The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1877-07-14

where he ground out mis- money, and,
during the day, compromised with him
self.
He would do no extravagant thing,
but when he went home he would give
his wife what was necessary.
And, after all, as he said to himself,
it would have been better to have
done it.
He had grieved her, and she was the
only thing he loved on earth.
He went home earlier than usual that
evening to make what amends his soul
would consent to, and as he walked
briskly along, being light upon his feet
yet-for whoever heard of miser grow
ing fat?-he thought that he never
again would bring tears to those good,
kind eyes. t....
Never, never again.
And then-what was that crowd?
What had happened?
People were coming his way, looking
backwards as they came.
Men, boys, women little children, all
the riff-raff that accident, or quarrel, or
an arrest will collect in the streets; and
now he was in the midst of the crowd
near four policemen, who, with set faces,
marched in time, bearing between them
a stretcher, on which lay human form
covered with shawl.
Jonas looked.
Oh, Heaveni he knew the pattern of
that shawl. Only few hours before its
dingy palm leaves of yellow brown, its
shabby brown center, had been spread
out before him.
1t was his wife's shawl.
"Stop, stop, stop!" he cried "Let
me see her-let me see herp
Do you know herY' asked the police
man.
"Let me see her face" said Jonas,
growing so faint that kindly man hard
by supported him by the arm
You'd not know her face; stone
fellon her; it's crushed, said the police
man. " But shawls are alike. Keep up
your courage. don't think this any re-
lation of yours; she's too shabby. Look
at her shoes. See here: this is her bonnet
You don't know thatY'
He held up bonnet.
1t was crushed.
But Jonas knew it.
The streaked purple ribbon, and a
flower amongst the other flowers that had
lost half its petals.
He had fingered it as it lay on the
table before him.
Yes, | know it," he cried. cts Sara.
It's my wife.
Then he pulled the shawl from the face
and tainted outright. But as his senses
left him he heard some one say:
His wife" -.
And another answered.
Like enough. They call him a
miser. / know him. His name is Jonas
Pray"
They carried the poor woman home to
Jonas Prays old house, helping him to
follow as he came to himself.
She was laid upon her bed, and there
was coroner's inquest, and women pre-
pared her body for burial, talking
amongst themselves of the shame it was
that she, rich mans wife, should be so
clad.
Before the time came he had cab
called and went cut in it.
He was driven to large establishment,
where he asked to see the manager, and
was shown to his room. a
The manager found him there, a pale.
miserable object, trembling and faint, as
one i'll deep illness.
" want to buy shawl, he said.
" A shopman will attend to you, sir"
said the manager.
b" No." said Jonas; ~ am to ill, too
broken to talk to the shopman. | can
trust you. Iwant the costliest shawl you
have"
"a madman," thought the manager.
Our costliest is five hundred pounds"
said he depressing smile.
=" Have it wrapped up for me-" said
Jonas,
Certainly mad" said the gentleman
to himself.
But Jonas had drawn a cheque out
from his breast pocket, and with trem-
bling hand was filing up the blanks.
The manager examined them carefully.
=" Mr.. Jonas Pray" he said, more re-
spectfully.
Then it flashed upon him that he had
read that morning of fatal accident to
this mans wife. -..
1t was strange proceeding altogether.
Secretly he called others to look at his
customer.
One knew fundamentally it was all
right.
"And the rest is none of our business"
said the manager, as he saw the bundle
of splendor carried downstairs after
Jonas Pray. "They spoke of him as
miser in the paper. That's pretty pur-
chase for miser" -'
Meanwhile, Jonas drove home.
No sweet face smiled a greeting.
Within, all was silent.
Carrying the shawl under his arm, he
went up stairs to the darkened room,
where, under straight folds of white
drapery, seemed to lay the sorrow of the
house.
A watcher was there.
He sent her away.
Then, alone in the room, he knelt
down upon the floor.
Sara" he said "Sara. can you hear
me? l loved you, but was such miser
such a miser. I've bought you a
shawl at last. Oh, Sara, Sara, I've paid
as much as l could for it, my dear.
You shall be wrapped in it in your cof-
I'm. I'll put it about you, myself, Sara,
Sara"
He spread out the costly folds.
He lifted it in his hands.
A moment more he would have folded
1T about the dead form, but at that in
slant voice cried
Oh, Jonas, Jonas, dear Oh, my poor
Jonas, my poor poor JonasW
And turning he saw his wife, either in
the spirit or flesh, standing behind him.
His knees trembled under him. But