The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-09-24
she'd cry for" and said no more about
! the little Wife's red ewes.


to Myra about extravaganza and various
other feminine weaknesses, till the poor
little woman wished she was as homely
and ill-clad as the tormenter herself.
"You never see me with such dress
in the house as that" the spinster would
say, with a complaoent glance at her
dyed skirt.
II buy my clothes to wear" Myra
retorted. "If l had as much money as
you, Aunt Cordelia, I'd be ashamed to go
about the house in suck dresses"
And the spinster would shake her head
and groan, audibly saying, Poor dear
Ernest"
"You never see me-" was ever her
opening address.
And Myra grew to hate the words, in
the long months of her enforced compan-
ionship.
For Ernest did not return.
Spring, summer, autumn passed away,
and December was opening, yet still he
did not come.
Every month formal letter reached
Myra, inclosing a check for her expenses
of such liberal value as proved Ernest
was making money; but each one IN
formed her that her husband was just
leaving the place from which he wrote,
and made no mention Of his next destina-
ton.
Heart-sick, penitent, and oh! 50 lonely,
the little wife spent only what was neces-
sary for the house, and fairly loathed the
sight of the money that was accumulat-
ing in her hands.
Letter after letter she wrote and de-
stroyed, not knowing where to direct
them.
She was growing so pale and worn, 50
quiet and subdued, that Aunt Cordeia's
most hateful speeches went often I'M
swered.
She was sitting in the drawing-room
one cold December morning, when Mr..
Agnew, Ernests employer came in.
81 am sorry to disturbe you, Mrs.
Mather," he said; "but wished to in
quire if you have heard from Ernest
this week%'
''Not since the first" she replied.
Gle wrote us on the fifth that he
would remain in Cumberland until the
first of the year, and was to send some
papers on the seventh These have not
come, and we are embarrassed for want
of them. | telegraphed yesterday, but
have no reply. However, if you have
not heard he is i'll, he is probably better" "
tTllp she faltered.
"Well, / Judged from his last that he
had not full recovered from tie fever
he had had, although he resumed busi-
ness If you hear to-day will you be
kind enough to send us word!'
"Certainly," Myra managed to gasp,
in choked voice; and Mr. Agnew left.
"Ill! A fever Sick at a hotel, and
she not near! Ernest, her Ernest"
All the love in the little woman's heart
rose in protest. She astonished Aunt
Cordelia by dashing into that lady''
room, crying:
"Take care of the house! Pm going tC
Cumberlandw and dashed out again a.
abruptly.
The trunk was packed.
Myra never knew. what went into it.
She hugged her hoard of money.
Carefully she put it in the bosom OF
her dress.
She cried and laughed, and acted gen.
orally like lunatic.
The afternoon found her seated in an
express train, rushing to Ernest as fast as
steam could carry her.
In wide, pleasant room, Ernest Mathel
lav upon his bed dangerously i'll.
He had been for months trying to quiet
his sick, restless heart by overworking hi
body, keeping such business hours, such
stress and labor in his work, that the
firm at home never ceased congratulating
themselves upon their choice of trav
eler.
He made money fast, supplying Myrs
with a generous hand, and yet saving
considerably.
For what?
Bitterly he thought that when he wa
a very rich man he would 20 home agall
and try to make Myra contented.
He tried to fancy he had ceased to lov'
her; but the unceasing craving of hi
heart for the sight of her face and thu
sound of her voice contradicted this.
| Work, work, work!
That was the medicine for his menta
pain, till the overwrought brain gave way
the overtasked body succumbed, and h'
Law i'll with fever for two weeks.
Up again before his strength was hal
restored, and now the relapse had pros
trated him, and he lay suffering and ap
parently dying, too ill to send for Myra
too i'll to give directions, too i'll to do an.
more than lie helpless at the mercy 0
strangers.
The long night was passing, anda cold
gray dawn announcing another wintr,
day, when vehicle drove up to the doc
, of the hotel, and in DIM confused wa,
Ernest heard the hustle of the newly-aI
rived travellers.
! He was vaguely wondering if any frien
would come to him, when the door of hi
: room opened very softly, and he hear
the waiter say:
: "Mr. Mather is here"
A soft little rustic followed, and the
two cool hands fell upon his forehead
: tears and kisses followed, and Myra wa
1 sobbing: