Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1900-07-12
WOODBURY., N J, THURSDAY, JULY 12, 1900

ernoon upon the beach, lady stood
waiting in the elegant drawing room of
the house to which She had been directed.
Her veil was down. and the room was
half in shadow from the heavy curtains
which draprd the window, but for all
that she started when step crossed the
hall and Il gentleman, his hair slightly
tinged with gray. entered.
She ha | sunk back on the sofa. and her
frame quivercd with emotion.
"You have come, madam, in answer to
my advertisement n he asked cautiously.
mo no. sne answered. There are
reasons why ii viii now he impossible for
me TO accept the situation offered
That voice Had it not too long haunt
ed him 10 be thus easily forgotten
Would hS not know t. even though ii
sounded abese his vciy grave?
Sydney! you here:' he exclaimed
"Ah. Mrs. Clayton pardon me- for the
moment | forgot"
Then she threw back her vel. Six
years had made little change 1t was the
same beautiful face, but grown very
pale, and the lovely mouth quivered as
she spoke.
"Believe me. | would not have intruded
myself upon you had l dreamed it was
you who had inserted the advertisement
had not even heard Of your marriage"
"My wife is dead" he answered but
stay" as she arose to go. "Tell me how
it happens that you are In necessity. Is
Mr.. Clayton dead?"
She shuddefed
'.You mistake" she said. 81 did NOT
marry Mr.. Clayton. am Sydney Vernon
STILL"
"You did not marry him?"
"No. 1t is Il woman's privilege, you
know, TO change her mind. but my aunt
was very angry and at her death she left
me nothing. Your advertisement attract,
ed me. | thought | might learn to love q
little girl"
nAnd you will not learn to love my lit.
tle motherless child?" he asked "Aecept
this position, | beg of you. Miss Vernon
It is only that you should see she is moi
left to the mercy of nurses and that she
has some refining care"
So II was at last decided. and Sydney
found the old emptiness of life fed since
her heart and hands were full
She rarely saw the master of the
house. One day when she had entered
on some errand into his study she had
seen hanging over his desk the fair, pie
tured face of Mabel's mother
"Hew soon he learned to love again,
she thought. "And IL whom he Sc
cruelty condemned-threw aside ambi
ton and wealth for the idol ! could nev
er grasp"
But one evening Mabel stole to the
side of the lovely lady who had won al
her loyal little heart.
"Papa is i'll" she said ibid you know
it, Miss Sydney? Won't you go nursf
him like you do me when me is ill.,"
Certainly. darling. if can do any
thing"
And with trembling steps she descend
ed the stairs and entered his room.
For hours she sat beside him, changing
the cooling bandages upon his brow anC
tanning his fevered checks.
Mabel had come softly in for her goot
night kiss: then he had fallen asleep
and she had feared to STIR as she NIGH
waken him.
Sydney, why did you not marry Mr.
ClaytonT
Had he really spoken or was 1t hel
own thoughts which formed the ques
ton? No, he was awake now. his eyes
resting upon her.
"You have no right to ask me-" sh'
said imperiously. Let the dead pas
bury its dead"
"No right perhaps-that | admit. bu
answer me all the same. For the sak'
of all these starving years let me know
the truth"
Because did not love him." she an
swered: then-''because | found mysel
rqaker than | knew
rob, Sydney. if we had known-if vi
had known! My darling, was there an
other reason? Was it because you loyel
mew
In his voice there thrilled the truth
In that moment she knew herself EN-
press of his heart all these years. an,
gliding from her chair until she fell bael
on her knees by his side. with her beau
tiful head close pressed against his heart
while his kisses rained upon her hair, sh
whispered:
Because | shall love you while Iif
lasts"
A month later there was quiet wed
| ding, when, after six years cruel waiting
Sydney made the life happiness OF th
man to whom she gave herself. a roya
gift. but they always said. with sigh o
deep regret that in both their lives the.
had lost-six years.-Spare Moments.