Evening journal., 1899-12-29

OF MER1NET ROSES.
reached IIelens ears, and the poor
girl was thrown into state of mind
that could be endured no longer
OH she sighed, as II protesting
to herself "Dick-and that Mrs. Rob
iEson-Oh.-it cannot be truel And
yet | have felt that he was changing
toward me. He has not been here for
three days. Oh, what shall / do? l
will not believe i'll 1 will mott / will
so and call on Mrs. Robinson this very
day, so that-that people won't think
] am jealous. Dick, how could your
Bitter tears filled her eyes, but she
wiped them away determinedly. Slow
~ she rose and went to her room. and
there dressed herself with care, as NvO.
men always dress for the benefit Of
their rivals. She was tall and stately,
with a cloud of rudy hair and bril-
liant gray eyes, softened by long dark
lashes. When she gazed at herself in
the mirror she was well satisfied that
her severe tailor gown showed her
beauty to good advantage.
In ten minutes she sat in Mrs. Robin
sons little French drawing-rOom, and
in a few minutes the owner of it was
welcoming her yivaciOusly.
Mrs. Robinson was small, dark and
very chic. Helen's heart sank as she
looked at her rival. The little widow,
taking no notice, apparently, of her
visitors rather stiff manner, was chat
ting away, making commonplace re-
marks requiring no answers.
Il am going TO tell you what a love
ly gown you have on" she said. do
you know, when / was a girl at school.
we had a lady principal r tall, stately
creature, who had evidently had little
social advantages. One day as she
was giving a group of us some points
on etiquette as she called them, she
said that there were three DIS never
mentioned in polite society We all
waited, really expecting her. / think,
10 begin with the devil; but no. dis
ease, dress and domestics constituted
her list. You know how schoolgirls
give nicknames; we christened her
Polite Society then and there. The
memory of that absurd little incident
clings to me yet. and whenever 1 am
tempted to comment on some lovely
gown / always feel n sense of guilt"
She laughed and went on: you are
so tall. Miss Easton. you put me at a
great disadvantage, and l really think
that's the most cruel thing one woman
can do to another.
Helen Easton leaned forward.
NO, Mrs. Robinson" she said. her
voice vibrating with emotion and her
hands gripping the arms of her chair.
"That is not the most cruel thing one
woman can do to another. When q
woman. BEAUTIFUL and young. knows
that another woman loves a man, and
that he is pledged to her, and she still
tries to lead this man away from the
one who loves him-truly, that is the
most cruel thing" Her voice broke,
but she went on: "And-and-that
poor creature who sees her lover taken
from her-can you imagine her misery,
her pOwerless misery? That broken
heart will lie at the door of the-the
other woman"
Her words were a mere whisper, and
her gray eyes were trimming with
tears. She rose unsteadily. The little
widows eyes were misty, too, and her
tone was also low.
''But. remember, Miss Easton, in
fatuation is not love-"
For moment they stood in silence
Then Helen said:
II must 60"
''Wait a moment" said Mrs. Robin
son. She went over to the piano and
took from a vase a great cluster OF
Merinet roses, saying with emotion
'rhese should be yours. Lot me give
them TO you"
They fell into each others tender EN-
brace. and then parted, each too mucl
overcome to trust herself to speak.
The little widow stood at the win
dow and watched Helen 60 down tn,
street.
Il told the TRUTH" she said to her
self. 1T is only infatuation-witl
him. But with me-Alasl / am ex
perienced and know what love is.
am happy only in the thought that
do not believe that he loves me-
Sophia Gates Kerr, in Times-Herald.