Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1898-01-12


evening have in store for herr She knew
her cousin well enough to EXPECT LITTLE
from him This man would scarcely T; Ike
upon himself the trouble of introducing
her, and. of course. the hand, of the host
ess were full. Truly the situation was
pitiablc.
They had stonpc1 dancing and were
walking about like two shipwrccLrd sail
ors on a desert island, he locking anxious
ly for some sign Of rescue She with the
Settled despair of one who know, that
none can come And so they walked and
walked. Dances began and ended the
music floating mockiEgly ont to them,
but still th"y walked on, their cony ers;i-
ton, If on" may dignity it by that name,
consisting Of spasmoGic attempts at little
spcec!:es prompted by common politencss
Finally in desperation he sought n Sc
cludcd seat where she would not he seen
at all but where his eve could command a
view of the entrance to the supper room
Here he placed himself like cat waiting
to pounce upon its elusive prey, while she,
poor littl2 thing, was trying so bravely to
rcpress the hard sobs that rose in her
throat and to keep the horrible silence
from settling down upon them. as it
threatened to do So eagerly was ais eve
fastened on the doorway that fortunately
he did not look at her, else he would have
seen a face almost tragic in its misery that
would have stamped itself indelibly upon
his mind. But then, he could not know
that this was the party of which she had
dreamed and talked, for which she had
actually lived these many days past He
could not know what this failure meant
to her, and how many bright. sweet hopes
1t swept away out of her life. He could
not know how, as she looked ahead, the
days stretched themselves out in endless
grayneSs, and there seemed nothing moth
Ing worth living for.
Oh. she clnched her cold little hands
and determined on one more effort to re
deem herself in this strangers eyes. I
am very sorry Mr. Blake she said quite
calmly, that | have been so thrust upon
you, and know | have made your even
ing a terrible lore. also realize now that
even had known every one here it would
have made no difference. There are some
unfortunately Of which this may be said
but what can u woman do in such posi-
ton? | want, however, to thank you =
"Oh, please don talk like that he in
terrupted quickly. still without losing
sight of the door "you know Ga to so
many affairs s. But he never finished
what he intended to say, for, suddenly
bounding from his seat, he exclaimed in
the forgetfulness of the moment, "Bv
.Jovc, there is your cousin at last" He
started forward with a CLEAN in his exag
gerated eyes which seemed to say, All,
you shall not escape me now" She fol
lowed him quickly, and they joined the
cousin, happy in the possession of another
blond in brilliant red. Mr. Blake grasped
the hand of the latter like a drowning
man clutches the proverbial straw, thus
giving Arabella an opportunity of saying
in an undertone to her cousin, II should
like to go home if you please
What, so early! Why, we have not had
supper YET ne cried in astonishment.
"You must take me-" she demanded
stcrnly and he saw a certain dctermina-
ton on her plain features that made him
turn and say = 1t is too bad that cannot
have the pleasure of being at supper with
you, but Arabella is not feeling well, and
l must take her home. | shall leave YOU
to my friend, Mr.. Blake. Good night"
1t was quick work getting into the made
over cloak, for it did not make any differ
encc now about "mussng' the dress and
they We're soon rolling through the white.
snowy street, away from all the l@ht,
warmth, perfume, flowers, music beauty
pd-nnei-happiness (O.
At home, Dear old home! Had it ever
seemed so sheltering before, She had
scacrcly dared trust herself to speak dur
ing the drive but when they reached the
front door she held out her hand, saving
with stran"c, harsh little laugh: 81 was
not brilliant success, was l, cousin?
Goodby ="
The door closed quickly behind him,
and she hurriedly turned out the hall
light, knowing her mother would be wait
ing for her Somehow, as she quickly
CROPPED her way up the stairs in the dark
ness, the situation seemed prophetic of her
whole future life and she whispered to
herself those touching words which james
Lane Allen puts into the mouth of Mrs.
Falconer, II shall go softly all my days"
The years oiled away over the head Of
the poor little, ugly girl, as they will roll
over the heads of all of U.S. until she is
now a woman of 35 She has been true to
her word She has gone softly all her
days, but it has been the soft tread of
trained nurse in the sckroom, where she
has found that happiness which appalls
and silences the rollicking old world Yet
sometimes even now, when this brave,
good woman lies down on her little white
iron bed to a we'll mcrited repOSc, when
the bead of light is hidden behind the
green shade, the patient at rest, and the
medicine given for the night, her pillow
Is wet With The salt tears of bitterness at
the recollection OF the first and only party
of her iife.-lda :. Buchanan i'll Louis
vill0 Courier Journal