The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-01-29

now retlrcu, ne was u SouHB uHu PIon
porous barristcr. Her manner and hab
is OF thought were. perhaps, orerte'
fined and affected; she was OF u NOR
bIdiy poctlcal temperament. and looked
ut life always through q prism OF sentl
,nent. He was unlnag.native and pFac
,lcal.
lie had alt those sterner qualities aht
lacked; shc had all those dainty, tendsi
graccs he desplscd-- he found then
in her. In n word, each was the com
plcment OF the other.
Naturally, then, when they met they
loved; and she was 100 romantic and HI
TOO matter.of-fact 10 believe In u Iona
engagement.
They had been two months married
and but Just returned from the honey
moon, were seated cosIly by the fire one
wild. wlntry evening. when Mabel, In :
languishlng mood Of sentimental mel
ancholy, unburdcned herself OF tard!
confession. 4
It.had really never occurred TO hei
during the rapture OF their short en-
glgemeRt. but once or twice before
since their marriage It hau risen 10 hei
lips. but, fearing It might make q note
OF discord In the harmony of their wed
ded lives, she had left IL unspoken. II
was trIfle. no doubt; but hers was {
disposition that magnliied triies. She
found subtle Joy III grief, as do all wht
IRE surfolted with happiness. and. TN
der such circumstances, the smallnes!
OF the grief Is no disadvantage.
"Are you sure, Claferce." she asket
him. signing, that you really love me?'
absolutely, dearest"
"Ard YOU have never loved any on'
but me?"
"Never-neper-ncv er.'
"And you will love me always?"
Forever"
He yawned and looked at his watch
They were half expecting visitor.
Something might happen to change
you." she persisted, dreamlly.
What could?"
Suppose I had n secret In my llft
which l had never revealed TO your
She regarded him yearnlnGly.
what sort Of a secret?
II always used to say. dear, that
hal told you all about myself-every'
thing; that was keeping nothing bacl
from you. / am so sorry" Her eye!
grew misty with tears. II did not IL
tend to deceive you. There Is oNc-onl!
one-event OF my life nave never men
toned to you. had forgotten 1t unit
lately. II Is not much, perhaps. but
ought not TO hide anything from YOU
ought I? 1t has been my one secret
the one page of my life would ratheI
no one read
"well-and what is it?" he Interrupt
ed. little irritably.
She sank down on the rug beside hin
In an attitude OF supplIcation. and clasp
ed her arms about his knees.
! Don't look me at so coldly Clarence,
she pleaded. Don't speak SO harshly
Say you will forgive me, dearest.
know there should be no secrets between
US. but 1t Is such a little, little secret
and never meant to-"
Moro. Well-let me know what /
Is"
1T overwhelmed me with shame. oh
words cannot tell how deeply It humIl
lated me-"
My dear child. do calm yourself.
He laughed, but felt vaguely uneasy
1T can't have been anything SO Yer.
awful"
You will. not think I hesitated to tel
you sooner because 1. distrusted tn
strength OF your love-"
"Of course not"
"Or because 1 feared"-she stIned
little sob-"you might scorn me, as tina
heartless man did,"
What hear,less man?' he demanded
sharply. Don't nystify me with al
this preamble. Mabel, Tell me tn
worst at orce."
And you will forgive me, dear. for no
connding-?"
''Oh, no doubt. 1t Is nothing much
with DOGGY Of your own making. VIVA
is it?"
81 will tell you. Clarence"
She dried her eyes. and. reaching UT
laid 4 hand upon his shoulder, caress
insiy.
Did you know. dear, that once use,
TO write poetry"
We'll. many persons 10 that. It ma,
be foolish, but It is rot wicked"
Il wrote u great deal of ii. My sol
ambition then was to be n poetess
Much OF whatI wrote was love no
erry-'
Addressed, I presume, to the heart
less man you just referred to-"
NO, dear. j was addressed TO quit
imaginary persons"
well. well! Yes2"
And about six years ago, dear, | col
lected all my poems into a volume an
published them"
And the heartless man was the pub
llsher?"
NO. The publisher was exceedingl
kind. He thought very highly OF IN
work.
Never. mind the publisher. ] ar
anxious TO get to that heartIesS man"
The book was published, and | 81,
only one review OF 1t, and that--it We
IN paper called The Writer--Oh, Clar
ence. 1t was cruel-cruel!'
III that Is all"
"All. 1t humlllates me TO think OF
even now. | remember every harrow
ing word of II. but canrot--cauro
bring myself to repeat them
Don't try 10. My dear girl. why @
earth should you upset yourself Tx
this?"
But think how suffered. The pub
lic!ty-the disgrace! These poems, h
wrote-oh. do not ask me what Il. said,
II assure YOU, won't"
For months after 1 avoided all VIII
knew me. Such conteinpt-such rldl
culc as he poured upon me In that re
View, II there IS any man l hate-yc.
hate. .Clarence!-it Is he"
And yet he may be quite harmless
inoffensive sort OF ass, five only kne,
him."
~ withdrew the book Instantly an
burnt the entire edition.
IF all authors accepted their critic.
verdict in the same spirit. that man VIII
wrote about the hundred best author
would have had to TX his total at fifty,
Il felt as II all the world was laugh
ingat me-"
You little silly. I don't suppose eve
A GREAT .