Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1880-04-20
Almost Tce Late.
II am going now, HeEen.N

II am going now, Helen"
Charles Archer stood at the door OF
the one room high up in q noisy tene-
ment house in New York, which he
called "home." It was not the welded
home he had dreamed of twelve years
before, when he uttered the ''Valedicto
ryu at Yale, when Helen Gordon blush
ed and smiled at the applause that greet
ed his appearance Oh the stage Nor
was that crouehing figure beside the
window, in the untidy print dress. with
the pretty sullen face, andt Umcomb-
ed golden hair, much like the graceful
belle, whose company he had been SO
happy to monopolize upon that golden
day. His wife looked up and caught
the expression of plying regret upon
his dark and handsome face. Her heart
was full of angry rebellion against her
fate, against herself, against ilinl-a:
most against God!
"Why do you look at me like that ?"
she said, peevishly. II know that the
room has not been swept, and that 1
have not made my toilet for the day.
NV toilet" she laughed bitterly.
'When shall [ make toilet again L
wonder? I once set the fashion in New
W
And, oh, to think-only to think what
INV life might have been, if | had been
wise"
Her husbands face darkened all over.
II understand ~ he exclaimed. "I ou
mean if YOU had married Paul Hayden
instead Of me"
"How can [ help such thoughtso /
saw his wife early yesterday morning
when I was out. She was driving tc
the railroad station on her way to their
country house for the summer. [ heard
the fGotman Hay so to some one when
he went to but the tickets for her And,
OH what difference there was between
US two.-NO wonder she has kept her
beauty. No wonder / have lost mine
Beauty and health. and youth and hap
piness, they are all going away from
me, because we are so poor.'
Better days may be coming, love, !
said the husband after pause. II have
heard of good situation this time, yoU
know. If get it, it will be (. stepping
stone to other things of more conse,
quence. And when I am rich. yor
know well, my darling, that I will re
fuse you nothing"
ou have thought so many times
that better days were close at hand
and ever time you have been disappoint
ed. and we have lived on the same hOr-
rib.e life,n was the discouraglng reply
II know, my dearest; but this is real
ly good news, | trust and hope. If you
will only kiss me and wish me good
luck. have faith that it will come
He bent down his dark eyes wistfully
searching hers for one glance of love
such as he had so often seen there il
the happy days Of courtship. But love
SO far as she was concerned, he some
timesifeared, had flown out Of the win
dow of this home when poverty enter
ed. The heat, the dust, the discordan
street cries without, the shabby disor'
dered room within, the general sense OF
her own untidiness, and the CALLING
memory Of the freshly beautiful sum-
mer costumes worn By the wife of Paul
HAYDEN, as she lounged In her carriage
on the previous dav-all these things
combined to Danish the affectionatt
glance for which the husbands heart Sc
vaily hungered, and to make the wife's
parting kiss so cold and formal that il
fingered like ice upon the young mans
lips as he turned away. He said moth
ing. But the deep sigh, that seemed t6
come from the very depths of tried ant
over laden heart. silently reproachet
hir. She caught last glimpse of his
face as he closed the door. 1t wore {
look of repressed sorrow that woulf
haunt her to her dying day. What evl
spirit had tempted her to try him SO
Was it his fault that, by the suddel
failure of bank in the great "panic.
the savings Of years of steady toll hat
been lost in a moment? Had he no
labored faithfully ever since for her un
grateful sake, had he not stopped ever
to menial toll when no other employ
ment could be procured. And now sh'
had sent him from her, uncheered by
look or word of fondness. What
some accident should happen to tn
train by which he was to travel? Wha
if he should never return ? For a mo
ment she sat dumb, almost paralyZed b,
the shock of that idea. Then she spran!
from her chair and rushed to the door
She would call him back, and ask hin
to forgive that careless, cruel parting
She was too late. He was already il
the street. A moment later she hear
the shrill whistle of the train. He wa
gore. The day passed sadly enough
Thought after thought came crowdine
into her mind to unsettle and reprov
her They bore their fruit. In les
than an h0ur after CnarleS Archer
departure his home wore very differ
ent aspect. BY nightfall the one room
was trim and clean as willing hand
could make it. Before the clean win
dows pair of snowy muslin curtain
were drawn. The stove shone like
mirror, and from its open front brigh
welcome to the absent master flashe
ont flooding the very walls with warmt
! and light. And summer evening thougI
it was, both light end warmth wer
needed. AT sunset angry clouds rose i
the south, and the rain came sharpl
; down, with an accompanying wind tina
knew little of his own mind, and veel
ed sharply round continually from sout
to east Amid the wailing wind an
dropping rain Helen Archer worke
steadily %. AZ 9 O'Clock the trai
which was to bring ner husband hom
was due Her last task was finished
when she dished up his favorite Wand
and set them, covered over with bas
/ upon the hearth to keep warm Sh
leaned fro.n the window, looking ou
through wind an3 rain, for some sig
of his home coming. She wore the dres
} he like oest, Her hair was arranged i
his favorite fashion OF braid and curl.
L, = lof+ l,