The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1877-01-06

"Im well content here Dora, with my life
long home, aud my darling wife,
Blu, at last be was reused, not to any hop'
such us spurrcd others on. but to the fact tina
Dora wished him 10 go.
"She thinks more of the gold than of me"
he thought, llslng heavily from his chair anC
speaking slowly
Since you wish 1t, Dora, | will go!' he
said, and even her enthusiasm was held il
check moment by his pale face.
"Oh, don't want TO drive YOU" she said
peitishly, "if you are content to vegelatc tol
| life in this miserable hole, | suppose can
put up with it,"
II will go!
He spoke the three words with stern EN-
phasis, and left The room. His heart seemed
breaking.
| For five years he had had but one dream
for the future. Father and mother lay in the
churchyard, brothers or sisters he had none
and the entire love of his heart was given to
pretty Dora Haven. He was burdened with
debts his father left for his sole legacy, his
| home was heavily mortgaged and he would
not ask Dora TO share IN the privatiOn and
toll by which he freed himself And when
at last he could ask her TO come and brighten
the home he had made for her, il had seemed
to him his cup of happiness brimmed over.
| He passed from the room where he had
announced his decision, and wandered slow
lily all over the house. 1t was small, but
every rtlon was full of tender association to
him.
In one room his parents had died. in an
other was the cottage furniture he had sent
all the way to york" to get to please his
bride The parlor carpet and substantial
horse.hair set had come at the same time, fill
ing him with pardonable pride at the prepar
ton for his marriage.
These white curtains Dora had made In
her first week of home life as his wife
These autumn leaves they had gathered in
their lover strolls, and Dora had made them
into wreaths and punches to bring with her
to adorn he walls of her new home.
He Va, Nut simple farmer, not yet TWEEN
ty-five, with hrt a meager education, and not
given to dreahs or castle building.
Thoroughly content to live as his father
and grandfather had lived before him. he
could not comprehend the visions filing
Dora's Imagination.
He halfhoped yet that she would urge him
to give up his intention and remain at home
and vet he knew that her content with the
humble happiness he could give her, was
gone.
But Dora, though frightened twenty times
a day at the success OF her taunts, would not
speak the words he hoped to hear
Very rapidly the preparations were made
to depart, for the others were nearly ready, |
and the little nest egg at the bank was all
gone before John Raynor was fully equipped
as miner.
The first realization Of what she was giving |
up for Il dream, came to Dora when she stoof |
upon the platform of the rustic railway sta
ion, with Tom on one side and John on the
other, the former full of eXultation, with |
merry smile and bright eyes, the latter grave
md stern, with lowering brow and set lips.
"Johnw the little wife whispered, 'if you
10 not wish TO go"--
at is too late for that' he said, harshly,
md then hearing the approaching tram, his
ACE soicned, and he caught her in his arms
"God keep you, little wife" he said hoarse
w. II go for love of you! | may come back
'ich and make yon happy. No man will
work harder for gold than | will, to bring 1t
o yOum
Through n mist Of tears she saw him fol.
ow The others into the car, and then Joined
he groups of weeping women who had come
lpon the same sOrrowful errand rs her own
Letters came but rarely. Johns hard
lands could guide pillow far more easily
han they could WELD a pen, and when he
wrote his eplstles were brief, though loving.
rs the expedition wen, further and further
rom the borders of civilization, the cOmmu-
licatIons became lees frequent
But from the hour when the train carried
John ont of her sight, Dora's punishment be-
ran. The cosy home his love had fitted up
or her was n haunting reproach, and the
excitement Of Toms visits over, memory be-
ran 10 recall all Johns love and the change
hat had come upon him after he decided to
ON the gold seekers
II was no comfort 10 cross the lots and 90
o her old home, for there Mr.. and Mrs. Ha.
zen bewaled Toms absence, and gave Dora
'ound seedlings for encouraging him in his
'raZv expedition.
like as not we'll never sec either Of them
lgain. or know how they died" Mrs. Haven
would moan, rocking herself 10 and fro, "a
rood son Tom was, til he got the gold fever"
"And better husband than John never
ived,' Mr. Haven would say, "aDd you gave
lim no peace or rest till you drove him off"
And reing back to her desolate house.
Dora could gather no comfort in the old
lreams Mamie, her only servant, would
,ring her knitting to the sitting room, and
lrivc hnr mistress half frantic by her sincere
lamentations for the master.
Night after night, kneeling 70 pray for
Johns safe return, Dora felt the agony of
grow k5ener and keener.
For it had come to this very soon, that the
longing for wealth, the hope of oeiag a great
lady, all faded away, and the desOlate wle's
only prayer was for her husbands return.
A whole year passed away, and the miners
Ind not returned. \ wee snowdrop of baby
came To lie for one brief week upon Dora's
breast, and then leave her. Occasionally the
that came irregulary to the vii.
age, told OF disaster and death ia the gold
regions, hut never were the names of the par
y from 1opham IN ;hc list, and Dora hoped |
against hope.
Winter SHOWS were living over the farms,
md fifteen months had dragged out their
weary length since John Raynor had left his /
nome a pale, wasted shadow of Dora NOV
ID ls,lessly about the farm. house, and Mamie
nuttered often:
shell not be long after her husband and .
,hid.n