Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1898-10-27

Y ClG0 ~ a. AZ hhSS
something battling in its pale seren.
ity. A bride should look happy beyond
reason or miserable beyond words
thought impefuous Ruth. Certainly
Grace had always been quiet. but,
even fer her, placidify was unnatural
and absurd.
.Are-are you happy. Grace" Ruth
asked n little wistfully, surveying
| the brides slender figure. in the pretty
travelling dress of dove colored satin
and ostrich feather trimming. with an
| odd uncomfortable moisture in her
her eyes.
Grace turned to kiss the velvety
flushed cheek Of her young sister, and
! answered. with a quiet smile
! .'Give rue n definition OF happiness
first. ruth! am glad TO nave pieased
my mother, ~after-after all. but very
sorry to lose your
'.Oh-me!" Ruth echoed the words
with a certain impatient intolerance;
the girls were honstly fond OF each
other, but in temperament they were
| absolutely unlike. II dare say you
are fond of me, Oracle; bat n girl has
no business even to think OF her sister
on her wedding day"
Then / am n very bad bride, ] fear.
for / think n good deal of you. Ruth;
you look SO pretty in that quaint little
dress, which does great credit to your
tafte, my dear"
But Ruth received the double COM
pliment with scornful silence, and con-
tinued eagerly
"well, If l were Mr.. Santley l should
resent such conduct!'
MIR. Santley is not quite so unrea-
sonable," Grace said composedly.
Irritated beyond all bearing by the
placidity she could not rufiie. Ruth
made a last audacious effort, and re-
marked. with her pretty head held
coasideringly on one side
"Well, over excitability will never
give you hart disease. Now, l wonder
II You would have been equally indif-
ferent and Unconditional had you mar
ried Vincent ErleY
That arrow went home; the bride
echoed the last two words with a
sharp broken cry. She involuutarily
covered her face with both shaking
hands. but not before Ruth had seen
that it had blaDched to a pitiful pallor,
and that the clear straightforward
glance of the calm eyes had changed
to a look of frightened pain.
A second afterwards impetuous Ruth
had flung her arms about her sisters
neck. and was sobbing out ~eDtreaties
for forgiveness in a very passion OF
terror and o
"Oh, Grace dear, j did o know-I
did not guess, Poor Grace, how terri
bier
But the elder girl pushed her sister
- z..xl1v .x .,,I xxyffh tho
enc word Cruel" coming from her
white lips. she walked rapidly down
the stairs. Nor did Ruth. despite her
strenuous efforts. find an opportunity
to plead for pardon before the carriage
whirled the bride and bridegroom
away on the first stage of their honey
moon journey
".And they were married. and lived
happily eve after" Mr.. Santley
quoted. with a curious little laugh.
"Will they say that some day OF you
and me. Grace!'
Did they ever say it ~truthfnlly of
any married couple?" the girl an
swered, in her sweet. listless voice;
her eyes, with a pathetic pleading in
their soft depths, rested, not on her
husband, but on the CLASSY smooth
water through which the vessel WAS
ploughing its way swiftly under the
bright light Of the harvet moon.
They were on the deck of a Calais
bound steamer. it's sole occupants at
present; but they were not availing
themselves of their pleasant isolation
to draw more closely together.
Grace, warmly wrapped in her silk
cloak, sat with hands clasped upon
the steamers rail and face turned
towards the sea; while Mr.. Santley
paced backwards and FORWARDS with
rapid irregular tread, as though de-
batting some weighty matter in his
mird.
But Mt her last words he paused,
and, bending ver her, held the girls
pale grave face in his hands and eyed
It kcenly.
Grace, ar you CYNICAL he asked,
In an abrupt accusing fashion that
brought the blood to the girls face,
and gave her sensitive conscience a
remorscful twiuge.
WAS not your doubt as cynical as
mfne:" she Qucried, with n forced
smile. Il harry think we have the
right 10 %reproach each other
But her light TESTING words seemed
Oily 10 uttptu TIE SuauOW III tit
mans somber eyes, for he raised his
hand impatintly.
For heavens sake, make no COM
parison between us" he cried. Your
simple innocent life must have taught
you not to doubt heavens justice and
mercy!'
He paused. and drew a long breath.
His newly made wife saw a strang
fash in his dark eyes. and noticed that
his unlcrlip was fierccly bitten. But,
whatever the spirit that moved him. it
was quickly quclled, for he touched
her shoulder gently, and continued,
with a r~cassuring smile
Ibid / frignten you. dear? | am n
little more than punished when you
sh INK from me like that. Grace. l
love you so well that / would die rath-
or than harm you, even through that
love-
Her husband spoke with such mis-
placed vebemehce and passion that II
vague chilling doub of his perfect san
ity lifted through Grace Sankey's
mind. The thought was alarming and
unpleasant enough; hut 1t did good
in one way. as 1t served to rouse her
from the dull and selfish apathy that
had ben creeping over her of late.
She placed her slender ungloyed
hand. upon which the golden ring gilt
,o~,J With ciup,Gcapf pau1noSs rantly