The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1871-08-24

answered, closing my eyes. lie left me {
moment.
alt was a stupid mistake of mine," hC
said when be returned. u should have
ordered the carriage earlier
pray don't disturb yourself. 1t vii
soon come, ! don't doubt
=" If / could bring you anything. Let me
see, there should be-yes; there is somt
wine here lie unlocked the cabinet as
he spoke and took outa decanter l shook
my head. John and l held queer old fash
ioned notions.
'But | insist" he said; "you must take
it. You are ill.,
He poured out the wine. l drank il
down.
Strange that we should have met here
to-day he said. I've never once seer
you sinee-Don't mind; | forgaye you long
age. kept your letter too-the tanderest
saying Of Il no man ever had from woman.
pray don't speak Of it. Why bring
up wha. has years been forgotten ?" Ny
face was warm and conscious, | knew
though ! tried to speak coldly. Perhaps ii
was the wine-it burned in all my veins.
Perhaps it was the flowers. How strong
their perfume was
why not l ought to have overcome
any pain 1 had years ago. And you-you
never cared you know"
felt. his eyes upon me; but would not
open mine. 1t came to me ike the far-of
stretching out Of hands, that / ought tc
rise ana 20 away; that it was not good fol
me To be here. | tried to think of home
tried to think Of John, from whom | had
heard nothing now for many DAYS; but both
weIg vague and indistinct. Nothing was
real o. near to me but the heavy perfume OF
the flowers and the face Of this man watch
ing mine. lie had teen walking the room
as lie poke; As he came near now he leaned
over my chair. lie bent down and touched
my hair-thc hair that John had stroked
| started to my feet. There came to me
at that moment such vision of my home,
such 1t vision Of my husband--not hand
some or fine in dress as this man; but
strong and true Of soul as no other wo-
man ever had before.
Il want to go home" Igathered up the
wraps lying at my side. The flowers fell
to the floor. What were the sickening,
sweet things to me?
And so you SHALL" he answered in a
light tone as he laid his hand upon my
shawl.
Il want to 90 home to yoAn," and this
time | did not fear to meet his eyes. His
hand fell from the shawl Without a
word he turned and led the way down the
marrow stairs to the street. The carriage
was waiting.
At midnight was ON my way home.
With my face once set, | could have
flown, had wings been given me. ] could
not bear with the slow motion of the train
the slow drag Of time. Sleep ] could
not. Was it tie wine that burned so Ike
ire within me ? that brought strange fam
cics rs the night wore away? | clung to
the seat, laughing aloud, as we fairly
bounded over the road. | could have shout
ed my delight as with face pressed against
the window-panc l watched the dizzy,
spark-i;t darkness rushing past.
Through all the next day I seemed to
sleep and dream. Still we went on; but
now had ceased to care. Some one spoke
10 me. 1t was Il woman, gentle-faced and
young. Bcnnie's mother, | thought, and
yet ! know she was in heaven.
.'I,u must be III p She said.
"Ch, no." I'm going home-to John p
and ti.Cn 1 slept again.
1t was dusk when [ crept up to the
house. When | pushed open the heavy
door | did not heed the darkness within.
It was pleasant shade. | seemed to have
been walking under Il scorching sun, though
my feet were crusted with snow. | groped
about the rooms searching for something
had forgotten what: | stole up the stairs.
There WAS a dim Light, little form that
lay quite still in Bcnnic's bed, Il figure
bonding over it, the face hidden by the thin
gray hair. | remember-no; | remember
nothing more.
VI.
It was pleasant, and soft, and cool-this
somewhere, where I lay. | would open
my eyes. Oh no, not yet: l would think.
My heart gave Il great bound. The eyes
opened Of themselves, and there was Johns
dear face, smiling down upon me, and Ben
MES little hands creeping into mind.
| think | know how the son felt whose
father met him while yet a great way off.
Oh, when they put the ring upon his fin
ger how it must have shamet his soiled
hands And when they hung the chain
about his neck how it must have weighed
him to the earth And when they set be-
fore him the fatted calf killed in his honor,
how the first morsalmu have choked him
" am not good enough to be your wife, .
so5bed: let me take DoIiy's place
But john comforted me.-Saf6Rer' S
Monthly.