Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1900-05-03
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II
Repented at Leisure. :
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BERTHA M. CLAY. e
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BERTHA M. CLAY.
EFlIslIEIsE elTslIEleIEl[elIEs


Ethel was not well In all probable
ity the weather had been prejudicial
to her; therefore they could not do
better than remain by the sea. Miss
Digby was pleased with the decision;
she had rather dreaded going to Foun-
tayne
On the morning that she received
the letter she FASTENED with it to
Ethels room. The girl was dressed
and seated by the window, her eyes
fixed dreamily on the trees she turned
her beautiful, colorless face to Helen,
and a faint smile came to her white
lips.
Il have a letter from Sir Leonard, -
announced Helen, gently.
The time had been when she would
have risen with a glad heart and a
bright face to take the letter; now she
murmured a few listless words and
looked out again over the trees.
81 will read it TO you" said Helen;
and, standing by the girls side, she
read tho letter
Ethel made no comment. Miss
Digby could not even tell whether she
had taken note of the words.
If you are willing, Ethel" she OBJ
served, gently Il shall consider that
as settled. We are to remain here
Il am willing" returned Ethel: and
Helen noted with pain the listless
manner, the listless voice.
I am so thankful, Ethel said Miss
Digby, that you have escaped long
illness. Last week, when / found you
lying here, l was alarmed. 1 think
now your ailment must have been
kind of sunstroke. You were GER
tainly quite delirious for a time"
A faint flush rose to her face.
"Delirious was l. Helen? What did
talk about?"
Going home to die. You made me
nervous, l assure you. You are better
now are you not Ethel?"
Yes" answered the sad young
voice, 81 am better, Helen. am
quite willing to stay in my room for
a few days, If you think it better for
me. But will you always bring or
send me the London newspapers as
soon as they come-as early as you
can? | want 10 see them"
Miss Digby smiled.
Il thought you did not care for
newspapers You shall have them as
soon as they come"
She laid her gentle hand on the
girls white brow, and Ethel, taking
1t in her own, kissed 1t.
you are so kind" she said. humbly
$50 kind and good"
1T Is easy to be kind where we love
dearly, responded Miss Digby; but as
she left the room she half wished that
Ethel had some of the old, petulant,
willful manner and half-defiant pride.
II do not like to see her so
changed she said to herself; NOR can
l understand it.
No fever, with its dsquieting
dreams, had come to Ethel. For one
whole day after that terrible dlscov-
cry she had lain with her face turned
from sunshine. longing for death to
free her from despair; but she was
young and strong, death came not. and
she rose, when the next morning
dawned, the wreck of her bright.
beautiful self. 1t was as though ev-
cry hope, every energy was paralyzed.
Despair conquered her Look which
way she would, there was no release
from her fate, no help. no aid the
chains she had so willingly put on
must weigh her down until she died.
She had, perhaps. many years of a
long, lingering, ioyless. dreary ex-
istence before her, and she turned
heart-sick from the contemplation of
II. Seasons would change. the sun rise
and set, the tide ebb and flow. but she
would never know hope or brightness
again.
Her thoughts were as a weight of
lead they dragged her down TO the
earth and kept her there. Her sorrow
as not one for which time has a cure:
time could do nothing for her but add
to the greatness of her sorrow by
showing her the greatness of her folly.
She was like one stunned and par-
alyzed by some great blow. Illness
that brought with 1t pain would al
most have been welcome to her; any
thing would have seemed better thar
this dull paral. isis that had stricken
every nerve.
CHAPTER XXII