The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-03-31
HaE-EAour Portraits of Dickens's Greatest

and tmpaticnce OF restraint were sailr
that challenged disaster.
That those who wsru truthful and
sincere should turn away from her. and
that their place should be taken by
iatterers and fawners n evcr-uug-
mentinS numbers, was. OF course, re-
morSelcssly logical. That avery one
OF the se!f-seekers should spoil her as
the shortest way 10 get whatever they
wanted from her, was, of course. in
evitabic. The mou"nful PAR; Of it wns
| tllat they spoiled and distorted a wo-
man whose hcagt had rare powers for
great and true devotion and constance;
ana III spelling her nature. ;hcy rob
bed that heart of any hope OF guidance.
The time came when It needed that
guidance; ana she was blind
OF all the many who had wcocd he,
tho honest men whose love she had
tossed aside like any bother prorfered
Siit - no value. and the mcrcenary
ones "hom she had escaped by being
cold!y iuiitercnt--there probably had
not bc"u one so unworthy in Svcry
uesrec rs III, man who won her. lie
was a handsome man. She did not
perceive that he was Il little too hanI-
some. He was polished man of the
world. She did not see that he was
! 100 polished ana too much OF the
world In station and habit ana an
! Nir"nmcnt he was what is known tech
hlcilly as Il gentleman. She did not
perceive that lie was Il little too much
Eoi that kind OF gentleman.
| His name was Compressor Even at
ihat time there WAS some shrugsinC
Of padded shoulders in pentcel clubs in
| London when "Compcyson" was utter
ed. There We're people who could have
warned Miss Itavisham that this was
man who had nearly run his race.
/ ana was coming in loser and presently
| would be running races against the
police. But Miss IiaviSham had long
! since barred her doors against advisers
who might give such advice.
50 deep was her devotion TO him, so
boundless were her pride and joy and
confidence, that he hardly had 10 lead
her to play into his hands. They had
not been long engaged ,rhen she be-
gan to turn over to him. under his
skilled suggestion. authority over hcI
properties. He stood possessed of 1t
| great part of her riches :oi,e before
! the time set for the wedding.
The marriage day was fixed. Tho
wedding tour had been arranged The
wedding feast was spread in salts
| House. The wedding guests had bccn
| invited. and were on the way. She
was sitting before hcr golden mirror,
dressing for the wedding. when 4 let.
| ter was delivered TO her.
| 1t was from him. He wrote. quite
codly. brutally brief that he was a
married man. and had courtcd her sim
ply to gain what he had gained.
| The letter fell from her hand. s
silt clock in front OF her pointed 10
twenty minutes to .
!, was the last conscious knowledge
| she hal for long. long time. Size re-
turned to consciousness. but hardly to
! lite. Tor though she lived. her life had
stopped on her wedding day, ana in her
| wild passion She dccrced that Il should
| know no time beyond that hour.
Salts House went blind and stark. II
did not fail into decay slowly. through
| tho monotonous work OF sad years. sac
| had ii laid waste overnight. She smoie
| it, as she hal been smitrcn. Its hupry
| builders happy zeal In making It tcau,
! iiful WAS not one thousandth part Il.
great as Miss Havisham's furious yea
| FOR bliEhtinE il.
The gardens were made deeert The
| great doorwuys We're scaled with bolts
and spikes and chains. The window: