The Benton weekly record. [volume] (Benton, Mont.) 1880-1885, 1880-01-16

Sprng, summer, autumn passed away,
and December was opening, yet still he
did not come. &7
Every month a formal letter reached
Myra, inclosing a check for her expenses
Of such liberal value as proved Ernest was
making money; but each one Informed her
that her husband was just leaving the
place from which he wrote, and made no
mention of his next destination.
Heart-sick, penitent, and oh, so lonely,
the little wife spent only what was neces-
sary for the house, and fairly loathed the
sight Of the money that was accommodating
| in her hands.
Letter after letter she wrote and de-
stroyed, not knowing where to direct
them.
She was growing so pale and worn, SOD
quiet and subdued, thst Aunt Cordelia's
most hateful speeches went often imam
swered. ~-:-..
She was sitting i'll the drawing room one
cold December morning, when Mr.. Ag-
new, Ernest's employer came in,
"I am sorry to disturb you, Mrs. Math-
en-, he said: "but / wished to inquire if
you have heard from Ernest this week.
Not since the first" she replied.
''ETe wrote lie on the fifth that he would
gtay 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. L tele-
graphed yesterday, but have no reply
However, if you have not heard he is i'll,
he is probably better -
'IlIr' she faltered.
"Well, | judged from his last that he
had not fully recovered from the fever he
had had althougA he resumed business. If
you hear to-day will you be kind enough
to send us word 70
s'Certainly," Myra managed to gasp, in
choked voice, and AIr. Agnew left.
tsIl. A feveri Sick alta hotel and she
not near Ernest, her Ernest!''
AL the love in the little woman's heart
rose in protest. She astonislled Aunt Cor
della by dashing into that la(ly's room
crying:
''Take care of the house. I'm going to
Cumberland, and dashed out again as
abruptly.
| The trunk was packed.
/ N[yra never knew what went into it.
She hugEed her hoard Of money;
Carefully she put it in the bosom OF her
dress.
She cried and laughed, and acted gen
orally like a lullatic.
The afternoon found her seated in an ex-
press train, rushing to Ernest as fast as
steam could carry her.
Ina wide, pleasant room Ernest Mather
! lay upon his bed dangerously Ill.
lie had been for months trying to quiet
his sick. restless heart, by overN,orking his
body, keeping such business hours, such
stress and labor in his work, that the firm
at home never ceased congratulating them
selves upon their choice of a traveller.
He made money fast, supplying Myra
with a generous hand, and yet saving con-
siderably.
For what7
Bitterly he thought that 5Tlttu lie Vas Il
very rich man he would go home again
and try to make Myra contented.
He tried to fancy he had ceased to love
her; but the unceasing craving Of his
heart for the sight of her face and the sound
/ of her voice; cortfadieted this.
Work, work, work.
This was the medicine for his mental
pain, till the oyerwrought brain gave way,
the oyertasked body succumbed, and he
lay Ill with fever for two weeks.
Up again before his strength was half
/ restored and now the relapse had pros
4 trated him, and he lay suffering aud ap
parentty dying, too i'll to send for Afyraj too
i i'll to give directions, tooill to do anything
zImore than lie helpless at the mercy Of
strangers.
4 The long night was passing, and cold,
gray dawn announcing another Wintry
4 day, when vehicle drove up to
to the door Of the hotel, and III dim, con-
1uSeh Itt1 E1 iASst tiSsst y " eiis
newly arrived travellers.
/ He was vaguely wondering ifany friend
i would come to him, when the door Of his
3 room opened very softly, and he heard the
i waiter say;
1Mr Mather is here.
A soft little rustic followed, and then
j two cool hands fell upon his forehead,
J, tears and kisses followed, and lIyra was
Esobbing
J, ssohl Ernest darIing thank God, ]
have found you' Oh, dear, forgive mel
q lie was too sick to talk much, but he
J. made his wife fully understand llis bust
{ ness, and then sank off to sleep in the
sweet conscio ciousness that love Lad come g
! him and 4 nurse and comforter.
ii was long, tedious illness but iIl the
. years that followed Il, Ernest and nsfs
I looked back upon iitt=as the beginning @
! y their trne happiness.
!. Doubts and repinings were swept away
! ! Ill the danger Of 4 separation ~ fhe grave
aud all II yra' $ pretenae went into such en-
y tire, self-sacrifaf icing devotion, =as sila5ehes
her husband from the jaws OF death g 9
! herovn again.