The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-06-21


for the moment paramount. The chill
was better with her, and for the preser
she should keep him, for had no idea {
fetching her back. She had left IN
through no unkindness Of my own, an
no vile could be justified In leaving be
husband In the way Marian had left mt
! was beginning 10 get little accul
toned to my renewed bachelorhood
when, one night, very late, telegram va
brought me worded thus:
Come at once 10 baby"
The night train would leave In about 81
hours time. l packed 4 few thugs ant
started to catch Il. In about three hour
more | was conducted Into the room wher
Marian was sitting with our little one IL
Ing In her lap struggling harl for LIE
Some medical man was already there
bending over the child and anxiously gaz
ing at It's Contorted and livld features, bu
as far as ! could see, doing but little Il
assist In the battle against death. He lef
at once, and Marian looked up into my
face and said:
Thank God, you have come! He was
doing no good; Oh, Harold! save my
baby, save my child"
~ will do what can 10 save our child.
] answered.
called servant and gave my instruc.
tons. In a few minutes the room was
filled with vapor, every vent being care.
fully guarded, The cloud OF yapor kept
on steadily increasing, till drops OF water
began 10 trickle down the walls. Still
the child on Marian's lap lay almost
Choked, It's struggles growing fainter each
succeeding time, The cloud was still pour.
ing out into the room, and nothing more
could be done, so stood at Marian's knee
watching for the approach Of some iayora.
bic symptom. Only once Marian spoke,
and then II was to ask me with bleached
face and ialtering lips II there was any
hope.
ITO the last moment, yes" ! answered,
and she was relieved at once, hardly com.
pretending from my words how faint that
hope was.
Presently the struggles grew more
frequent; gradually the almost lifeless
limbs became imbued with fresh yigor, the
heavy lids relaxed the gasps for breath be.
came more elIectual, and with a mighty
effort nature asserted her sway. In q
short time baby was resting peacefully in
Slarian's arms, wrapped In q sweet, life
giving slumber.
When he was laid in his cot, his mother
turned TO me and said pathetically:
"0h, Harold when baby was so near
death, and you far away, could not help
seeing how wicked ! had been toloave you
IS | did. VIII you forgive me, dear, and
take me back, for baby's sakeP"
could only kiss her and press her to
my heart. Alter while said:
ut was only those words, 'Will you for.
give me-? that wanted. II you would
have spoken them sooner, we need never
have parted"
"0h, Harold! how can you? It was not
hat ! was asking you to forgive me, but
ny folly in leaving you. l am as inno.
cent Of taking that wretched money as my
own child. Won't you believe me?"
II do, my darling, d." l replied with
genuine delight. 81 would have believed
you then II you had said this to me; but
you know you never deigned me word,
md what was to think?"
II was SO Mortified at your even suspect.
ing me that fancied it was beneath me to
ieny It. ] can not now understand what
Gould have prompted you to think such
ireadtul thing OF me. 1t is very hard to
bear"
was beginning to wonder, too, how l
:ould have suspected my own Marian.
Circumstances and my mother were more
o blame than however.
Inanswer, murmured something about
Frank.
"Ah, that letter to Frank; remember
t. You were always so hard upon him
hat didn't like to tell you about it. He
'eally had been trying to keep on steadily
It the post your kindness had obtained
aim, but old debts were constantly coming
n, and his limited salary would not meet
hem and keep him as well. There was
one man who pressed him hard for clio.
lie had spent his last quarters salary
within pound or two, and more would
lot be coming for some time. He wrote
ind told nae this, asking me TO help him,
but could not. He wrote again, and said
ne must draw on his salary, but ! begged
him not to do so soon. was sure his en-.
ployers would think it bad sign. The
man threatened to expose his former hab.
is to the firm, which you know, might
have ruined him with them. resolved
10 help him this once, and in order to do
80 sold my diamond brooch, which |
scarcely ever had occasion TO wear. got
elO Tor 1t, and l sent him notes to that
little guessed at what cost"
MY poor, prosecuted, self.sacri6cing
little woman; why did you not tell me all
this9 Why could you not trust me?H "
why could you not trust me?" Marian
demanded, half playfully, half patheti.
cally. Then she added earnestly; II have
been very much to blame. l was proud
and self-willed, and all sorts OF bad things,
md then leaving you was worse than all.
Harold, dear / am so ashamed OF myself
Tor that. No woman is justified in leaving
per husband on so slight pretext as |
l thought SO, too. She was becoming
the most sensible little woman in the
world; but | had been to blame, too; but
was not going to let the magnanimity all
be on her side. 1--WE were both to blame, I"
lreplied. ~ am not going to exonerate
you quite, liItle wife, but 1 am going to
own to my fault. ! was a brute 70 doubt
you. Marian, you must forgive me, dear. "
"0h, Harold, We shall be so happy
again now, shan't we?" the little woman
replied, and then she wound up our recon.
ciliation in a truly womanly style, with
tears and smiles and kisses.
But the mystery Of the money was still
more dark after Marian's explanation, and
Y was months before We penetrated it,
We did so at last, however,
Our piano being sadly in want OF repair,
| sent TO professional man to come and
do it up" l was in the room when he
proceeded to take 1t to pieces. As soon as
the front was removed perceived little
black box snugly lodged inside, which |
Immediately recognized. My grand idea
now flashed into my mind. Here, then,
was the clue TO the mystery. ] u0S The
thkf. In my anxiety | had placed the
money inside the piano while still under
the influence OF sleep.
Marian was delighted. She actually
shed tears OF joy when l told her Of my
discovery.
"Oh! YOU abandoned man." she said