The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1876-03-04

| tramp of horses feet aroused her, and
going to the door, she found he groom
standing there with the two horses,
ready saddled.
" You are too early, Baynes," she
said, " 1t is not five yet, and your
master is not come home"
Beg pardon, ma'am," replied the
man, touching his hat, but it's ten
minutes past five and / didn't know
whether may be you'd ride to the sta.
tion for master. The spress amt in
yet.
Agnes paused, and hesitated. She
rather wished to meet her husband
quietly at home, that she might tell
him how sorry she was to have behaved
i'll to him; but her pretty chestnut mare
was prancing and curvetng; and gath
ering her skirt around her, she said
" Very well, Baynes. Bring Huleika
near, and you can mount Julius, and
walk home from the station"
The man obeyed, and they rode gem
tly to the little country station. AS
they approached it she saw her father
(Mr. Nyniard) who lived few miles
off, riding towards it, and turned her
horse to meet him.
Well, Agnes" he exclaimed, smil.
ing, are you come to meet your hus-
band, like dutiful wife ? | am expect
ing Linton down to spend few days
with me, and am come to look after
him. How late tie express is ! I'll run
in and see how soon they expect it,"
He dismounted from his horse and
entered the station, while Anges sat
outside watching the people coming to
meet their friends or depart themselves.
Mr.. Wyniard stayed several minutes in
the station, and when he rejoined her,
there was look on his pale face that
made his daughters heart give a dull
thump at her side, and made her feel
sick and faint.
" Be brave, nay girl, and make up
your mind to bear little suspense"
he said laying his hand quietly on hers.
There has been an accident on the
line. The five O'Clock express has gone
over the emhankment, and several pas
sengers are killed and wounded. am
going up the line now on an engine they
are going to send, and I'll bring Ed
mund back with me, hope. Trust in
God, my child. lie may be all safe and
sound. Go home and wait as patiently
as you cam"
Agnes heard him through. Her heart
was beating with slow, heavy pulsa-
tions, and a numbness stole over her
whole body /; but she did not cry or
faint. One deep heavy breath she
drew then in cold, hard tones, she
said
I" May | not 60 on the engine with
you 2"
"NIy poor child!'' said Mr.. Wyniard,
"yOu must not. Edmund would not
wish it. Probably he is staying to help
the wounded. Go home my Child [
must be off. BE brave -
She stopped and kissed him quietly
and silently and then, with fixed, un-
Sc eing eyes, and pale stony faeo, rode
| home. Home to the empty house, the
loud ticking clock, and the dull gnaw-
| ing agony of her fearful waiting! Slow
ly an calmly she passed up the steps,
| through the hall and into the drawing
room. She took he- hat from her burn
ing head and passed on to the window,
where she took her stand to watch-for
what ? Alas poor young wife,not for
her husband She felt no doubt about
his fate. From tho mOmeut that she had
heard her, fathers words Il deadly Ger
tainty that she should see him no more
alive took possession of her. They had
parted in anger for the first time, and
she felt sure that, by one of those
strange fatalities, they would never
meet again,
The sun shOne brightly as ever, a
bird sang gaily in ncighboring tree,
and the kitten was PLAYING happily with
a floating feather But life was over fol-
her. Edmund was dead,-those kind
dark eyes closed forever that loving
heart cold and still The clocks
wedding present from her father-tck.
ed gaiIy on, and chimed the quarters
three times unheeded by her before the
garden gate creaked, and her father
with slow, reluctant step, passed up the
gravel path. She stood still, merely
turning her pale face aud dreamy eve.
on him as he entered the room. The
tears stood in his eyes as ho put hi:
arm gently round her and the hand .thaI
took her cold one trembled violently.
"Agnes, my poor child" said he, ir
broken tones, 81 can give you no hope
The bodies are not all recovered yet