Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1898-07-13

~ over and over
wearying of the
repetition and yet never able to end IL
by saying heartily that he was glad
and triumphant, or bitterly that he was
sorry and ashamed. The plain face
stared him in the face, that Helen Ray.
mond did not love him and that Mrs
Raymond had urged his suit, and ex.
crted her maternal influence and elo
qucnce until Helen had consented to
he his wife. telling him very frankly
that her heart was in the grave of her
lover, George Nauhorn, who had been
killed In a railway collision nearly one
year before.
Mother was never willing I should
marry George" Helen said. sadly, be
cause he was poor and we have suf-
fered all that poverty can inflict. He
was ola his way to Colorado, where his
brother had been successful, when ha
was killed.
VIII Spencer WINGED, for he was rich.
very rich, but then lie put to the wound
that soothing salve, Il will win her
love when she is my wife" that has
wrecked SO many lives. 1t may come,
this love that will not be hidden, TO a
man and wife, after they are bound
together for life, but the risk Is great.
and VIII Spencer knew 1t.
Yet he cherished the delusion that
love in the end would win a return,
and he knew his own love TO be strong
and enduring. He had stepped back
when George Nanhorn was met with
such smile, as he could never win
had kept from pressing his suit when
the name Of Helen'S lover appeared on
the list of the killed in the account of
the railway collision, but after the lapse
of several months he had won MIS-.
Raymond to his side and so. by proxy,
woOed Helen and won-what? a cold,
reluctant consent to be his wife.
Yet she was not cold, this girl of 20,
whose heart had been crushed ever
since the day when George Vanhorn's
name was recorded as dead. He could
have told how her eyes could soften
with loves tenderness, her cheeks burn
with loves bushes, her low, sweet,
voice tremble with loves whispered
words. He had won what all the Spcn-
Ger gold. the riches of long generations,
could not buy.
Before that fatal railway collision she
was n bright, beautiful girl, with large,
expressive brown eyes, a voice OF
music, the step of fairy, singing as
q bird sings, from sheer joyousness Of
heart, bringing a jest to all the house
hold worries, laughing merrily over her
own blunders in the culinary depart
ment, turning old dresses, renOvating
old bonnets without u complaint, living
on love and hope.
After that day she moved about slow
iy, her eyes We're dull and weary. her
duties met with rigid mechanical pre-
cision, her lips compressed, her checks
pale, as shadow of her joyous self.
Mrs. Raymond was often afraid thnt
she would yet miss the golden prize she
had partly won. and heartily seconded
VIII in his preparations for a speedy
wedding. 1t was Mrs. Raymond who
went with him TO open the house that
he had bought to adorn for his bride,
who aided him IN the selection Of car
pens, curtains, furniture, and gave him
instructions regarding the kitchen de-
partment, of whose needs he was as ig
norant as most young bachelors. 1t
was Mrs. Raymond who received IN
anonymous letter containing a liberal
sum. which she quietly appropriated
for trousseau and suitable dress for
the brides mother.
She was woman of rare tact Hav-
ing won Helen's consent TO be VIII
Spencer'S wife. she never bothered her
by complaints about her listness indif-
ference to her lover or her future pros
poets. She simply made all the ar
rangemcnts for her, without once ad-
mitting a possibility OF change. The
DeJrothal was spoken of on all occa-
siOns the preparation of the house, the
Selection of the trousseau referred TO,
In matter OF fact words that made Hell
en feel, as it was intended she should,
that she had walked into a net from
which there was no escape.
And VIII Spencer know 1t all, and
writhed under the knowledge, being n
frank, loyal man, whose impulses were
generous and honorable, and who loved
Helen with all the strength of his heart.
Often he asked himself how he could
nndure lifr If lie found his wife faith
ful slave. instead of the happy compan
ton he had hoped TO make her.
''If she never loves me-" he thought
bitterly. "If all my love fails to win
hers, what will my life beT"
He did her justice. He knew that II
his love failed TO win her heart his gold
was powerless to make her happy. He
knew that If her mother died or could
not be benefited by her marriage, she
would rather beg her bread herself
than be his wife.
While matters stood In this unsat
isfactory state. Mrs. Raymond made
suggestion: Il want you to go away
for n MONTH" she said to him, ''and let
Helen miss the constant devotion that
she has had ever since your betrothal
Let her feel that IA void has come into
her life and how dull and cheerless II
would be If she lost you. The wedding
day is set for June 10, and this is April.
Stay away until the 9TH OF 9th of June"
1t seemed to him good advice and he
had business in the West that would fill
his time profitably. 1t gave him the
first really happy moment of his en-
gagement, when Helen said gently, yet
with shudder:
II cannot bear to think Of you on rail-
way trains, Will Write often. that ]
may know you are safe"
Her lips met his In tender pressure