The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-08-23
Observation-Disclosures:
|||||iaa HIS WIDOWSIllI I'LL Il
Observation-Disclosures:

| ly. Then. laying her hand on the girls
bent head, she said TO Miss Leven, OPP
| posite:
How he would have admired her.
would not he. Kitty?'
| Il was Just thinking So" Miss Leven
replied.
| who do you say would have admir-
ed me. dear Miss Varney?'
| "A man OF singularly good judgment,
| my dear, where womens looks were
| concerned. A man who could have had
MS pick Of all the prettiest women in
england. and who knew what was
| what"
ing deferentlally TO one OF the photo
graphs. He was a great friend of
yours, was he not?'
"A great friend OF mine-yes-and Of
MISS Leven's." was the answer. Miss
Leven's eyes agreed.
And was he engaged to''-began
Lucy Gray. and stopped. overwhelmed
what she had just saved herself from
saying.
ITO neither of us. dear" Miss yarney
replied quietly. HE was just a very
great friend"
Miss Leven rose and left the room.
Lucy thought there were tears In her
eyes.
She turned around impulsively to the
woman who was left. and stole her
hand into hers.
Dear Miss yarneyl" she murmured.
Have j been stupid?"
Not at all. dear" Miss Varney an
swered cordially. holding Lucy's hand
closely. we are couple OF absurd old
women. that's all. Robert Musgrave
was our friend, and we loved him, My
dear child, what things am saying to
you."
She gave a faint nervous laugh, and
put the girls hand away.
But the girl took hold OF her again
and begged:
Dear Miss Vsrney. do tell me about
IL. IL does interest me so 20 compare
notes. you know. ! am not such a baby,
really, i know what love means
DO you. really" The older woman
smiled. Ii was a sweet. confused. self
mocking smile that showed the girl
what lovely and attractive woman
Miss Narney must once have been, and
that not so long ago. do you know"
that lady continued. you are a very
inslnuating little thing?"
Tell me, now do tell me-" pleaded
Lucy. seeing and quick TO profit by the
advantage she had gained. Tell me all
about him! Couldn't you? oh, / do
think him so handsome,"-
The most handsome man OF his
time Miss Varney corroborated her,
and quite the most remarkable He
dld wonderful things. Any woman
might have been proud TO have been
loved by him-or to have had him for
a friend"
But he did love-a woman" cried
the young girl eagerly. catching at the
nrst triumphant part OF Miss Varney's
sentence. not its lame and impotent
conclusion. Her little hesitation was
Al n hn
self thought she not to have said
Two women
did he? Some woman. OF course. But
we never knew anything about that"
said Miss Varney Loyalty. "He was
very fond of Kitty and me. We both
respect and esteem. ] don't think that
there was any difference in his way OF
looking at us, He was very fond Of us
he fiirted with us BOTH
Was he flirt. then?" asked the
girl. in a disappointed tone.
Terrible, my dearl" Miss Narney
said, smiling. with a retrospective in
diligence. But we don't Judge him.
Why should we? He could no more help
flirting with us, or any other pretty
sirl-we were pretty-than we could
help falling i'm love with him. He never
pretended. at any rate. And he never
knew. That is as well. isn't it?''
She had sad little smile that pierced |
the girls very heart. and gave her the |
first conception of the heroism and |
grace that may lie i'm the voluntary as
of a comic view OF things |
ragic. |
WAS he married." she blurted out.
my good child," was all Miss Var |
hey deigned to answer She was. how |
ever not cross. but went on laughing. |
What sort OF books have YOU been |
| shall begin to think that |
your mother has not been looking after |
YOU properly. Robert Musgrave died at |
the age of forty. unmarried"
But then ! must say / don't under
stand"
MY dear little girl,' said Miss Var
ney. tapping Lucy's head amicabiy.
You must not let romantic notions run |
away with you. Did | not tell you. that |
Leyen and I-she will. ]
nm sure. not mind my speaking for her
we are one In this!-thouch we loved
him with on equal love. he was equal
" indifferent 10 us both--in that way.
There was no mistake about il. Don't
ct there be I'm your little mind. III is an |
absurd story. but IL is all the story we
nave got. Kitty and !. We have IL be-
ween US, as two children have a toy.
We came together after his death. and
admitted that we had both been fond
n him, and he OF us. We decided 10
brow our recollections into the COM
non, stock. as IL were. IL makes IL big
worth having, don't you see?
md 10 makes II easier to mourn him to-
yether. We shall not he SO very long
'ehind him. | trust"
And 20 which of you. | wonder. will
10 belong in heaven" was what the
ingenious Lucy thought 10 herself; but
loud she said: Dear. dear Miss Var
ley. | hope you will live forever!"
She put her arms around Miss Var
icy. and her eyes wandered To the sym
'ol of this strange widowhood on Miss
'arney's black hair. Her thoughts flew
o the other widow OF Robert Musyravn.
he sentimental one. who had m sense
Z humor. and who. she shrewdly sus-
ected. was crying her eyes out IN the
old. ireless dining room at this very
ioment. she remembered Miss Levcns
oft round cheeks ana her pale. vel
)w locks. and decided i'm her own nrd
hat though i'm her youth She must un-
oubtedly have been the prettis. ~ tho
NO. vet that Miss Varncy must nave
cen by FAR the most vivacious ANA in
eresting.
Miss Leven. wherever she was. did
ot come back II wonder II might |
ay to you what | have been thnking?'