry by George
ets nq 70 Fanny r1te w back
full Miss Winchelsea hoped that some
day Mr.. Senoks might take up that slim
book and think for moment of the donor.
Fanny wrote several times before and about
her marriage pursuir that fond legend of
their ancient friendship, and giving her
happiness in the fullest detail. And Miss
Winchelsea wrote to Helen for the first time
after the Roman journey, saying nothing
about the marriage, but expressing very
cordial feelings.
They had been in Rome at Easter. and
Fanny was married in the August vacation.
She wrote a garrulous letter to Miss VIM
chelsea describing her homecoming and the
astonishing arrangements of their "teeny
weeny little house. Mr.. Se'noakS was now
beginning to assume a refinement in Miss
Winchelseas memory cut OF all proportion
to the facts of the case, and she tried IN
vain to imagine his cultured greatness in a
"teeny weeny'' little house. Am busy
enameling a cozy corner said Fanny,
sprawling to the end of her third sheet so
excuse more" Miss Winchelsea answered In
her best style. gently poking fun at Fanny s
arrangements and hoping intensely that Mr..
Se'noaks might see the letter. Only this
hope enabled her to write at all, answering
not only that letter. but one in November
The two later communications contained
urgent invitations for her to come to Steely
Bank, on visit during the Christmas holt
d
her to ask that, but it was too much like
Fanny's opulent good nature. She could not
but believe that he must be sick of his
blunder by this time; and she had more
than a hope that he would presently write
her a letter beginning Dear Friend.
Something subtly tragic in the, separation
was great support to her, sad misunder-
standing. To have been Tilted would have
been intolerable But he never wrote that
letter beginning Dear Friend"
For two years Miss Winchelsea could not
go to see her friends in spite of the reiter-
ated invitations of Mrs. Sevenoaks-it be-
came full Sevenoaks in the second year.
Then one day near the Easter rest, she felt
lonely and without friend who understood
her in the world, and her mind ran once
Fanny clearly happy and busy in her
new sphere of domesticity, but no doubt he
had his lonely hours Did he ever think of
those days in Rome-gone now beyond re-
calling? No one had understood her as he
had done; no one in all the world. 1t would
be a sort of melancholy pleasure to, talk to
him again; why should she deny herself?
That night she wrote a sonnet, all but the
last two lines of the octave; it was charged
with subtle vague emotion, and the next
day she composed a graceful. little note TO
tell Fanny she was coming down. And so
she him again. He had changed, he
seemed stouter and less nervous, and his
conversation had already lost much of its
old delicacy. There even seemed a iustifica-
ton Of Helens description of weakness in
his face; in certain lights it was weak. He
seemed busy and preoccupied about his af-
fairs, and almost under the impression that
Miss Winchelsea had come for the sake of
Fanny. He discussed his dinner with Fanny
in an intelligent way. They only had one
good long talk together and it came to moth
ing. He did not refer to Rome, and spent
some time abusing a man who had stolen
an idea he had had for a textbook. It did
not seem a very wonderful idea to Miss
Winchelsea She discovered he had forgot
ten the names of more than half the paint
ers whose work they had rejoiced over in
Florence.
1t was sadly disappointing week and
Miss Winchelsea was glad when it came to
an end Under various excuses she avoided
visiting them again: Alter a time the , vls-
boys and Fannys invitations ceased. The
intima.? of her letters had long since faded
AVA,