The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1880-04-22

went on in her plain, new Gull Httle
way living, to be suddenly and sharply
aroused from it day two or three weeks
later by a telegram from Hugh Fenton,
that briefly said only this:
81 am dying. Will you come to me!"
Dying! Her one good friend, her enc
dear friend. Dying! 1t seemed cruel
mockery to think of his dying in the
hush and glory of maturity, with every
ling in the world to live for.
She hastened to him as fast as the
first train could take her, to find him
lying pale and peaceful, waiting for the
woman he loved.
He could still speak, wearily, and
with labor, but his face grew radiant
with tenderness that seemed less OF
mortal joy than the reflection from the
hither shore, when she knelt weeping
beside him.
"No; this is best for me, Lola" he
said, tenderly.. II would rather die
like this, with you here beside me. tina
live without you. Ny darling, do you
know why have sent for youP"
Even amid all the pity and desolation
in her heart, she shivered at his sug-
gestive words.
"Oh, my friend, Hugh"
he interrupted her, quietly.
81 want you to let me give you my
name before 60, dear. want you to
know how thoroughly, how perfectly
1 love you. You will not refuse? Its
the last request shall make of a human
being-don't refuse me this-don't send
me away-out yonder- without grant
ing me this. 1t will not hurt you, Lo Ia
Il shall not be here to annoy-youswill |
be comfortable and happy, and free as
ever-and L"
He smiled in her Mortified eyes.
"Oh, Hugh-no! no! cannot take
advantage of you-I dare not be so
cruelty selfish"
81 understand, dear-fully. But you
seem to forget how it will take the last
sting from my dying pillow, how it vii l.
tighten the way clear to the beyond, if
I may know my wife weeps for me-"
Her beautiful face was pale as his, her
eyes glowed like dusty stars, her voice
was clear, intense.
"Will it do that for you, my friend?
Knowing all you know, Twill it please
and comfort you?"
1T will make me welcome death to
call you my wife one little hour"
"Then, Hugh, whenever you are
ready, am ready"
And so, q half-hour later, the family
clergyman stood at the bedside, and in
the presence of the dying maa's mother
and sister. and the gray-haired physi-
clan, Lola was made Hugh's wife.
Nor, except for the mortal pallor of
her face, and the deathly coldness of
her hand, did the man who loved her
know of the terrible agony that was in
her mind.
And the minister went away, and
Clara Fenton kissed the dear, peaceful,
radiant face on the pillow, and threw
her arms round Lola's neck and sobbed
out her anguish and gratitude, and the
dear, quivering-lipped old mother
blessed her boys wife, and DR.. Sand
ford shook her hand warmly.
II only wish I might have seen this
under other circumstances, Mrs. Fen
ton," he said, and nobody but the man
who loved her saw the uncomfortable
shudder that surged over lola at the
sound of the new name.
An hour or so later the family lawyer
was closeted with Hugh Fenton, and
when Lola was called in, afterward,
her husbands face was so exquisitely
peaceful and satisfied that it almost
startled her.
"Doctor Sandford tells me there is
only an hour or 50 more, in all proba-
bility-everythirg is done, my wife. I
am at peace with the world, my
conscience and heaven. Sit here with
me, dear, until-the last. l want your
sweet face to be the last I see this side"
( So there they were, she. cold, pale,
strung to a nervous tension that was
agony to endure, and he--perceptibly
growing further and furtIer away,
until, like a baby on its Wother's breast,
he closed his eyes.
!. All through the night they watched
and waited for the breath to f1utter
away forever, and just when the dawn
began to break DR.. Sandford took his
fingers off the wrist, and turned with o
choked, solemn voice:
Thanks be to God! Hugh will live!
The crisis has passed, and his pulse has
been strengthening steadily for fifteen
minutes. !"
And the next second Lola lay in a
dead faint on the floor beside her hus-
bands bed.
Her husband! And he would live!
And she-did not love him! Heaven be
nitifllt