The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-10-27

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pleted six weeks visit to n town
where street cars ran frequently and
electric lights were common thing.
Her name had even been mentioned In
the society column of an Indianapolis
paper. She had been referred to as tho
guest of young lady whose fathers
face was stamped on every package Of
q familiar cereal.
Big Jim was envlous, for none dis
puted his proprietary right in Hattie
Bence. And, although, with character
Istic modesty, he had always kept their
relation on the brother and sister. or
der, everyone knew that he was build
Ing new house on his lot across the
creek. And. II he himself had any mis-
givlngs as to how she would receive his
great, uncouth, golden hearted welcome.
the. doubts were dissipated on the occa-
sion OF his first visit.
But ltwsa different when he made the
second call She had met THE Teller
ct plays horn" Jim had come In the
back way. through the orchard and
through the kitchen. and she had met
him with the same bitterness rs of
yore. There was even more Of galety
and gladness in her tones. and the fact
smote him with odd bitterness as he
saw Raymond sitting at the other side
of the table in the full glow OF the lamp.
Raymond, In all the glory Of white
linen and black clothes. And, worse
than all, old Bill sat at the other end of
the table in earnest conversation with
his visitor.
Bill looked up with n pleasant grunt
rs Jim entered, and nodded to a clair
which Hattie was already pushing to-
ward him, then resumed the CONVERSE
ton with unaccustomed gusto. They
did not even treat him as If he was In
the way. That was the worst of 1t. And
then, with n sickening sense OF losing
everything, he realized that the brother
and sister" footing had been accepted
and must continue.
Raymond was explaining to old Bill
that the ground on which the cottage
stood, and the two acres by which 1t
was surrounded, assuredly covered veins
of natural gas. sufficient to make them
rich beyond their widest dreams. And
as,wlth easy fluency. he spoke of stratas
and deposits. boring machinery and eX-
ploslves, Hatties eyes dilated with
pleasure, and Jim knew she was dream
Ing Of 4 home In indianapolis. A home
In which his ruggednass would seem out
of place as did Raymond's perfumei
presence in Bill Bence's neat, plain.
sparccly furnished home. Jim did not
stay long, and. rs he passed down the
orchard, through which no stars now
seemed to shine. he wished in vague
misery that his little half built house
could vanish as had his dream.
Hattie never knew. She married
Raymond And 1t was not even known
whether or not her husbands furnishing
of the gas well derrick and engine that
now ornamented Bits back yard was
condition of the marriage. For, al
though Jim made no sign, others knew
OF his disappointment Il she did not,
and others wondered IL she. too, did
not carry resrat beneath smile.
But she seemed happy. Even when
Raymond began to wear cheaper clothes
and drop by degrees into The drawl of
the natives. Even when old Bill died,
and the coming of 4 girl baby took her
from village society and multiplied her
household cares. Even when. after two
years. they did not strike the gas and 1t
became accepted as 4 hopeless fact
that there was no gas under the land.
But petty cares robbed her of her
roses. and petty Ills and ailments made
her IN invalid. Nature is so unjust to
womanhood
Two more years passed. Two hum
drum. colorless years. The dead. level
monotony OF the village pegan to tell on
Raymcnds nerves. Marriage. and the
VI tNSE ulIGN
ness had stripped him of his glamor
Failure had robbed him OF his illusions
Poverty placed other and more congpn-
ial fields beyond his reach. and mad,
dull sense Of Gefeat--of being out OF
piace-of having sold his bIrthright for
4 mess of porridsc, gnawed his nerves
and ate into his soul
His outbreak In front OF the general
store was unusual. for his was the quiet
nature, that oroods. But as. he passed
away from the wondering loiterers. he
ielt relieved by 1t. There was certain
reckless clation In his step as he walked
on up to the rOsto!licc and entered the
scene Of his memorable victory over old
Brown.
There was no bcvy of blushlne maid
ems 10 watch him now. however. and he
thought bitterly of how he had once
catered this rickety room with n feeling
OF amused contempt. or how he had
entered 1t with almost the un-AmcrIcan
awe OF native.
n new postmaster handed him a let {.
ter. the first he had received for months
As he glanced at the handwriting the
blood mounted 10 his forehead and tin
Slcd through his veins. He walked un-
steadily to the dinsy desk at tho sidt. Of
the room and closed his burning eyes.
a faint odor stole from the letter, ami
the dirty room, the quiet street, the
whole grey madness OF the little town
vanished. Again he was standing In n