The Red Cloud chief., 1879-05-22

Or
Dear, dear! what won't men dol
But / should never have thought that q
Mr.. Aston, he always seemed o care SC
much for his wife. How do<s she speal
Of hims-poor little woman"
"She does not talk Of him. She told
Mrs. LIZ nde that she had rather see him
dead than have him living 50 dishonor'
ed; that il all I have heard"
"Poor little woman! I'm % sur
prised / can hardly think ~ all. How
could be leave the childa But ! mus,
90 right over and see il there Is any thing
l can do for her"
Poor Rosalie Aston was rot left 70
feel any lack Of friends in her worse
than widowhocd. Few who knew her
failed to offer sympathy and help. There
were more who didn't censure Louis Al
stems heartless conduct. 1t vas re.
membered how tender and true she had
been TO him from the day he brought
her TO his home in her girlish I~oveliness
how careful and fond and he had no:
always been loyal 20 her, now said the
waichful world; yet for her sake Gossip
whispered to her votsries the rumors
that Louis Alston's life had lot been
bl.meless, FIR the forsaken wife could
not. even nov, hear q word spoken
against him.
al would nevert trouble my head about
him again." said one; al would stop
mourning, and let him go"
81 would get a divorce, and marty
again." said another.
"'He was a scamp, any way, AND she
has plenty of money and that Gear little
boy left" chimed a third.
But to her they spoke gently always,
of her loss ~ieverently, as Of the dead,
for she was beloved by all.
She stayed in the home where he had
left her. The roses bloomsd by the
doorway almost unnoticed; the vines
struggled unframed over the porch; the
garden lay neglected; the house was
quiet always, and the only happy thing
about it was baby Lou, who ate and
slept and laughed and grew cheerily
enough, vet seemed to wonder some
times why mamma wept when, a halt
forgotten face crossing his infantile
mind, he callt d for ''Papa!"
So the summer passed, and autumn,
with IFS softered sunshine, dying beauty
and weird melodies came, rounding the
year since Louis Aston left his home.
A year! The pale woman, standing
where be had kissed his pretty vile
good-by, looking SO sadly unlike her
former self, asked her aching heart how
many long, long years like this ere life's
hold must be lOosed from earth, and
the wears TO come looked dreary indeed.
Once during the winter that followed
came a too Oficious friend, who bace
her be comforted.
81 have been where Louis was" said
he, ssand learned eli about the girl he
went away with. She is a silly, heart
less creature, and people said there was
no doubt she would leave MIR. Aston If
his health or money should fail. 1t
will be strange If he isn't a poor man
before many years 60 by, for he
had become very reckless with
his property, and then he will see how
much his new love cares for him. He
! will receive his due reward, and you
will be revenged, new fear"
81 do not crave revenge" was the
only reply of the true-hearAd wife, and
in the night watches she sObbed on her
wakeful pillow, "God have pity for
him, wherever he isl"
By and by the child sickened, and for
a time the mother forgot AL else.
ats only a cold" the good neigh
bors said; she'll be well in a day or
two" But the little one grew nc bet
ter. There was a brief, sharp strug-
gle with the Destroyer, then the baby
"a I'll bololos, Hown apd tho chr.
ny life was yielded.
She was alone-poor Rosslie Aston!
with only that sweet dead face and
tiny, cold form, and that beautiful pic
tured face of the absent n only
these left of her treasures. Yet not
| alone, for nearer to the torn heart came
the presence of the Infinite sympathy
and love; over the weary, impatient
spirit fell something of the peace of that
land wherein her babe was safe.
"It's wonderful how she bears her
trouble" said the doctors wife acrOs
the way; "such q hail little creature,
too"
ayes; I'm afraid sometimes she'll
not be long with US, though" replied
the next-door n%e'gtbor. "She does
not say any thing about Mr.. Aston, but
1 doubt if there's ever q moment when
he's out of her mind"
"You don't think she would forgive
him if he should come back? She has
too much spirit for that"
"She has spirit enough, TO be sure;
but hers is the true spirit. She has the
nobility that forgives the deepest
n She's worth a dozen like Lou
Aston, any day"
.s Yes, he wrote the truth, surely,
when he said he was not worthy of
her"
oBut l believe his desertion will
grieve her life away. She is no more
like the pretty rosy girl he brought here
than q white violet is like q rose," and
the tender hearted woman wiped her
spectacles to take q look over at the
tasteful dwelling of the lonely sister,
woman, for whom her kind heart ached
daily.
"Poor, lonesome child!" she sighed.
IF Lou Aston thinks he has found q
better love than hers, he is mistaken"
There was never an hour Of wakeful-
ness, in which she did not remember
him. Her soul never lost its longing
for him. And the springtime coming
again, with its beauty and music, drop
ped none of the old-time life and Joy for
her, from its perfumed wings, as il pass
ed, for the snow of chill despair still lay
over that year-old grave, where her
hearts fondest trust had been laid, and
on the turf over that little mound ia the
village cemetery, so precious to her, the
grass had never been green.
81 must 60 away from here" she
thought, as the summer ~deepened. 81
must find work to do. / am wasting
time and losing energies that might be
of use 70 others. must 60 away and