Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1875-02-12
E, IOWA, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY II, 1875.

to bring home company without
knowing whether you were i'll or
well,' was the reply. ''But you see
my dear, | met her unexpectedly on
the boat, and what could do? 10
tell the plain truth, my dear, she in
vited herself to tea; tbut Of course |
couldn't explain that to you, at the
bedroom door, while sAe was stand
ing in the hall below. And all
through the evening I was looking
and longing for the whistle of that
city train. ] knew you must be suf-
fcrlng tortures, you were so pale and
still, and | entertained her, in your
place, to the best Of my ability; but,
by George, it was hard work. Poor
Mildred, she used to be nice, pretty,
supplemented, innocent little girl,
and | loved her as u sister in our
young days. But now, between her
Partisan dress and her Partisan atfec-
tations, her paint and powder, and
pat ches and false hair, she does not
seem like the same person to me at
all. In fact, little wife, you are the
best company | can have in this
world, and | sometimes think don't
care if I never have any other till !
die. How is the poor little head nov: :
Lean it on my shouder-so"
He drew her nearer and pressed
his lips fondly upon her forehead.
II az so thankful, dear, that you
are just what you aren' he went on.
''This hiding the advance Of years is
false and terrible thing to me-
Poor Mildred. she WIS gray many a
year az }, and vet she tancics that she
can cheat every one into believing
her young again by the arts Of her
toilet"
'Paint-powdcr-talsc hair.' muir
INJURED Lizzie wonderlngly. "W alter,
are YOU sure?'
"Why, where were your eyes that
you could not see thcm?' said he,
laughing .'But | forget that you
have not known Mildred from her
earliest years, as have. TO me the
change is plain enough Thank
Heaven. you will never so degrade
yourself, my dear"
"Then-you don't object to-you
don't dislike gray hair, Walter:''
asked Lizzie, anSiously
"What a question. Wait till your
hair turns white, my love, and you
will see that it is as dear to me as
when 1t is as black as now"
"But, oh, it is white already" said
poor Lizzie, almost hysterically.-
''And she was SO beautiful and grace
ful and accomplished perfectly
dressed, too-and she sang so beauti-
tul-and you listened, Walter, and
you talked to her, and | was only a
poor, pale, silent creature, and, oh.
dear, only look ut this"
She lifted the dark trcsses aside
showing him the cray locks upon her
temples, and burst into tears. 1t was
Just one Of those utterly absurd, hy-
stcrical, nousensical outbreaks, that ,
woman, now and then, must give way
to or die, and that a man can never
check in better or more kindly way
than Walter llazledean did, by 3
silent embrace and kiss.
Gradually the wife grew calm
Lying there upon his faithful heart
and listening to his whispered words
She saw how unwarrantcd AL hel
Jealous suspicion and suffering had
been.
"You will he wiser another time
my love-" said her husband, us they
turned to enter the house together
''But, il case YOU should ever, through
illness, or from any other reason, dis
trust me again. let me have Il tails
man to carry with me, that will recall
to You all that wo have talked about
tonight"
Lifting the dark trcsecs aside, he
took small pcn-knilc from hi>pocllet
and severed a whitcnol lock.
"Thcrc, Lizzie, love, III wear that
next my heart forever" he said, rails
ing it to his lips.
lie led her in, and the door of THEN
home closed between them and all
the folly and suffering OF the outer
world.