Evening journal., 1902-08-20
TWO LONELY ONES
WERE CONSOLED

b such festivities. It was five years since
my adored Georgeiana had left me, tax
ing with her the little fruit Of our love
and for so long ! had not revisited the
iglimpses Of the moon. Indeed. l had
not been here now, but that the rout
was for the new hospital, and my friend
Dean Delany had persuaded me to it,
saying that it was something my angel
would have exacted of me, and that
sine would not have me lay down the
duties of my station, because the Lord
had taken her from me-
Suddenly my attention was arrested
by the vision OF lady who sat in a
gilded chair Immediately facing me
across the ballroom.
l thought | had seen her before. vet
lsurely she was different I remember
ed a being of an innocent and bewitch-
ing milkmaid beauty who had been
3 like her yet unlike. If you could inn
agine a veil of the evening drawn over
the morning you would have my lady
as her sadedned beauty appeared by
that memory of milk and roses.
Someone stepped into the window by
my side. It was the dean.
Still here, my Lord Raheny? 80
he began
who is that lady?" I asked, indi-
eating the face that had arrested me.
THAT Heaven WOman?" he answer
led. Why she is Mrs Bathurst. Don't
You remember that she was Caroline
Dillon, little Caro-? She married Harvey
Bathurst, who was killed in duel with
Buck Standsh the very year of your
marriage"
l remembered the bright thing then,
and my heart smote me. 1t was not so
long from her calamity to mine: and ]
had forgotten hers.
"She was fond of her husband?" I
asked.
she worshiped him. The manner of
his death, too. He fought the Buck
for a girls honor-a mad. generous
thing to do. But it enthrOned him in
his wife's affections whence perhaps
life might have dispossessed him"
I He was a charming fellow said 1.
II have only known one man good
enough for Caro-" replied the dean.
But come, she is loling our way. Like
Yourself she is lonely at this feast. l
dragged her from her retirement. You
must know this Heavenly Woman.
In the days and weeks that followed
came TO understand why the dean so
designated her
"A friendship grew up between us who
had known the same shipwreck of our
(. hopes. Both our homes were empty
Hers, indeed, was richer than mine. in
so far that it had another memory.
We had been friends now for some
months. and if it were not that I have
gauged the great soul. the deep calline
TO deep cf woman's tenderness.
would have marveled at how she gave
me with both hands of her sighs and
d sympathy. We never tired. indeed OF
- leach others society; and often when II
was time for MS to part we stood up and
looked in each others eyes blankly. not
having realized how the time had
down.
But one day my friend Mrs. Delany
left fall speech that seemed to thrust
me into the cold and darkness from
which I had but lately emerged.
4 'Tis q pity to make a nun of her.
she said.
) "Of whom ! asked staring.
, Why OF that Heavenly Woman. I
fear she has it in her mind. She is
at the convent Oftener than ] like She
has not conflded in me. hut I fear she
soon will"
| turned cold with apprehension.
. world without that Heavenly Woman
II was unthinkable Then a blind rage
, seized me, and ! felt that / could break
F, ali the bars in the world that divided
me from her. I felt that my eyes Were
suddenly infamed-like my heart
/ fr1n nd
, her lips smiled. / could scarcely trust
: myself to speak. and when the words
came / knew my voice was husky.
, 'rwould he too great n sacrifice. .'
said 7.
IF we could make her feel that sh,
had a work TO do i'm the world" RIrs
Delany responded. q confess the dear
and / would be I'm despair at the les.
j. OF chat Heavenly Woman. But we ar,
g a selfish couple She does not feel her
self necessary TO us. If She could fee
y that there was someone who could no
e do without her"
S There is someone" I said, half IN
y der my breath.
+ "Ahi" Her eyes were dewy. but still
the soft scarlet of her lips smiled. ID
}, you know what your friends are say
l. ing? That you are too miserable to dl
y without each other. But remember
{, she laid her hand on mine-"once sh
k passes the postern Of the Poor Clares
y twill not be easy TO dislOdge her. Sh
t. is a thing with a will and a purpose. -
D. She shall not pass them / said.
After supper Mrs. Bathurst and
found ourselves, as usual. alone. Thos
ie two lovers, the dean and his lady. Ia
Is been separated the length of the da,
A. They had mudh to talk Of and we sa'
l. them take their way to that little sea
p cut in the ivy which only held ther
, two.
- The sky was in long streaks of ros
~ and amber, with quiet water-space
=. Of green between. A young moo
II climbed slowly up the sky. At the me
~ ment it was tangled in the boughs
l' an ancient apple tree. We went dow
the terraces through the kitchen gal
= den to the bayfield, where the Ion
AZ swathes were drying in rows. I heape
. some for q seat for her. and when sI
l- had taken it / stood looking at hC
where she glimmered white I'm the darl
id spoke then as 1 had not intended.