The Storyteller.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7900, 16 August 1905, Page 4

The Storyteller.

fie Reienge o! Barbara Walker Barbara Walker, blooming with all fee freshness ol wgtotccn-. summers sat curled up In the bay-window etching tor the postman ; her eyes. *»re full ol dreams, her r»outh smiling, the whole picture suggestive of vouth and happiness. ...«.« - Halt an hour alter tire picture was ebanged. A woman sat there, rigid, Stricken with sudden age ; the eyes were filled with a great despair, the "BWuib bopteless in its painful com■ressiou. Yet Barbara Walker had «ot exchanged her seat with anyone; the change bad come to her, swift, sudden, and appalling. The postman had given a letter into the outstretched hands of the jounß gitl in the morning of light and low. The letter was opened and tttd, it Ml from t*ie nerveless tawd v of a woman matured by sudden and awful honor. Only another man faithlon, another life blighted. Only the old stort i "Dear Friend Barbara," the letter began. Oh. Heavens ! how like the keen cut ot a sword that word frien* goes to the heart when it takes the place of another dearer word. "Dear Friend Barbara.-I fear that you will be somewhat surprised and pained at what I feel, compelled to write you. For many weeks I have been conscious of a growing change ia my sentiments towards you. What I thought was love was only fancy —•the result of association. Knowing this, I couW never make you happy as my wife. Therefore, I trust you wrH v gjvo ( me «ny freedom, as I #«** you yours, and always think of. .me as your friend. Howard Snow." ** So the heautiful dream of a year

that bad filled a young life with the. golden glory of a June sunrise was quenched in the blackness of a starless night. < Do you know what it is to see a great hope die ? To have the happiness that makes all tie life (or you crushed -with one blow from the band of Fate? Do you know what it is to drop from noonday heights of joy to toe depths of the darkest midnight " If you do, I need not try ■to tell yon of Hie days and weeks that followed for Barbara Walker. If yon do not, it would be useless for me to try ; for only through experience, or close companionship with an awful sorrow, are we enabled ic com prebend it. And while she sat In the shadows.

struggling with her stricken young heart, that knew not how to entertain the stranger, Pain, striving vainly to pierce the impenetrable gloom that shrouded her, a hundred miles away Howard Snow basked in - the

sunlight of another woman's smile. He was not a cruel or a hear ties? man. But his better impulses, Ms sympathies, his regard for the feelings of others were all lost in ai< iataluation for another beautiful daughter of Eve.

Howard Snow was onlv twentythree, and Helen Thomas was thirty; one of those women who ripen like a peach in the sun, and to whon. mature years add only richer charms. Rightly directed, her life might mure been or rare usefulness and power, for she possessed that strong magnetic charm that sways the world.

But she used it only to draw men to her feet.

Howard Snow was the onlv desirable young man in the little village where she chanced to bo spending a few months with a relative.

"Heliasthe face of a Greek god," she said, "but it needs strong emotion to perfect it." "He is engaged to a lovely girl, a fresh wiW-rose of womanhood, who visited here last summer," said het relative.

"Is that so ?" responded Helen, as she dropped her lashes. But she was most <»rdial and alluring when she neit met Howard Snow.

It was an easy conquest. He was unused to women like Helen Thomas and he did not know himself. Sin played upon the slumbering passions of bis nature, and, set his ov. fire by the soft touches of her caressing hands and the languor of Lc glances.

It was the old story of a young man's infatuation for a woman oldei than himself. It blinded his iudewent and blunted bis sense of right aw wrong, and made him conscious of but one desire in Jife-tobej fret and under no obligations to any woman but bis Helen. His bonds to Barbara Walker grew hateful, and we seemed to him a child, whose weakness would be a drag upon him Always.

'So be freed himself, and for a *2 8 ,. h » p W[: Thcn "»* better naVL oke Wllh * su * i «' "bock. He marriage t0 Hc, «> Thomas, and she laughed in his face. Marriage r she said. "Why,™, SMT ttank of so absurd a thine *" ring of "A boy?" he answered. "Y cs i was a boy when I met you, and you were not content to let mc remam so . you p|aycd upo « m f » erery ar t ,q your power till you £* C ?P ."* man i„ me. Now y H me- I did not know before that a mm not <he of-shame ,il she %bi*»

*£? '•rt*"*' "I-estimate of "* **. wss ITiomas, and no woman eg do a crueller or ba,er ?hin?K iJ*{: Tbe "PWard growth and R lor" T 1 * **" U P°>' man's e? timate of woman And vou I «*r God forgive you <" y b Ifcat Lrl Th? 1 MS l Way ' w,,h a '»«' _?, i . <lw "Mr l " Of the "strr»i« toa^ I *} "• and ■■» »*»(. „ ™ t,cr a nd cmica!. • strange tenderness, but with ,n M? P nA° * r f fWal ot °" tie?. ? , k irf? K° Ve for "*'• "' trutb : only ■toilit * °"»J™"™* and lack o* 22m £'•/?' Was l " Mm 'lk.- a R«l'7 d r p,y - K *> r ifri™ »e grew to feel only scorn H..r boM »pon Ma bad hUCleiv ph/1, W ° ml " is «"' <" - He applied himself to his nrof.s SeT Sf'iJKTI 0 "'' 1 popu|ar * ilh •ne", out feared by women for hi* two*lgr<l. Yet niarriaKeablc women sought after him. for K per*w»l. attraction, .*!,*%, ,™ wealth and influence ami veVmerf But be reached the ap . of i|,irfv„ Set a?*""* s!'", ,ree And ihSi £ met Barbara Walker again. Through all these years he | Ul | formal dinner partv riv,.„ I prominent ' S,,en by a £Y'r Mf '' '" Q»ested „ I.!? £* hns,eSs - and re|A« ,, «• ,^, E^ttlwer ,^ Cr twitelJ, 0 W,lat Wa > «>-<• X * m) S| mpl«ity. The i »n. a»d rare ' «ff i *" evening. ■W Mi* o lOnK . limc Sinc e we last Et to - a « <bev En* Vi ,L m * r - f am P'«-se<l to ■gw oi the success and prosneriiv I KJf * lUi * d you "WS I WW qnjetly she spoke of their last

meeting. He wondered if she rcmeinbued the parting—a lovci's parting ! ! "1 had lost all trace, of you," he ansveiul, "hut am glad lo Imd, as 11 do, that you have tacn well and 'happy. Your rare denotes buth. I Where are your parents? 1 ' j "In Heaven, 1 trust!" she said, soit ; ly. '-They died eight years ago, and left me all alone. 1 had an uncle in America, and went lo him, and have spent most ot my time in travel since. A tew months ago a longing seized upou me to see my own land and my old home again, so I came back."

Howard Snow scarcely left her side all the evening. She charmed him with her descriptions of scenery ami chit-chat of foreign life. "I would be glad to call," he said, as they parted. "Where can I fn.d you ?"

"In the house where wc first met' she said,, glancing up at him, ui'ii. the old, shy look. 'I am visiting tlie same friends." He could not have described his •ansations as he rang the bell next Jay, and was ushered into the presence of that woman who w..s once ais betrothed wife. Admiration, reverence, lopect, and, it seemed to him. love, stirred together in his heart.

It was only one oi many calls. She was to kind, so cordial, so entertaining. Her soul was too large to tresLsutr any resentment against him for that old wrong. Then by-and-bje he grew to realise how he was loving this woman. Not the old love awakened, hut a new love created—tlie one grand passion of his life.

Mentally, morally, and physically. this worrar. ministered to him ; her 'covertsiVion charmed him, her mom! atmosphere elevated him, and Hie touch of ber hand electrified him. Surely a love like this wasi . from .feaven, and must meet with some response. Still he hesitated, not daring to speak. But so strong grew ihe emotion, it overpowered him at length. "God knows I feel my unworthiness," he said, "but I love you, Barbara, and I want you for my wife. 1 said the same words to you years ago, and failed you. 1 was only a »eak boy then swayed ahout by a lesigning woman. 1 am now a man, nowing my own heart, and with all its intense, pent-up passion it cries mt for you." For a moment Barbara's face seemd glorified with light. Her cheeks flowed, her eyes enlarged, her breast leaved. She put both hands in his.

"I have never been content without you—not for one moment," she aid. "Nothing filled my life so full hat I did not feel the need of you, larold." Their marriage was arrange for. iiree months later. She lingered unil the last month, siemingly unwilling to separate■ from him,; and hen went back to her old home. It .as occupied by tenants, but she '/anted to make her preparations here, shy said, as)'she had dcuamti t doing so long ago. They were to be married in the .illage church by the oM family rccor. "Let the old dream reach perfeeion in every detail at last," she aid. The little church was crowded when 'lie day came. All iu a sheen ol white, Baifora stood before .the alar, ami felt Iter hand taken by the nan who had discarded her years beore.

"Wilt thou lake this man to be hy wedded husband ?" "The rector waited for the resonsc. It came like the report of a >istol. "Never ! As he once rejected mc, o now do I reject him !" And she swept down the aisle, .'hitcr than her robes, and left a ;asping crowd of astr.ni.shid people flaring blankly after her. Very calmly and very coldly Howard Snow passed down and out ol he church He Went to the hotel -here his luggage was left, and l.e

;an to make preparations for departure by an early train. But his lands seemed paralysed, and strange ißhts danced before his eves. Before midnight he was in a raving leluium. Tin- next morning the'y ound him in a high fever, callinrTihlly on the name of Darlrara, an.i' cviling some woman he called Hclii, who seemed pursuing liim. "He cannot live," the doctor said icxt' evening. "Will someone go an,l isk the woman who has done this ruel,deed to come here for a moment Y The sight of her mav quiet iim, perhaps." But while lie spoke she came in. er bridal white exchanged for funeril black, her long hair falling loose ibout her. She glided to the bedside and put ler hands on his fare. "Howard !" she called, in a,deluding voice ; "oh, my love, Howard, orgive me before you die." L'utj he fancied sie was the woman rtelen, and shrieked and grew so vio-

lent that they sent her from Hie room.

There was a week of wild delirium, and then a week of stupor, and then, like a pale wraith of her former self, she came slowly in and knelt beside him.

She put her wasted cheek beside his on the pillow, and the tears that had refusedi to flow fell slowly down, as she said :

"Oh, I thought revenge was sweet, but it is better, bitter, my love." How long she knelt there she did not know, but suddenly she was startled by a sigh—a very ghost of a sigh, it seemed to her. She put her hand over Ihe heart slie had believed still for ever. 11 fluttered feebly. "Oh, thank Heaven !" she cried, and fell unconscious. An hour later she found herse'f in bed, and kindly cared for, and smiling faces all about her. t "He lives," they said. "Your touch brought him from the very gates of death." A few weeks later a pallid bride. and a still more pallid groom, passed down the old church aisle, and out into the great world. Somewhere they dwell to-day—hap-py, let us hope, since they had both so suffered in the past.