Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1899-06-28

look happier tr younger than when
saw her last in spite of it all.
"Then l am irightful indeed" And
/ laughed aloud at the idea.
mo" she said in a curiously quieI
tone. Handsome would be too weak
word to use in describing you" cIi
would indeed' I thought to myself
Il should call you hero, a martyr, a
matchmaker, Cyrano de Bergsrac,
Chevalier Bay I'D, and oh, above all, the
destroyer Of your own happiness and
minel.'
Hooked at her in amazsmens. Was
she ont Of her mindi Had trouhle
turned her brAinf Perhaps she vas
Laughing At me. or did she really mean
itG' The though dawnsd upon me
that she might know.
Your Intentions were good" she
continued, and her voice grew bitter,
~but there is 9 certain place paved
With good intentions. 1 have no doub.
you though you were doing me kind
action, that you were helping me along
the stony path Of life. You were IN
deed, only instead Of leading ME to
where the roses woald lie. you pushed
me further and further among the
stones. An. you men, you glorious
possibility man, how little you know
wnen ell is told, Of woman and vo-
mans naturel When girl laughs and
ta.ks with man you at once jump al
the conclusion that she is in love with
him. 1t never occurs to you that it is
the quiet one, the man who thought he !
loved her 40 much that he WAS willing
to give her up to ensure her happiness,
that abe loved"
Her voice rang loud and clear
through the deserted room. by cousin
and her husband had gone to speed the
parting guests and we were alone.
l rose hastily and stood in front Of !
herr She must know al, but who told
herr Not he, surely, and mot !. Wei
were the only two that knew.
"Madge.. said I in an agitAted tone.
unconscicusly using the old name,
"what do.you meant"
81 am speaking to the man who deli
bcrately gave up the girl who loved
him AID who thought he loved her, to
another, and that brute. who made
her life hell for four years"
Was this woman, who stood before
me with flashing eyes and Trembling
Ups, the girl I knew long agoi The
girl with whom I stood on the old
Woodeh bridge and told her, as the
suns last last CLEANS .hone on her
bronze hair and lit upher pale face,
hat ! wvs going away to war, and
night never come back AGAIN. -
The lights grew DINNER and dim. e
ner in the room, The noise anu hustle 6
the streets indistinct, and there in
hat hour she told me her story. How 9
he loved me and only me from the be- :
inning. How she had laughed and q
irted with Godfrey LadingtoH be- P
tuse she thought / was indifferent to q
er, and only married him at last be- r.
ause I had gone away and he grew "
, persistent. n
"And then, Bert, she continued, and W
er voice grew very sad. "when Go d
ey was dying he confessed sl', that u
. lad pleaded and begged you to er- a
lAngs rogimeuts.wittphin, aftera night SC
misery, out Of your great love for
Q, you consented to do so. Cert, ! I'll
tied my husband ST that moment III
ring though-he was. After he di. D nc
wandered the vide world over 10 IN
arch of peace, and found it not. Then al
came homo again. Imst your cousin IN
ID she told me that y6u were alive IN
i'd well, and were soon to return; and pc
wv" GU
"And now" I said softly. az
"You are safe" she replied. 10
"And youi' asked I, holdin, her
nds 10 that she could not hide her
60. III
81 am happy in the thought that u,
u we're not eaten by csnnibals, mar IA,
ID to sqnaw, killed by wild animals sy
captured by sAysges. And she la
cd TO lAug h. but il was poor ct. an
npt. ~ -,
"But, instead. have come homo, like
Christian, to marry the best girl in ri
the world and live and die happy
81 after. Eh. Maigsr