Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1899-11-18
MRS. GLENDALE.
BY VIOLA BUNNELL.

Ou"ise, 40 yoa say! rs, anu
absolutely silly. I could have torn
my heart out as l reflected upon the
impression / must have made. How
could have SO belittled myself as
to have shown ny wound to Eer2
As | pa sed up the broad stair
case to my room, familiar step
came tripping along the corridor
above, and before l could reach the
landing, | was VIA viz with Hugh
Hazelton.
"Mon Dieu!" e exclaimed, as his
eye fell on me. Rosel"
Again was the "Rose" repeated
in tue old thrilling tones of love.
did not even look up, but passed
silently and slowly to my apartment
where, more dead than alive. / tried
to decide what TO do in this last
emergency
/ found that time, instead Of dead
ened my love Tor this mostunworthy
object. had only intensified it. The
echo of his step had caused such a
commotion in my soul, that it SEEM
ed to me unless l Immediately put
q safe distance between this man and
my poor foolish self. that the food
gates of passion would inevitably
break down aud wash away every
vistage of womanly self-respect.
1t is we'll for our future conscin.
ces that these times of temp'ati
are seldom taken advantage of.
That evening, ell alone in my
parlor, my companion having gone
to see the theatre with a gay party,
/ was surprised by waiter who
wished to know if I would receive
for q few moments "a gentleman
American"
/ rose to meet tall, handsome
man, apparently forty or foriy-fve
years of age. The lower part of his
face was covered by an immense
brown beard giving an air of stern
ness to the countenance which a pair
Of laughing gray eyes Immediately
contradicted.
"Your friend. Miss Harding,
thought you would be willing to re-
ceive me, he remarked, producing
card bearing a name written in
most single Roman text.
Not wishing to spend time trying
to deeper the characters, | made the
gentleman welcome, aud We were
soon engaged in pleasant converse.
ton. A volume of Consuelo lay up
on the table, and my unknown COM
panion introduced the topic of fc-
ton, saying that our most success
novelists had fallen immensely short
10 the plot of the real tragedy and
comedy constantly taking place in
real life.
found myself steping to he
voice tf the stranger with singular
intenfness. His tones were tender
and almost mellifous; they DO tn sad
dened and delighted me. Those
eyes! had certainly known til en-
before. That forehead, the hair
dropping and wavy-had l seen
them in = dream, and listened to
this voice alsoy
did you ever reflect be inquir-
ed, "upon the tremendous power of
circumstances"
"Yss, I have frequently" and
mentally added, with good reason. "
II know case," be continued,
(which would be absolutely past
belief even to me were not person
ally acquainted with the facts. What
would you think OF man marrying
woman of his choice-the woman
wqo loved him and whom he loved,
with all the intensity possible to two
ardent natures-and while both were
as loyal as the. heart of loyalty it
self. Circumstance should cause the
husband to appear not only as if he
were untrue, but absolutely not mar
ried TO this woman? A chain OF
circumstantial evidence followed,
and the broken hearted wife fed in
the night from her husband. A child
was borp, and she, believing it lille
climate, exiled herself tor many
years, placing the boy in other hand
to educate. determined that he
should never hear the secret of his
birth. As he grew TO mans estate,
she kept near him, and they became
very fond of each other; for, say
what you will, miss, blood is THO re
than water. Well, the same, con-
calenation of circumstances that
separated this couple, at last brough
them together again, when they
found that twtEty-two years OF their
Lille had been sacrificed TO lie. You
mademoiselle, have spent two in she
same manner, which / consider
quite sufficient. Ny name-is-.
Hugh Hazleton, senior, husband oil
the former Mrs. Glendsle."
The door swung wide, and in q
mist I saw my Hugh approach me
and what happened after that know
not; but it seemed to me the end o.
all things was near, as found my
sell rocket backward and forward