Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1880-01-07

room one cold December morning
when Mr. Agnew, Ernesl's employer
came In.
n am sorry TO dlsturbc you MIRA
Aiather," he said; "but ! wish TO In
quire II you have heard from Ernest
this week"
"Not since the arst she replied"
"lIe wrote on the ahh that he
would remain IN Cumberland until
tho first Of the year, anl was to send
some papers on the seventh, These
have not come and we arc embarras'
sed for want Of them, telcgraphed
yesterday but have no reply. How
ever IL fyou have not heard he Ia VI, he
10 probably better"
Ill T. she ialterod.
swell, Judged from his last that he
has not fully recovered from the fever
he had, although he resumed business.
II you hear to-day will you he kind
enough to send us word 7"
"Certainly," Myn managed to gasp
In 0 choked voice and Mr.. Agncw
left
all! A fever Sick At q hotel,
aud she not near Ernest her Ernest
All the love in the little woman's
heart rose in protest. She astonished
Aunt Cordclia by dashing into the
lady's room crying:
"Take care Of the house. l am go
ing to Cumberland T. aud dashed
out again as abruptly.
The trunk was packed.
Myra never knew what went into it.
She hugged her hoard Of money.
Carefully she put it into the bosom
of her dress.
She cried aud laughed and acted
generally like a lnnatic.
The atterno on found her seated in
an express train rushing to Ernes! as
fast as steam could carry her
In a vide pleasant room, Ernest
Ma,her lay upon his bed dangerously
i'll.
He had been for months trying to
quiet his sick, reckless heart by over
working his body, keeping such busi
ness hours, such stress and labor in his
work, that the firm at home never
ceased ccngratulatiug themselves upon
their choice of a traveller.
He made money fast, supplied Myra
with a generous hand, and yet saved
considerable.
For what
Bitterly he thought when he was a
very rich man he would go home
again and try and make Myra content
ed.
He tried to fancy that he had
ceased to love her. but the uneasy
craving of his heart for sight Of her
face and the sound of her vcice con-
tradicted this.
Work, work, work.
That was the medicine for his men,
tai pain, till the overworked brain
gave way, the overworked body suc-
cumbed, and lay i'll with feves tor
two weeks.
Up again and before strength was
half restored, and nov the relapse had
Frustrated him, and he lay suffering
apparently dying too i'll to send for
Nyra, too i'll to give directions, too
i'll to do any more than to lie help
less at the mercy of strangers.
The long night was passing aud a
cold gray dawn announced another
vintry day when vehicle drove up
10 the door Of the hotel, and in a dim
confused way Ernest heard the hustle
OF the newly arrived travellers.
He was vaugely wondering if any
friend would come to him, when the
door of his room opened very softly,
and he heard the waiter say:
'Mr. Mather is here"
A soft little rustle followed, and
then two cool hands fell upon his hot
forehead, tears and kissies following and
Myra was sobbing.
"Oh, Ernest darling! thank God l
have found you Oh, dear forgive
me T.
He was too sick to talk much, but
he made bis wife fully understand his
business, and sank off 10 sleepin the
sweet consciousness that love had
come to him, nurse and comforter.
1t was a long tedious illness. but in
the years that followed it, Ernest and
Myra looked back upon it as the be-
gil,ing Of their true happiness.
Doubts and repinings were swept
away in danger Of separation in
the grave, and all Myra's penitence
went into such entire selfsacriicing