Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1899-03-17
HER OBJECT LESSON.

snrcastic. Her world had a wholesome
dread Of Mrs. Trelawney's tongue. She
had just intimatod q desire for an ice.
and her attendant satellites had dis
persed &C once, each eager to be fore
most in the quest
She had bad q busy day, and It was
pleasant aud cool there behind the
palm. She only wished that people
would not whisper somewhere near. II
only they were aware how much far
ther a whisper carried than an ordinary
tonei And while she meditated an cpl
gram on this subject she opened Der
eyes and looked round impatiently for
the whispcrers.
There vas a particularly ineligible
corner Dear Mrs. TrelawDey's snug re-
treat. a three corncred. low backed
seat, in the foil glare Of the light aud
unpleasantly close to an Intrusive and
spiky cactus.
Hither had retreated n poor cousin Of
the hostess, a little girl of II. under.
dressed and pale faced, conspicuous
only for q very new aud shining we'd.
ding ring. She had been alone most Of
the evening, aud now 1t was she aud
her boy husband whose whispering had
disturbed Mrs. Trelawney.
Darling. are you enjoying your
self?" whispered the boy husband
$50 much, denr!' answered the little
girl Enthusiastically. ''It'sall so pretty
and so amusing to watch I've never
seen anything 20 pretty in my lifel"
I've been helping Lady Lucy. She
asked me to take some old ladies down
10 SUI per, the boy husband went on
with \ comical importance. "You'ro
sure you arc not dull here all alone?"
Dull? Oh, dear nor cried the little
girl. opening wide eyes of amazement
"Oh. there's Lady Lucy looking at us.
dear l expect she wants you again."
The boy hurried off again. proud ard
elated. and bis little wife snt smiling
after him from her corner Mrs. Ire
lavney locked sharply from one to the
other. III wonder bow long that state
OF thirgs will lasti' she iacditated Gym
ically.
She knew "a certain amount about the
affairs of tho foolish couple-Lady
Lucy had confided various details in the
course Of her apology for their presence
there at all. The hoy was a journalist,
with a microscopic income and very
limited talents, and the little wife was
penniless, md they bad a tiny fat some
where in the east-somo uncivilizod To-
eality. tho bare thought of which sent
q shuddcr through Lady Lucy. "In ten
years time, Z" she said to herself, what
will nave become of themF' And at
that point she paused aghast.
Ii was exactly ten years since she
herself, a girl of II. had made a run
way love match with handsome Cap
tain TIelawney.
She sat curiously white and still,
while that dead and half forgotten past
flashed wildly before her. She would
never have thought it possible then for
her husband to be at his club while she
amused herself successfully elsewhere,
and now this was the normal state Of
things between them.
There had been no quarrel, no dis
pute. They had simply drifted away
from each other in those ten years Of
married life, until now they were com
parative strangers. Neither could have
told how or when the division began.
She looked at the uncomfortable cor
ner again and with new eyes. That Tale
little face was the happiest in tho room
tho only contented one in siRht-and
when the boy husband came near, al
ways with a glance and smile IN that
direction, what a radiant look was
foated back ut himi They really seem
ed to he enjoying their evening.
Nfpo TraIavunav rnAorfod and fhnu
with an indescribable sensation. It oc-
cured to her that she, the admired and
petted society beauty, was actually
envying that plain, badly dressed, pen
niless little girl.
Mrs. Trelawney breathed q long sigh
Of relief when the %brougham door wal
shut upon her and she was on her way
home. She had a long way to drive,
plenty Of time to follow out her present
train Of thought and to be as unhappy
a. she pleased.
She told herself that che was a despi
cable little wretch, a mere society but
tsFfiy. and 1t was no wonder Horace wal
tired Of her. If only Horace had beer
poor. so that he and she could hav,
worked and struggled togetharl II only
tnelf oue oullu uau llNeu DtyOuu Uduy
hOodl But that she could not bear t.
think Of even now. If only all the pas
ten years could DO lived over again, how
differently she wouIl use sheml
Now IL was too late, and then shI
suddenly Eat up straight, with faE
beating heart. IL was not too latei /
could not be too late. She would begiI
this very night and try to restore some
thing Of the old loving relations Of tel
years ago. She would call for her hus
band now ut his club. She remembere'
having done so nee or twice in thosI
bygone days, when something impera
tive had prevented him from coming
with her to their mutual d~isappoint
ment
She gave the necessary order to het
eoachman, aud then sat tense and up
right. her eyes bright. her cheek
flushed.
All. they were not far from the olul
now-hve, ten minutes moro aud hel
new life would have begnpl
She had no hieA what Inc tina WAS