The Grenada sentinel., 1903-03-28
T6 e Love
! T6uf LiOed
.Copyright, isea, by Daily story Pub. Co.

~.~r- Copyright ises, by Daily Story Pub. Co.
Systematically, with choking,
smothered cry, she covered her face
with her hands and drew back from
the terrible image of herself which
the polished mirror mercilessly re-
flected with entire disregard of how
it crushed her heart and soul.
''Why, Why" she gasped. did not
die?
Only three brief months ago and all
New York had acknowledged her as J
one of it's peerless beauties, almost
unrivaled in delicate, peach-like bloom
of complexion and finely carved, clas-
steal features. Now she was
Fright! Despite their atte mpts to
conceal the feeling, she saw the lhvol-
untary, uncomfortable aversion with
which her friends when they first
looked upon the terrible change which
the frightful disease she had just re-
covered from had wrought, shrank
back from her; and it pierced her to
the quick.
They were kind and consider
ate, but they could not entirely
veil the disgust which the sight of her
SO woefully altered struck upon them.
And if they were so affected what
would he say and feel-he whom she
loved with a woman's absolute devo-
tion and to whom she had pledged her
faith-who was more to her than life
when he saw this wreck of herself?
To men, she knew, beauty in a woman
had much to do With love. How could
she in fairness ask or expect him to
remain true to his plighted faith and
make her his wife? Yes, she might
ask, but it was not possible that his
love could survive the shock of the
change in her. He might, as matter
of honor, and out of the sympathy of
his soul. we'd her; but she would not
have him that way.
She dropped into chair and moaned
piteousiy. He could no longer love
her! Haunted by the horrible dread
of meeting him and seeing him recoil
from her, she felt that hope had died
out of her life and she would perish
of despair; and suddenly she dropped
upon her knees, as she had often done
since the mirror had first disclosed to
her the wreck she had become, and
ardently prayed for death!
He was on his way home. The news
papers had announced the fact some
days ago that his regiment might be
expected to return at any hour. He
would come to her proud, joyous, gay,
and with heart beating with raptu-
rous happiness; and he would leave
her a few minutes later with his
dreams of love and his heart crushed {;
but not as crushed as hers. For he
was a man and time would heal the
wound, reconcile him to the loss of
her, and there were other women with
beauty, wealth and breeding who
had envied her and strove with her
for his heart-and one of them would
take her place and sleep at his side as
she had hoped to do. But for her what
could time dc? 1t could not restore
her beauty; it could not change her
from the disfigured wreck it had made
her; and even if it was possible for her
to ever forget him and fall in love with
another it was monstrous to expect
that any man would ever be drawn to
woman with so hidecus a face-a
face she felt it would be mercy tc
herself as we'll as to others to keeI
constantly covered from the Sight OF
all eyes.
He would pity her, she thought. But
ah! that was the very keenest sword
thrust of all! In her agony-this ex
quisite agony she had felt before ant
knew she was doomed to feel and suf
fer over and over again as long as lif,
lasted and her mind had power tt
think-she rocked herself to and fir,
and sobbed out her broken heart IL
cries for death! Would it be crime
under the circumstances, to kill her
self? Should she do it before he cam,
to her? No! She could not die with
out seeing him again, excruciating tor
ture as the meeting with him woul,
surely be. Let her see him and then
the end!
There came heavy, quick, impa
tient knock on the door and a voic
outside calling to her.
'Agnes! Agnes! May 1 come in? 1
is I-Clarence!"
At the sound of his voice, so dea
and yet~now SO terrifying to her, sh
hastily arose, covered her face wit
her handkerchief, and called back:
'Wait! Wait! Do not come in!''
But the door opened and he entered
and she saw dimly that another man
his valet-was with him. She turne