Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1899-02-25
WATERS OF LETHE.
BY GwENDoLEN ovERToN.

IF you hurt q. mans pride, be will
probably go of and sulk ,r great
er or less time; or it may be, il the
case is very bad, that he will even
kill himself. But a woman will
have revenge. You may think she
has forgotten, you may fancy she is
impotent, but there is this much of
the oriental in every woman--that
she can wait: Break her heart and
she will still let it be in the dust for
you to trample upon, and she will
find the pain pleasant; yet beware
how you so much as scratch her
pride; from the wound will trickle
stream Of poison that may flow
slowly, but will reach you in the
end.
James Dudley's case went to
prove this. Very few knew why he
came to the end he did, but this was
the way of it.:
When he was very young and just
out from the Point, he was sent to a
post miles from anywhere, and there
he became engaged to marry the IA
year-old daughter of Major Cor
schkov. She was beautiful beyond
the dreams of art-far too gorgeous
for a mere little girl. She should
have been historical. Such as Semi.
ramis, or the Queen of Sheba, or
Zenobia must lave been, she was;
therefore, it was natural enough
that Dudley should have thought
himself in love with her. But he
was clever fellow, with very fair
share of brains, and she was an av-
| erage child who was not old enough
| to return his love, but was nightly
| pleased in an innocent fashion at the
Importance the engagement gave
her.
At the end of a year Dudley was
ordered away. Absence opened his
eyes to the fact that beauty alone
was not enough TO make him happy
in his wife. And he wrote to Es-
Their and asked her to release him,
and to her parents he sent an expla-
nation of his conduct. The mail or.
derby put both letters into Esther's
hands. She read her own first. She
was 16 years now, and very proud.
She had also grown to care 10
vague sort. of way for the memory
of the lover of her childhood. The
letter cut her through the Russian
down to the Tartar, and she hated
the man who she choose to think
had BUNDLED her. She tore it and
the one to her father into small
pieces. There was one sentence in
the former that she did not under.
stand. The lieutenant had said:
"Iu time you will drink OF the.
waters OF Lethe, and forget me as
utterly as I deserve to be forgotten
A few days later she told her
father she was not going to marry
James Dudley.
"Does he know it2' asked the
major.
eyes"
"What is your reason?'
Nothing 10 particular. | simply
don't want to"
perhaps that won't satisfy him.
However, it is just as well. | never
supposed a childish affair of that
sort would amount to much. You
are old enough TO act for yourself
now
In truth, Mai. Gorschkov had am
billions that scared above mere
lieutenant for his superb daughter.
Esther was thankful to escape SO
easily. Presently she asked: "Papa
what does it mean to drink of the
waters of L-e-t-h.e?"
The major explained.
"Oh,n she said, ~ see,' and her
long eyes narrowed cruelty.
Now it might have happened in
civil that Dudley and Esther Cor
.schkov would never meet again, but
partings can only be temporary 10
the service. Some years later Lieut..
Dudley walked into San Francisco
theater one night after the curtain
had gone up. The house was dark,
aud he kept his eyes on the stage.
At the close of the act be looked
uOOut hiLJ, duQ tuC ulsb tutuS uC Cd w
was woman whose beauty startled
him. And then he realized that she
was the one he might have married.
She was in a box with an older wo-
man whom be knew. dudley was
seated with wonderful dread of
meeting those wonderful dark-gray
eyes. He would 90 at once before
he should do SO. But as lie rose
the older woman saw him, and smil-
ed and beckoned to an empty chair
beside her. There was nothing for
it now but to go to the box. BE was
cold with fear of the low-browed,
black-haired, black gowned girl with
the magnificent Beck and shout
ders.
She wonld not have fnrooften