The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1875-09-16

luc ~ 1911 MI Johi pWh 'nu'" o'
dore to envy me my wife and cbild."
There was no reply; but, looking
over, / saw such a bitter, sorrowfnl
look on tho face OF Lumley's Pardner,
that, scarcely knowing what ] was do
ing, I stood and watched and pitied
him. / heard Lumley read aloud, words
OF love and and trust, watching and
waiting, and of happiness in him and
he child. I saw his face as he read.
He might be weak man, hut he loved
the woman and the child. From the last
letter there dropped out carte de Wis.
ite. Lumley caught it up with boyish
eagerness.
"Old pard," he cried, "you shall see
my two treasures. Here they are-Lulie
and the boy!"
He tossed the picture across the ta-
BILE. The other picked it up. saw a
man die once, stabbed through the
heart. Just such look came into the
face OF Lumley's Pardner, as he glanced
at the picture in his hand. Lumley,
bending over his letter, never saw it.
When he had finished reading he held
out his hand. The other did not even
raiss his eyes, but kept them fxedly
on what he held.
II, too, once thought to have wife
and child" he muttered presently, less
to Lumley than to himself.
The words following that look, were
a whole book OF revelation to me. Hap
PLY, Lumley did not notice. His face
showed some surprise, mingled with
that placid satisfaction the succ assful
ALWAYS wear
"Ah |" he returned, shaking his head
knowingly, sis that the way the land
lies? knew you were always close
mouthed, but disappointment never
suspected that. She, whoever it was,
had precious bad taste when she looked
the other way !" and he ran his eyes adj
miringly over the others splendid pro.
portions and manly, handsome face.
"She never refused me-" broke in
Lumley's Pardner, in low, smothered
tone, his eyes still fastened intentlv on
the picture. "I-never asked her
but she knew my mind, and / thought
I knew hers. ! was sure she would
wait for me until I came back. 1t was
for her went away.
"But you wrote to her?" questioned
Lumley, with genuine interest.
"Not word--not line. / am a
poor scribe. But she knew me well
enough to need no written assurance of
my intentions. Every day would be
lived for her. There could be no doubt
of that in her mind"
Lumley made has.y gesture of dis.
sent. "And there, old man, was pre-
cisely where you failed to connect 1t
don't do, you know, for women to take
to much for granted. They like to he
we'll fortified; and then you are surest
to win if you take them by storm. Why
my Lulie-"
"She don't look as though she ever
walked over true heart with her rdanty
feet. and that glad little smile Just curv.
ing her lips |" broke in Lumley's Pard-
ner, his white face still bent on the pic
ture. His deep voice trembled little
over the last words.
"Lulie is truth ITSELF" answered
Lumley, quickly. "Sbe never loved
anybody but me. TO be sure she had
admirers; how could she help that and be
what she is ?-but she loved me truly. |
You can see it in her eyes |"
Lumley's Pardner turned deadly pale.
He caught the table by one hand as if
to steady himself. and fairly hurled the
picture across to Lumley. 1t missed its
mark and fell TO the floor. AS he saw it
fall, all the tierceness died out Of his
eyes, and frightened look crept into
them.
"Pick her up" he said, with timid
as though it were hu-
man being to whom, in moment of
passion, he had committed some act of
violence. 81 didn't mean to do that
poor little mother" )" the last words
seemed to give him stronger footing
with himself. 81 was thinking how my
wife married another man, and never
let me know"
"Come, come, old man, don't take
it 80 to heart" said Lumley, sooth-
ingly. "There'll bo a pleasant home,
n dear little woman, and bright eyed
in the future for you YETI
"Never p
Lumley's Pardner brought down his
fist like sledge.hammer; then be
leaned forward in his seat, with fever
ish eagerness in his manner which he
tried hard to keep out of his voice.
"Tell me, how would you have given
up Your Lulie ?"
Lumley laughed with easy, careless
good nature. "You put me in tight
place." he said. L" But, supposing the
case, the first question 1 should ask
would be, did she go over to the enc.
my's camp, in other words, forsake me
for an old rival q.
IN NO !" answered Lumley's Pard-
ner, slowly. "It was some one l had
never seen. I've nothing ag'in the
man,"
Why, tbep," went on Lumley,
"truth sometimes cuts hard, old fell
low-I think it was your fault and not
the girls. It's a mans privilege
speak his mind; woman's destiny to
fold her hands and wait. She can never
be quite sure unless he has spoken out.
Then, perhaps, another. who has learned |
to love her, does speak. She feels the
need OF love in her life women as often
marry to be loved as because they love.
Then instead of wasting her life for
that which may never come to her. she
takes up the fate lying at her feet. Does
she go very much astray ?"
Lumley's Pardner dropped his head
upon his breast. % Poor girl never
thought OF that" be said.
l do not know just how it was that l
remembered all the words go plain.
There was no more said, and, feeling
guilty-like for stealing q mates secret
which it was not meant for me to know,
1 crept to my shanty, bunked in, and
let the broken pick lay over xntil morn.
ing.
I always felt sony for Lumley's Pard-
I'll kIok