Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-02-13

Que GOuiu nave bcth t"hSAe "A'i 'b"'
in her bosom; bnt the tates Lad not
spun it into their web fol- her.
Perpetual waiting and watching was
her portion. She was always looking
out Of the window for William, always
fancyipg his figure in that of any one
at ali near his height or shape, aud III
ways being disappointed.
If anything might make us doub.
the truth of those tales Of clairvoyauce
that we hear, it is that no such power
ever comes to one in such anxiety as
that which oppressed Katie.
Could she have had a vision Of that
ship in the northern seas, and OF the
face of her husband as he paced the
deck and thought of her, it might have
saved her, for the discipline of the
vessel had been good thing for Will
liam Muller, and lie was in fair way
to be sober man for life.
There had been no chance to write to
the poor woman again.
When they parted from the ship by
which the lost letter had been sent,
they went alone into the wilderness of
water, and the world might have been
empty of all human beings save the
crew of that one black vessel, for all
tina; they could see or hear to the con
trary.
He also was sad and remorsetul; but
how much happier was the mans fate
than the wonans.
Action sustained him and he knew
the limit of his anxiety.
She had but that window with the
sun falling through it by day and the
candle burning i'll it 10y night, the dull
routine of her daily life and an Him
table anxiety.
If William never came back, she
knew that all her life would only be
watching for him. And thus born,
not so much of privation, though her
life was hard, as of sorrow and yearn-
ing, the doom of her race fixed itself
upon her.
Her eyes shone brighter, her skin
was clearer, her teeth more pearly.
She grew thinner and thinner, and her
face fixed itself into an expression that
seemed smile, but was not-the dead
Hest omen of all.
By consumption had her father died,
her little sister, her brother.
The disease seemed to shun her until
now, and even now she had not guessed
her fate. She was weak; but she had
never been very strong. She did not
feel well; but how could she, with
| William away?
The year had passed. The ship was
coming home. With glass the cap
tain could see the shores. Once Will
liam begged that he might look through
| it.
"My wife is there, captain" he said,
"and I'm anxious about her."
But what did the shore line tell him
Nothing.
The seabirds flying about the vessel
were not the kind of birds that whisper
news.
He hoped-as men will hope aud be-
lieve--that he would find the woman
he had left as he had left her-the light
OF life in the sweet eyes, the heart
beating as living hearts beat-Katie
just as she was year before.
Hew good he would be to her; lie
would never give her heart a pang
again.
AS he stepped ashore, with his wages
in his pocket he could hardly walk fast
enough, he was so anxious to reach
her.
Q, had he but the wings to fly to her.
The sun was setting, the sky was
dull and gray, as it had been that even
ing when he had kissed her and prom
iscd to be back soon.
Well, it was over-it was all right
now.
He strobe out of the town and
through the village. He passed the
inn with shudder. He turned into
the long country road, dotted here and
there with farm houses and lawns-a
low lying country, flat and uninterest-
ing as landscape.
There was neither moon nor star;
but he knew his way we'll, and at last,
just where he knew his home stood, he
saw blur of yellow light. Nearer
and nearer to it, as he now began to
run, he saw Candida candle set in
his own window. Katie's hand had set
it there, and indeed it had.
All day long Katie had been very
weak and ill. She could not sew as she
usually did.
A neighbor had dropped in with
gift of some delicacy, and she tried in
vain to eat it, but her appetite was
gone.
On the hearth she had kindled lit
tie fire, and. when night fell she lit
candle, and wondering ut her own
weakness-for she had staggered as
she crossed the room-had set it in the
window.
IF he should come tonight" she
whispered to herself, "he would be SO
glad to see it,"
Then the remembrance of the many
nights she had spent in watching for
him came to her.
Z" / shall never see you again, Will
liam, she said, " never!" and she began
to weep-the tears rolling heavily down
from her eyes and down her cheeks.
She did not wipe them away.
Her cheek dropped against the win.
dow-pane nearest to her. She had not
loosened her hold of the candle-stick
yet, and her arm rested on the sill.
After while she gave one long.