The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1873-06-21

know They are to be piticd, not to BY
= blamed Besides, A. have said before, he j
too aged for me. He'll bca centurion whel
you're in your prime
Kate refused to talk all night, IA, gladl.
would have had her, and did catch an hou
or two of sleep, full of happy dreams,
was nearly alone in the world, and thcr
was no earthly reason for delaying the mar
ragc, except for wedding garments.
Dovecotes was wonderfully healthy just n
this time. but the doctors carriage (hc hat
discarded the old narrow sulky and replaced
it with buggy might be seen going at full
:, speed along the avenue often enough for {
patient at the point of death.
We were married, and went into the village
to live in the very house in which had frs
taken possession Of its owner.
That former neighbor, who had seen me an
old maid in her prophetic soul, said 80
you took the doctor, after all. y
Ifthis were an ordinary and wcll-conducted
story, il ought to end here's but being a true
history of nv life, did not at once come to an
end Ike that of most other heroines, with
marriage.
had been Mrs. Gilmore nearly ten years,
and had led very dOwny life of it. Ny
love, which had run so smooth from the be,
ginning, kept up the habit.
| mentally carried an umbrella all these
years, but it never raincd anything but good
fortune
Three little GimOres made nv life a hap
by burden and my old friend, Kate Purdy,
came constantly to the house to help bring
them up Kate was nearly thirty years of
age, when her fate was carried into her aunt's
house with Il sprained ankle, and came out of
| it her accepted lover.
Many men had fallen in love with Kate in
these years, but they had been without form
or conelinc.s in her eyes. The mild, colorlcsS
man, whom she loved at last with all her
tender heart, carried her away from Dove
cotcs, and | did not see her again till she
brought with her the transcendent first baby
which was to cast far into the shade Gilmore
babies, past, present, and to come.
One toggy twilight, when our tyrants were
laid away for the night, we walked toward
DoyecotcS. The long gate opening on the
avenue was shut, and We all leaned upon it to
rest moment before turning homeward
again.
by the way said I. sit is just like the
night when | found this ring. | wonder if
those lovers ever made up their quarrel and
married, after all
II am quite sure they never married said
Rates husband, gravely.
What do you mean | gaspcd.
Tell her all about it," said Kate to Dr.. Gil
more. I'VE are all happy now" She kissed
me twice, with long look into my frightened
face, and then walked away with her own
husband.
what j, it," said, with great effort, SO
dry was my throat.
1T was Kate Purdy and | who quauclcd at
the gate and lost the rn@. That Is all"
"All!' repeated.
Little wife, have wc not been very happy
tOgcthcr:'
II have supposed So
and have known it,
But the long deceit
"On my word there has been none, After
you introduced me to Kate, | never spoke
Sord to her that you did not hear, nor looked
, look that YOU did not see. She fascinated |
ne once, but never really loved her"
believe men often make this sort of re-
mark to their wives touching their youthful |
.ollies, but il has Comtortcd many another
wife | had always worn the sapphire ring
he sign of our betrothal and as we talked |
had been slipping it up and down around my
finger
As we turned to leave the gate, saw deep
rack in the ground where frost had loosened
he post; in an instant | had dropped the
ring into the crack, and went on, with one
Druisc less on my spirit
On the way home we talked Of the usual
preference for moonlight over fog, and found
Kate walking alone on the doorstep. II will
lot darken your door again, =" she said, "till you
ay that you forgive me-"
Yes said the doctor "shc will let by cones
&c by-gones," and Kate took that for her an
wcr.
"lou will find your ring in the place where
iou left it, whispered to Kate rs left her
or the night
When | was taking OUT hair-pns under the
gaS hight, | saw the doctor look Curiously at
ny torcfngcr
YES" said, "itl, gone; found the own
r, you know
He made 40 reply, but drew from under
he drcSsng-tabe the little lcathcr-coycred
,oX that held all his private papers, the only |
hing in the house Of which did not possess
lac KEY. he took out pretty little case
nd uncovered pearl ring, an exquisite ,oli-
lirc.
II bought ihi, ring for you, he said ION {
hc day after You accepted me. feeling sure ;
ia. YOU would some day throw the other {
way"
| put on the ring, and chri,tened it with
i,sCs and tears | could not long be angry |
ith my doctor; loved him too well.
A. to kaic, | can forgive her. but | can |
ever quite forget.