Ellsworth American., 1877-06-14

nobody needed him. DR.. Prey, for rea-
sons of his own never made himself
known in the matter, and Elizabeth had
not hnted her disorder to the old family
physician. lie would tell Richard she
said. simply because she had taken no
measures fprecaution, she had left no
clew whatever.
Month after month passed. Danford
was at work again at his desk. When
work was over, he walked the streets uu-
I'll late at night. 1t seemed to him that
every moment he would meet her or hear
that she was dead. The horrible cruelty
of her conduct to himself never occurred
to him; II was only OF her, dying alone,
perhaps in want, that he thought. The
police reported to him, from time to time.
their superhuman efforts. But we all
know to what these efforts usually amount
in cases Of disappearance.
Mrs. DaufoId knew the city was her
best hiding place. Nowhere could hu-
man being sink as securely out of sight as
IN the monotonous blocks of Philadelphia,
with their millions OF inhabitants. There
was little that was distinctive about Lizzy.
\ thin. oldish-looking woman. who wore
cap and spectacles, lodged 10 a room
over bakers shop In kensington, and
work. She brushed against policemen
every day, Sometimes at night. wrapped
In a CLOAK, she carried basket filled with
shoe laces and pins to the depot, and sat
in dark corner until the passengers to
Germantown had gore out. She usually
fell asleep. when her sun bonnet covered
her face. Richard and Charley came to
that depot once or twice. Danford saw
he white hand that held the basket, stop
ped, and then went on. Another night
Charley asked her the price Of something,
but she made no answer.
Amer that she was not able to leave the
house for weeks. until one night, feeling
that the end was near, she took her bas
ket, covered herself in large CLOAK, and
found her way way out 10 the depot in
Germantown. She sat down outside in
the dark shadow made by ireight-car
and waited for the trains. Dauford was
in the last. Some people stopped him
close beside her; she could have touched
him by putting o ut hand.
Il was her husband whose clothes brush
cd hers, the man whose head had rested
on her bosom. With feyeri>h swftnsss
the old days when he was her lover came
back to her all the romance, the passion.
Of her life; she was a girl beautiful, be-
loved; she heard that son music again
which sounds but once in life. Then
she was conscious OF a horrible death
whose grip was on her, of even the miser-
bic cloak IN which she was wrapped II
seemed 10 her cruel that when She was an
outcast, her body given up TO slow decay.
that Danforl should be coming home from
his work quietly, as though nothing had
happened. lie was dressed carefully as
usually, hi, whiskers neatly trimmed. Out
of the ear, too. stepped the very Annie
Ward OF whom she had thought so often
lately She stopped shook hands with
Richard.
When he went up TO his own house, his
wife followed him. He opened the door
wJth III latch Key. went III aud shut 1t.
she standing opposite. The wind blew
frrccly the snow aud sleet iull ia her face
lhr shad-- we're not down IN hi, room.
She >aw him turn up the light and stoop
over the crib Then he walked across the
moor with a little white gowned figure Ia
HI arms.
Nelly, Nelly! cried her mother. She
ran across the street, She raised her hand
to beat upon the door. and then she turn
"a quickIy aud went back 10 the depot.
and 80 TO town A stout gray haired man
followed her. entered the same car, lett it
q, ~he dld. and, moment after she reach
ed her room over the bakery, vas kncck-
us at the door. She opened it.
.Dr Thayer.'
Yes. Llzzy. Any fire: I'm half froz-
en-. busting forward to the stove 50 as
not 70 look at her
Y ou-you had no right to follow me, =
standing at bay. her eyes blazing. . my
God. Why didn't you come sooner?'
crouching on the fioor beside him, sobbing
over hi, hand Ike hurt child,
He said nothing Tor while, and then
gave chuchle. i said all along that the
way 70 lind you was to keep Nelly in sight
How often have you seen herr
Every day when could walk.
'Lizzy, the doctor said. turning sharply
on her, who told you your disease was in-
curable:'
Dr Prey
Damned quack. Now listen to me
LIN not going To betray your secret.
don't want you to die at home, an object
OF disgust To your husband. | can under
stand that feeling fully. But do IL can
70 know il there is a necessity for you dy-
ing at an
Its too late said Lizzy.
OF course IL was not TO late. or this his
tory would never have been written. No
body has rightto give unwary readers a
true bill OF disease and death under cover
of IA story. Lizzys disorder took another
name. and disappeared slowly under the
old doctors care. After the pink began
to creep into her cheeks again. one spring
morning he took her home, and placed her
in her chair by the fire. with Nelly in her
arms, and there Der two boys found her
when they came home at night.
Shadwell, one of the partners in the
Quaker firm which employed Danford,
heard the current report of the affair. and
was much scandalzed by it. 'Itis eccentric
conduct in women. | do not like eccen-
tric women. Iii drop in there tonight
and take look at her. Better have no
doubtful people connected with the house >
The old Quaker dropped into Danford's
little parlor several evenings after that
he talked with Richard. Lizzy was busy
helping Charley with his lessons.
In the spring Danford received notice that
the firm had given him junior partner
ship,
Thee has well deserved it of u.s. said
Shadwell, meeting him that day. III |
were in thy place. Richard he added,
presently, i would give thy wife jour
ney. She is not rugged. aud thee can af-
ford it now Thee has arkable wom-
en- for wife. Richard
Miss Annie Ward WAS another person
who thought Mrs. Dabford remarkable
woman. What lovely face she has "
she used to say. heartily. Her husband
is such plodding, commonplace little
old man. too. l wonder what she saw
in him. The earthen and porcelain pitch
ers again
But LizZy held Miss Ward at freezing
distance. Il know very well she had de-
signs on you when | was gone, Richard. '
she says.
Such folly, Betty y he cries angrily.
But, after all, 1t is her folly that he loves
in Elizabeth. not her housekeeping abili-
ties or good sense.
They have started now on their journey
to Kentucky. They are in no whit differ
ent outwardly from the other mIddle.aged,
commonplace folk crowdng the cars,
equipped with the inevitable linen duster
and shawl-stIaps aud satches. But at
heart they are very much like the two
children who Sc. out to find the fairy pot
of gold beneath the rainbow. They meet
all the world coming this way, ag"g to
H. h,,t