The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-02-12

How earnestly he did not perceive; his heed
less mood was upon him,
"You remember the two conditions you
once NADER
"Yes."
II really helped those people in good faith
long before knew you; really tined my
best to restrain that mob; butt brought both
cases purposeiy to your knowledge"
Blind, even to the last moment, that he
did not see the change in his wifes face.
1T was for love of you, sweet one," he
went on, geily. See, I have done what /
said would. have had my own way, and
yet my interest has not ceased. You told
me once that il would. you know. Will you
give me dissolution, little wife? Why, Mar
garrett"
He might well exclaim, for her face was
white, and her eyes looked at HIM as if in
all the world of phentoms there was none so
unreal as himself.
why, Margaret, there was no SID in IT.
Both your conditions were genuinely. hon.
estly fulfilled
How can know thst?" sne answered, in
low, dull tone. How can l ever know
what is true or untrue about you to the end
of the world?'
He took her in his arms. frightend at her
pain. She made no resistance. He stroked
her face and hair as il she had been a little
child, and she submitted to it all, even
smiled tenderly when he told her how sorry
he was to have troubled her. Such happI-
ness as he could take IN her love she gladly
gave him; there was something of more
value than that had gone out Of bis reach
forever.
1t was days aud weeks before he would &C.
knowledge this. Again aud again he asked
the same old question, Don't you trust me
yet?"-asked 1t with hope at FIRST and then
more falteringly, till at last the words died
on his lips before the dropping, sad face that
was his only answer.
Yet she accused him of nothing; she knew
herself to be born skeptic, even as he was
born actor. Most unfortunately the two
had come together. He was ALWAYS using
his own thoughts, impressions, feelings, as
delicate instruments to pry into other peo
pies mental anatomy. Naturally those
who discovered this lost all confidence in
the gsnuineness of such feelings. He was a
man misjudged, but himself provoked all the
misjudgment
The little household grew graver, grew
sadder; the two heads of it carried burden
some pain; but children grew up happily,
nevertheless. When their little girl was
born, the doctor, holding ner in his arms,
put the old question IN a humber form,
You trust me little, don't your" And
the patient lips answered "a little" Three
years after another daughter came, and again
| he asked the same question. There came the
same answer, "A little"
| He never questioned her again. After
that silence fell between them upon the one
1 sore SOOt Vi tuclT lives. Dut Wnch, many
years later than the other children, boy
was born to them, the doctors eye flashed
| with new, hopeful light, seeing perhaps q
| future triumph when the life of the child
should make palmer the life of the father.
| That Gay of triumph was very near at
| hand. The boy was not two years old when
dangerous fever ravaged the neighborhood.
| Dr. Richie fought it as one fights fire, and
was struck down by it himself at last.
When he knew he had but an hour to live,
he looked at the kneeling figure beside him.
Little wife, people who are dying get
credit for their words. 1t is long time
since mine have had any meaning for you.
| Yet have loved you fully aud deeply,
have tried to do what could for the world.
Tell me that you believe that, even If you
can not believe me-"
The shadow of the solemn witness to
whose name he appealed was on his face
Looking still at that shadow she whispered
II do believe it, and l believe you"
But in that presence, and with the last
breath still fluttering on his lips, the Ole
mirtbful mockery of the man asserted itself
! lneradicable TO the last.
Margaret, how do you know but am
only shamming deathy' he murmured
And Tor one sickenlng moment she didn't
know it. Then the shadows closed ovel
him; the witness Death was there in silent
confirmation of what had been spoken.
Two other witnesses were there also. One
the still face from which all that was BAT
fling discordant, untrue, had passed away
like dream, leaving the story of a true
heart to be read upon ii. The other, tht
lace of a two-year-old boy, who clung t
Margarets knee and looked up at her will
his fathers eyes.
Through childhood, boyhood, manhood
those eyes looked into hers, in their un
questionable childish sincerity making then
plain with an almost pathetic brightness
since he so inherited his fathers natur
that the time might come when he ais
could say, looking back to childhood, M
one but my mother ever knew me-"