The Farmington times. [volume] (Farmington, Mo.) 1874-1902, 1902-03-20
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ny MRS NOM PERKINS. :
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nOHERT IIALLECK has returned"
n said Isabel Brcnuvr frum her coy
| seat before the FIRE where she sat,
| lovely and idle, among q group of busy
ladica. u was the weekly meeting uf
This Ladies' Aid Sucerty." and most
- the ladies in tn" little town Of
Dune were assembled in Ars. Bren,
ner's VAIN parlur that afternoon,
They all looked up ~ ith yurprisrd eyes
IT isnhels words, for Robert Hallcck
had left Dune ten ycar- before and ne
one had heard Of him since.
and have YOU seen him. asked one
Of thr ladies.
"No, not H. IauEurd Isabel "liut
father heard II down town just before
dinner"
Isabel Brcnnrr wns the luyclirst girl
IN al Dune, with ripping hair touched
into gold 10y every sunbeam that
CHANGED a. fail upuH Il, while her wide
gr1y eyes hvld an SORTS II thrilling
lights and shadow. md her com.
picNiun was fresh and fair with the
palest oi rose tinia upon either round
I'D check To the prupir ~ Dune she
was synonymous with All that was fair
and bright. set she VA. un-puilrd. aud
possessed manner which inspired
neither envy nor hate.
Perhaps his return has something
IN de- with Janet Wilson, alb, cnce thi,
afternoon remarked Mrs. Hryunrr
she has not been absent for months
until to-day
What would Il matter 10 poor old
Janet ?" questioned Isabel
They were engaged o. Inc married
at the time he went away. Every one
supposes he tilted her"
"Oh, then he Is a, old ~ Janet,
Why, she Is gray. has been ever since
/ can remember"
ale Is not so old, my dear. That
was q. She must nat. been full -.
and he only hoy 81 A. NJ one piticd
Janet much. because she should not
have encouraged him. \ woman "
her ngc should have known better
Meantime, the subject ~ thcir ron
vcragtinn vat alone Ia her little parlur
looking with weary eyes into the
Frate, where the fire had long since
died cut, leaving only cUlorlcs, ashes.
She was tail, slender woman. with
q fine olive complexion which alone
seemed {" have retained the beauty of
youth. Great masses Of almost snowy
hair were gathered into knot ut the
hack - hyr wcll-shapcd head. which
even In her detection was held SOME
what proudly. while the heavy folds ~
her loose, dark gown swept about her
feet aud lay in lusterlcss heap upon
the floor
Mrs. Bremen had been right. Jnnet's
absence from the Aid Saciety was due
TO Robert Ilallrck's sudden appear.
ance in Dune. She had seen him get
on the train ai the station Ruhcr, |
lialleck in the full vigor Of manhood. !
tail, dark, handsome, with eye, that |
held her heaven and earth once nu |
su very long agu aud yet an eternity |
to her
She had felt the shock Of his return !
like a thundcrbolt dazing and he. |
her for one brief moment. |
and then had cume tho realization that |
he had returned AZ laEt--hc whom sl,c /
had sought that she might In some
way repay him the desolatiUn he had |
brueght her Dune said she had beer
TO blame, that she had mrcd a boy
only a boy--who had wearied 81 her /
mature charms at last.
A scornful smile hickered over her
face at the thought At SO she had
been beautiful In the rich, dark styie
Df her southern ancestors beautiful |
with jet black hair, magnificent -,
and a figure Of perfect contour and
grace. She knew, no one hetter. that
the slender, dark-eycd boy whom she
had loved without any effort ~ hers
10 lure him: that be had cume into
her life of his uwn free will. and pune.
likewise, bearing away her wealth Of
love.
she remembered how she hnd
herself for loving "A boy; how
sorely her pride had been wounded
when she plightcd her truth Go him,
but she had loved him none the ieSE
And he? Well. he went away ono day
and came no more. She had waited
FOR his return and grown old in walt !
nP.
Ills parents had been unfeiguedly
glad, for they had always objected tn
her, not eren ralenfing when the glad
light went from her eyes and the
now spread 80 thickly over her mag.
iific~nt hair.
Now, he haa returned young mar
-~hhe had bocuine aR old woman IN sp4
pearance. but he should pay the price
II her youth and hope. No man should
rob her Of both with reckless hand
md leave her To bear she pain AMI
humiliation alone. Perhaps Dune had
Wounded her above all else when II
'aia abe had thrnwn herself nc this
10Y 10 win him; perhaps IL Ind helped (
% harden her into the stern, rolentIrss
snssisn she bud become. AZ any rHsc.
10 had returned. he must pay the
irire.
u was siniost dark when she srozs
Q pull down the euriaiias. light the
amP and rekindie the IRE. yas even
, ms seani-darkness. th~ unwnnted Z
'rslliaace ~ her eyea, and The firn,. set
arre Of fhr iips were pnrraptIbin, and
hey hssied no Eood 10 Robert iEaiisrk |
Spring came and went. fhen snns- 4
ner burst - fuil glory upan Dune. and
III kobsrl raileck fingered. 4 rumorl