Weaker than a Woman — page 34: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

WEAKER THAN A WOMAN. 25 - gweet brooding silence over all. Violet could not refuse ; putting aside all other thoughts, it would be pleasant to see the interior of a pretty house. Mrs. Lonsdale offered to go also, and the three started together. But Mrs. Lonsdale had been in love herself, and she had pity on her step-son. . When they had admired the beautiful grounds and gardens she said, laughingly : “The kitchen will not interest you; it does me. I will go | and inspect it.” | Then Felix showed Violet the pretty rooms he had planned for her. “The charm of them,” he said, “is that they are full of light and brightness ; from every window you see flowers and trees, through every door comes a breath of perfumed air. Oh, my Violet, we can be so happy here !” “Ts that jessamine growing yonder?’’ she asked. “Do gather a few sprays, Felix. I think I am fonder of jessa- mine than I am of any flower that blows.” He went in compliance with her wish. What request of hers could he have refused? And Violet Haye stood alone in the home that her lover sought to make hers. She stood there dainty and bewitching; she looked round. The rooms were very pretty; she tried to imagine herself mis- tress there; she tried to picture herself living there, going | in and out, waiting for Felix, giving orders. She tried to realize what life would be like when she was married and lived there. There would be no future to look forward to, no sweet, bright possibilities. “I should know all my life, then,” she thought, “it would hold nothing brighter than this,” and the dainty little foot tapped the floor. “Here 1t would all 4egin and end; there would be no more dream- ing,” and she had dreamed wildly of a different hfe from this. Still she loved Felix. “T wonder,” said the dainty young beauty to herself, “in what I differ from other girls. I know not one but many who would gladly change their fate for mine, who would marry Felix Lonsdale and be happy in his love, who would think this pretty house a palace, and would find the con- tentment and true happiness of a life-time within its walls ; why cannot Ido the same? Whatis it that 1 am always looking for, hoping for, expecting? What more do I want? I cannot understand myself—and I am sure no one else can understand me.” The violet eyes glanced wistfully round the pretty rooms ; #y was she not content? ‘Llove Felix,” she told herself; “and it seems to me €oO m comicbooks