The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-08-22

steady, but pretty Bcrcnice ana not mihd-
all the gentlemen who were IN her SCI drank
champagne
impatienty for her husbands return Dinner
was spo,ling, the salmon steaks would be nj
tcrlv rnined in ten minutes more, and the
Young wife was dreadfully impatient. She
had new dress and tickets for Nilsson. Why
did not Bruce come? But the dinner hour
passed. and the twilight fell with dismal
rain, and still he did not come.
Bcrenice went up to her chamber and sal
down in her little rockingham before the
fire and there she sat for hours bewalihG
her fate. On the bed lay her lovely new
dress 1t was cruel in Bruce to treat her so
She cried till her eyes were red and swollen,
and at last, IN order to beguilc the dreadful
hours, she picked up the evening paper. -,
There was in great glazing capitals; inc
failure of the firm OF Dunbar " Chase, Her
husband was bankrupt A sharp cry escap'
ed her lips as the terrible truth flashed upon
her. And where was he: Why didn't he
come home?
Midnight camc-a black and stormy MD
highland still the young wife sat there
watching and waiting
At last there came an unsteady step on inc
porch below. She hurried TO the wndo" ana
| threw il up
Bruce is that YOU"
4 thick unnatural voice answered her:
Eyes, it's what's left of me. Berry, let me
in; the police are after me -
Berenicc flew down and opened the door.
An officer mounted the steps as she d:u so,
and having his hand heavily on Bruce Dun
bars shoulder said;
Mr. Dunbar, you are my prisoner
Hes my husband" shrieked Bercnicc.
la ,rn v,u arrp .fiuo him for ~
"for murder
She looked down at Bruce, standing in dog
ced silence, and by the light OF the hall lamp
saw that his hands were red with blood, and
with one awful cry she fell white and sense
less on her own threshold
She awoke TO consciousness in her old
home, and from her mothers lips she heard
the terrible story. Her husband had failed,
and in order to drown his troubles had drank
deeply In a gambling house, where he was
irving TO retrieve his losses, he had got INTO
brawl, and had given his adversary NOR
tai wound upon his temple,
"And it is all my fault, not his, walled the
poor young wife, "all mine. lured him to
his RUM"
The morning before the trial little slip Of
paper was found beneath, the window of the
chamber in which Bcrcnicc lay, II! unto
death 1t ran thus;
| "Good.by, Berry. | won't stay here and
disgrace YOU. I've managed to escape from
prison, and | am going--lIeayen knows
where Forgive me and be happy;
"BRUCE."
! Five years afterwards pale, swee-taced
woman sat IN the cottage that had once been
Bruce Dunbar's home, with little child
playing at her fcct--a very different woman
from the frivolous Bercnice of days gone by
yet we know her by her pearl-iair cheeks
| and red.gold hair. Sorrow and suffering had
| done their work, and at last poor Berry saw
clearly Her rcmorse had been deep and
! bitter.
And now day By day, with the little boy
who bore his fathers face and his fathers
name, she hoped and waited Her husbands
crime was moi murdcr-thc wounded man did
not dc-and the way was clear for Bruce
Dunbar to return; yet he did not come! He
was dead, his friends thought but Berry hop
ed with the iaithfulness of love.
! One summer day she sat at the cottage win
dow with her child ut her feet. A royal sum
mer day, the skies blue and cloudless, the
sunlit air sweet with the breath of the roses
and purple lilacs. w
She had worked hard and faithfully in
those dreary five years, poor, remorsetul little
Berry. Jewels and laccs, even her fathers
dowry, had gone to pay off her husbands
debts and clear his name. Her work was
done now. She owned the cottage, and in
the shadow OF the purple lilac bloom she sat,
her sweet, sad face full of unuttcrable despair.
Would he never come lack; Would Heaven
never forgive her;
The latch of the wicket gate gave sharp
click, and the old house-dog darted forward
with peculiar cry. Bercnce looked up. a
tall gaunt figure, in thread. bare garments, |
was coming up the walk. The haggard UNI
shoIn face and blcarcd ewes bore no reSem-
blanCc to handsome Bruce Dunbar, but the
wic's uncrring instinct could not be dcceiv'
ed She dartcd through the window with a :
low passionate cry.
"Oh, Bruce, my own husband, at last, at !!
last"
She put out her arm 10 clasp him, but ne /
held her back.
Don't, I'm not worthy he said hOarsely /.
"I'm lost, degraded wretch. Bn Berry /
his poor, huggard face full of incxpressibc /
tenderness. II couldn't dlCtlll had seen yon /
once more. Let mc look al you, anu III
leave YOU forever
But her Young arms caught him in close
embrace, her fond lips covered his white face
with kisses.
NO YOU won't" She cried; you shall. new
or leave me again. Your name is clear
your debts are paid-and theresa new life
for Us Ia live, my husband oh, have wait. |
ed So long, 1t was all my fault, Bruce; the
ball at Bclvidcrc did it, Can you ever for
give me;'
He held her in his arms, and sobbed upon
her shoulder like IL woman, in his weakness. ,
She turned to the open window and beckoned
10 the child.
And there's something else She sad, for
YOU totlive for now. Look here"
lie raised his head, and saw the little tcl-
low at his feet looking mp in grave childish
wonder.
Our own boy, Bruce Sobbed Berry. |
Darling, this is your papa, come home to uS
at last"
And Bruce Dunbar, with his wife and his !
child in his arms, looked up toward the far
of summer sky asking Heaven TO give him
strength 10 begin the new life he intended to
live
And th. strength must have been yuuCh-