Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1878-10-09

1
there was 4 tone OF gentle reproach
throughout the letter. He gave me &C.
count Of his journey, and ofhis mothers
health, begged me to write him few
lines every day, but he said not word
about returning.
! Ispent the morning in answering it,
much to Maud's amusement, who OF
course, thought was pouring out
volumes Of love and complaints Of my
temporary widowhuod; after tearing up
about a dozen sheets of paper, l at last
sent short note, cool and with no al
luslon to my misery. The more tried
the more impossible l found it to write
any expression of love or pretense,
though / was hungry to do so.
For whole week went ON this way,
suffering more actually every day, and
every day receiving long, loving letters
from Mr.. Cartwright, and writing short,
cold answers.
l lost my appetite, could not sleep at
night, land the torture l was enduring
made me look so i'll that Maud became
frightened, and declared she would
write and summon my husband home,
and tell him 1 was pining away for him.
forbade her doing this SO sternly that
she dared not disobey me, for was de-
termined he should never hear from
any lips but mine that at last his hearts
desire was attained, for loved him.
AT last, when he had been away ten
DAYS, l could bear it no longer, for l felt
l should have brain fever if l went on
in this way, so determined to 20 on to
Melton, where Mrs. Caltright lived, and
see my husband. / came to this deci-
sion one night, and went to Maud's
room early in the morning to tell her
my intention. l expected she would
laugh at me, but I think she guessed
something was wrong, for she seemed
glad to hear it, and helped me to pack a
few things and set off in time to catch
the morning train.
1t was three hours journey. They
seemed three years to me, for the near
er got to my husband the more inlpa-
tent l was to see him. At last we got
to Melton, d largish town. OF course,
as l was not expected, there was no one
to meet me, so l took fly to Mrs. Cart
wright's house. where l arrived about 8
o'clock.
l learned afterwards that Andrew was
with his mother in the wing-room
when l drove up, but thinking l was
only a visitor, he escaped into another
room, so l found my mother-in-law
alone.
BY her side was some of my hus-
bands socks, which she was darninp
socks which had handed over to the
servants to mend, and which l now
longed to snatch away from his mother.
His desk stood open, letter to me
which he was writing lying on it.
The servant announced me as Mrs.
Andrews, my voice failing as gave my
name, so that Mrs. Cartwright held M
her hands in establishment when she saw
who it was.
my dear, Nelly! Has anything hap
pened? How i'll you look! What is III"
she exclaimed.
Il want my husband" gasDed, sink
ing on to chair. for thought should
have fallen. Without another word
Mrs. Cartwright left the room; l feel
sure now she guessed all about it, and |
can never thank her enough for for
bearing to worry me with questions as
to what / had come for.
She came back in a few moments
with glass Of wine, which she made
me drink of, saying she would send him
to me at once if I took it. / complied,
and she went for him; in another min
ute / heard his step outside the door, and
then he came in.
"Nelly. my love-my darling! what is
it? he cried, as / rushed into his out
stretched arms, and hid my face on his
breast, sobbing bitterly. For some mo-
ments | could not speak; at last l re-
covered myself enough to sob out:
sob, Andrew, my love! my dear love!
can you ever forgive me? l came to
ask you and to tell you I can't live
without YOU" would have said more,
but his kisses stopped my mouth, and
when at length he let me 60 there were
other tears upon my cheeks besides my
own.
Hhat was the happiest hour of my
lille, in spite of my tears; and before
my mother-in-law joined us, which she
discreetly avoided doing till dinner
time, ] had poured cut all l had to tell
into my husbands ears; and l had
learned from him that he had left me
to try what effect his absence would
have on me; for he had felt for some
time that my pride was the great bar
rier he had to overcome to win my
love.
He had judged right. He was too
generous to tell me how much he had
suffered from my Indifference, but l
know it must have grieved him terrib-
ly. He is different man now, he looks
SO happy, and ! know he would not
change places with any one on earth.