Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1872-05-28


elegant white jacket, and bright ribbons.
She was looking out OF the window,
with crimson blush on her cheek, and
handsome Hal Archer was standing be.
side her, holding her hand, and regarding
her rs no man should regard another
mans wife
As the door swung open, they both
turned, and for moment. the trembling
wife. The half ashamed gallant. and the
angry husband, gazed muicly at each
other
John broke the silence, by saying
harshly
$50 this is the way you spend your af.
ternoons. Mrs Courtney. All. hum! |
think your name sir. is Archer !"
at is !" answered Hal, in a freezing
tone.
You will obIige me, Mr.. Archer. 10y
leaving my house at once. and save me
the trouble of kicking you out"
Hal Archer was dainty fellow. a per-
iect lady's man, and kicking. fighting, or
an. thing not strictly in keeping with n
ladt's parlor. was entirely foreign to his
nature,
So he regarded John with shocked
expression. and stood stock still.
II hope you understood me, SIR" said
John. moving u step forward.
"I-oh yesm and the elegant fellow
walked out.
"Oh. John didn't mean to do
wong, IL"
"Ada You have dishonorcd me-"
"Oh, John My God, has it come to
thsp You know not what you say John.
Don't say that horrible word. have not
wrongcd you. 1t was only Irritation. v
He looked fierccly Mt her, but said not
another word. He sat down, however
and hastily wrote lew words, OH n leat
torn from his note book, and folded il up
and laid it on her table.
Then he gave her another fierce hard
look, and walked out, leaving her sitting
n perfect wreck. in her easy chair.
What could she do? What would
John doo What had he writtenp
She crcpt over toward it, like a fright
ened child, and opened it with trembling 9
fingers.
Ada, | cannot speak 10 you. love
you better than my own life. and you
have broken my heart. am going
away. to Boston, and | may never, never
come back -"
Had Ada been in her usual mood. she
would have laughed u, this outburst, tom
her meihodical, sensible husband, out she
WAS halt wild with shame and grief. and
could only wiring her white hands aud
cay aloud.
Meanwhile John stalked down the
street. white with passion. He meant
when he wrote 10 Ada. to go direct u
Boston, but somehow his rage seemed
overpowcr him, and he felt like walk
ing up and down, until he walked por
ton OF it away. He WAS very hot. ant
stifled, aud after little, he Stacked up,
aud found, breathing a painful difficulty
I l. ,,,,,ol ;n,o p,.oo an1 nutot.
ened his steps, to try to start the BLOOD
that seemed to stand thick and still in hi
swelling veins. He unbutioned his coat
aud tugged at his collar. He lifted his
hat, and walked on bareheadcd, for q
block or more. Then thorc was buzz,
like the whirr of machinery. and all the
passers lifted up and down; surged this
way, and then somethipg,-like the sud
den closing of door, shut out all the
light, and 3 crowd passed around, to loos
OF the PROSTATE form, that laid so still nnt
white. on the hard pavement.
For long period, Johns existence
was blank. Then he awoke to help
less consciousness, and knew that he was
at home, in bed. He could not lift hi
hands, or speak, but he could see the
darkened windows, and familiar objects,
and hear soft footsteps near his bed.
Then he began to see tho dim light, a
|
slight form with white, wan face, and
n regal little head, covered with mas:
of golden hair all combed back plain. .ant
and smooth, and knotted closely up be-
hind,
Little by little he began to know tha
the white face belonged to Ada. and that
the soft hands that smoothed his pillow
and tenderly fed him, were also Ada's
AS this holplessness dropped away IRON
his life, SO q certain numbness left hi
heart, and made him feel as he had fell
in his early boyhood. hot at all like the
worldly man he had been, when this i'll
ness came upon him.
He found, as he grew clearer that she
never left him. He could see her catch
ing maps, in the easy chair, and growins
thin, and white. every day. with conflne
ment and care, but still she sat there.
Once in while, his sister came, anC
scolded, but Ada only grew whittier,
| ha
But after many days, that spell was
broken, and one night, when the lamp
were lighted, and they were alone, HI
looked up. and said "AdaP"
She spraug up with glad cry,
"Oh, John!"
"Darling!"
"Oh, John! You won't die, will you ?
and then aha fell back as lifelesS rs he hat