The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1874-04-24

faded from her cheeks. Her voice was
very tender rs she said, "I'm so sorry
for you, Edward. You will miss your
library, your books. Perhaps we can
save some of them for YOU"
"But you, Edith !" he said, amazed.
81? Mr.. Morrell tells you, espe-
cially, that my property is safe. Alum
dred a year." she said, with a silvery
laugh. Chow little it is, compared
with what you had /; but I have seen a
time before when a hundred a year
seemed positive wealth." r
"But, Edith, child I! you do not I'M
ders!and. I have lost everything. 1
can no longer give you diamonds, laces,
v~elvets. I cannot carry you from place
to place, wherever the whim sends us.
II can give you nothing"
His face was !ashy white, and his eyes
rested upon his wife with a piteous, i'm
ploring look, as if ~entreating her pardon
for some wrong. She put her arms
about him, and drew him down beside
her upon q sofa. Then she rested her
head upon his broad shoulder, and put
her hand in his before she spoke.
Edward, my husband" she said,
gently, edo not grieve for me. Inever
owned jewels till you gave them to me.
1 was brought up in a school of COM
parative poverty. The income my
father left me was gathered together at
q cost of privation and hardship I can
never describe to you. When my father
died you came. 1 was never in n house
SO beautiful as Elmsgrove. Inever had
any one to speak to me so kindly as you
spoke. My father had given me an
education, and my teachers were fond
of me, but he seldom spoke to me. /
was a desolate child"
Edith! Edith !" her husband said,
tenderly.
"Then you took me home. You
spoke to me SO gently /; you cared to
have me near you. You "-Edith's
tears were falling fast-''you loved me.
You, so noble, SO good, so rich, stopped
down to love poor little me. Edward,
nobody ever loved me in all my life but
you. You gave me every wish of my
heart but all the pleasures, all the
indulgences, were nothing beside your
love-"
Edward Lancaster was too much
moved to speak. Never before had
Edith torn the veil from her heart as
she was doing now, and the certainty
he was rapidly gaining that she had
given love FOR love was a happiness
too overpowering to find vent in words.
"And yet" Edith said softly, "there
was always one wish unqualified. Do
not think l underyalue all the sacri-
fees you have made for me. 1 appre-
cate the care for me that has made you
leave your home, your books, to take
me atout in the gay world. l saw
that it made you happy to have me
dress handsomely, to have me invited
into society and enjoy its pleasures.
But in all these three years 1 have
scarcely seen !you. l have crayed a home
where we could be all in all to each
other where no claim to the gay world
should come between us. Not a grand
home, with servants to perform each
task, but a home your wife could beau
tify with her OWL hands. Now we will
find one, my husband. l am longing
to show you how nicely lean cook how
daintily l can clean a ROOM. While you
read, l will work and in the evening
we will sit together in our tiny sitting
room, and be far happier than We are in
these crowded hotels. And, Edward,
if we are very saving, we can buy back
your books. There are all my jewels ;
they viii buy some"
edith, stop! My own happiness be-
wilders me. You love me like that ?
You will be happy in q poor home, cock
ing and working for me 81
Edith lifted her shining, dark eyes
to the noble face bending owe her, and
drew down her husbands head till her
lips touched his.
ct love ycu-Ilove You - she whis-
pered. "Lovo will make all labor light
if it is for your 90 .rF.s.f-
There was CONSERVATION in the gay
circle of Edith's friends when, the next
day, she was missed from among them.