The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1873-10-31

must have told them how deeply / en-
tered with them into this touching his
tory.
Thomas recovered himself first. Go
ing to his wife he tenderly placed his
arm around her. She started with the
magnetic touch, looked up at him, and
then mt me, as If waiting for me to pass
judgment.
l could only take her hand between
my own and say:
Poor, poor mother Noble woman /!
Righteous wife |" At this, her eyes
beamed as if sufficiently relieved of a
dark veil a flush of genuine happi-
ness covered her face the whole coun-
tenance of the woman changed from a
sluggish horror to an Incompatible
relief.
Thomas stretched his hand toward
me his eyes flashing with JOY, his
head erected with manly pride, and for
the first time in years his broad, shin
ming teeth appeared through a smile
again.
"God reward your kind heart and
good words, sir, she cried. cit seems
as if we dared be happy once more y
She embraced her husband, looking
lovingly up to him, and softly asked:
"Do you not think so, Thomas p
"Just so, just SO, wife" He could
scarcely articulate the words for the
emotion that conquered him now. Hot
tears fell on his wifes hands and face
she, too, sobbed and wept with him.
They were the first tears. None were
L l. Al l. IL
You see what it was that changed
me so, all these years, sir. The ques-
ton constantly appeared before me ::
Have you not committed an unpardona-
bic sin against your own flesh and
blood? l could find no rest. My peace
was gone forever, and l told Thomas
never again would 1 dare to become a
mother"
A deep blush mantled her face and
she paused. l thought here was the
time to advise and restore harmony to
the distressed family. L said reproach-
fully to her : "You appear only to
think of yourself, Frau Thomas. Do
you not suppose your husband has also
suffered all these years the same as
yourself?" She looked at me aston
ished, and, rather abashed, replied:
"Of course he was miserable to see
me so, but, as he could not help me, he
let me alone.
Now, Frau Thomas, we have the
secret, and that is where you have been
unjust, and wronged your husband.
You daily exhibited regret that his life
had been saved at SO great sacrifice to
Yourself. 1t left him in more uncer-
tainty regarding your love for him, and
can you blame him if he did not think
his life too dearly bought ? 1t was noble
in him not to reproach you for saving
his life at the cost of the one dearer to
you. Is it not SO, Thomas ?"
"Truly, you have read my feelings
better than 1 could have explained
them. Frequently my heart seemed
ready to break when / realized what you
have said, but L could not blame her,
when she had done so much for me"
The woman's face was study. En-
barrassment, regret, perplexity, all APP
peared, until for very shame she cast
herself on her husbands breast, beg
ging his pardon.
1t was his turn to be embarrassed
now, and it was really touching to see
the man act as if he had done something
very foolish.
| left them, confident in their future
happiness, and so it proved. In time,
another child came to bless the sore
tried mothers heart, but never again
the question, Husband or Child ~
From the German.