Middletown transcript., 1909-02-13
fnorrrrnru rRon LAST wEEKl


TO ridIculeY A man who would
do such a thing would prove
nothing but a brutal husband
and there-there is your ring,
Mr.. Stuart!
The diamonds flashed unheeded
on the table, and Helen paused
for breath.
A dark flush had mounted to
Harvey's forehead at the utter
ance of the word "cowardly;;" but
he had great self-restraint, and
believing that Helen could not be
herself he said, quietly;
| don't think that you realize
what you are saying, Helen. Why
should you resent, as an insult, a
perfectly just criticism! To con,
vince you of the absurdity OF
what you are saying, | shall lend
You the poems l review ed, and
then you will see that / have not
said a word too much, but that
they we're written by some little
fool who wanted to see herself in
print.
o cruel Fates! Why could not
some kind power have stricken
Harvey Stuart with dumbness,
before he made such an offer?
The utter irony of the situation
struck Helen, and she laughed
bitterly. Harvey was SO con-
vinced that she must be i'll that,
at the sound of her hysterlcal
merriment, he tried to draw her
to him.
Ny child, you are nervous and
feverish. / had better leave, ,and
then you must go upstairs and
try to sleep. Shall I send you
those ridiculous "Reveries?"
They might have a soporiic
effect.
Helen flung nff the hand he had
placed on her arm, and exclaimed,
in a voice hoarse with despera-
tion:
Don't say one more insulting
word. Can'tyou understand that
1 wrote that book, and that you
are, or were, the object of my
affection who is to be pitied?
In a fash Harvey recollected
several expressions that were
certainly Helen's and a realiza-
tion Of the cruelty of all he had
said made him sink feebly back
into his chair. Then, with the
poor tact which distinguishes
man, he rushed upon destruction.
My poor girl! Why didn't you
tell me about it? l did not dream |
that you ever wrote such stuff.
Helen quivered, but only said:
Be good enough to accept that
ring and leave me. | am tired,
Helen, surely you will not let
such a trifle part US. My dear,
l do not love you because
thought you could write poetry.
My criticism was most unfortu.
nate, but you are acting very un
reasonably in treating me like
this. But l see that you are
tired, SO 1 shall leave you. Per-
haps in the morning you will be
prepared to do me justice.
My only wish is that may
never see your face again.
The next moment Helen found
herself alone, but the diamond
ring lay sparkling on the table.
She took it up disdainfutly and
went upstairs.
1
Mr.. Stuart took a long walk
and thought over the situation.
He was arsingularly just man and
could realize the exquisite morti-
fication that a girl like Helen
would feel, and even the unpleas,
ant adjectives she had flung at
him were forgiven. Of course,
it was utterly impossible for such
a thing to part them. but he
would give Helen two or three
days to think over the trouble,
and then such a sensible person
would see that all the pain had
been most innocently inflicted.
So thought the wise Mr.. Stuart,
forgetting, that Solomon himself
could not find out the alphabet of
woman's nature. When Harvey
reached his rooms he took down
the "Reveries" and surveyed the
cover for q moment.
It's just like her-dainty per-
lection. He read several of the
poems again and then turned to
the only one he had praised
my Hero" The first eight
lines were truly poetic, and now
he could read between them. His
eyes grew misty and he muttered
"The poor child. What q brute
she must think me-" AS he laid {
down the book he caught sight |