The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1899-02-02
HER OBJECT LESSON

sarcastic Her world had wholesome
dread of Mrs. Trelawney's tongue. She
had Just intimated q desire for an ioe
and her attendant satellites had dis.
persed at once, each eager to be fore
most in the quest
She had had busy day, and it was
pleasant and cool there behind the
palm. She only wished that people
would not whisper somewhere near. il
only they were aware how much far
ther a whisper carried than an ordinary
tone And while she meditated an cpl
gram ON this subject she opened her
eyes and looked round impatiently for
the whisperers.
There was a particularly ineligible
corner near Mrs. Trelawney's snug re-
treat, three cornered, low backed
seat in the full glare of the light and
unpleasantly close to an intrusive and
spiky cactus.
Hther had retreated poor cousin of
the hostess, little girl of II. under
dressed and pale faced, conspicuous
only for very new and shining wed
ding ring She had been alone most of
the evening, and now it was she and
her boy husband whose whispering had
disturb bed Mrs. Trelawney.
Darling, are you enjoying your
self" whispered the boy husband.
$50 much, dearl' answered the little
girl enthusiastically at 8 all so pretty
and so amusing to watch. I've never
seen anything so pretty i'll my lifeP'
Eve been helping Lady Lucy. She
asked me TO take some old ladies down
to supper, the boy husband went on
with a comical Importance lyon re
sure you are not dull here all alone?"
Dull? Oh, dear noP' cried the little
girl, opening wide eyes of amazement.
"Oh there's Lady Lucy looking at ns,
dear expect she wants you again.
Tho boy hurried off again, proud and
elated and his little wife sat smiling
after him from her corner. Mrs. IRE
lawney looked sharply from one to the
other. Il wonder how long that state
of things will ast;' she meditated Gym
ically.
She knew certain amount about the
affairs of the foolish couple-Lady
Lucy had confided various details in the
course of her apology for their presence
there at all The boy was journalist,
with microscopic income and very
limited talents, and the little wife was
penniless, and they had tiny fat some
where in the east-some unciviized To-
cality, the bare thought of which sent
a shudder through Lady Lucy. "1n ten
years time, -" she said to herself, what
will have become of themH' And at
that point she paused agbast.
1t was exactly ten years since she
herself, girl of II, had made a run
away love match with handsome Cap
tain Trelawney
She sat curiously white aud still,
while that dead and half forgotten past
flashed wildly before her She would
never have thought 1t 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 pale
little face WAS the happiest in the room
the only contented one in siRht-and
when the boy husband came near, al
ways with a glance and smile IN that
direction, W bat a radiant look was
floated back at him They really seem
ed to be enjoying their evening.
Mrs TrelawDey reflected and then,
with an understandable sensation, it oc
Cured to her that she, the admired and
petted society beauty, was actually
envying that plain, badly dressed, pen
niless little CIR
Mrs Trelawney breathed long sigh
of relief when the brougham door was
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
as she pleased.
She told herself that she was a despi
cable little wretch, mere society but
terfy, and it was no wonder Horace WAS
tired of her If only Horace had been
poor, SO that be and she could have
worked and struggled together If only
their one child had lived beyond baby
hood But that she could not hear TO
think of even now. II only all the past
ten years could he lived over again, how
differently she would use them
Now it was too late, and then she
suddenly sat up straight, with fast
beating beart 1t was not too late; ii
could not be too late She would begin
this very night and try to restore some
thing of the old loving relations of ten
years ago She would call for her hus-
band now at his club She remembered
having done so once or twice III those
bygone days, when something inpera
tive had prevented him from coming
with her to their mutual disappoint-
ment
She gave the necessary order to her
coachman, aud then sat tense and up
right her eyes bright, her cheeks
flushed.
Alb, they were not far from the club
now-fiye, ten minutes more and Der
new life would have begun
She had no idea what the time waa
but it could not be so very late, for the