The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1880-04-14
ALMOST TOO L ATE.
The Lesson that Helen Archer Learned
From Bitter Experience

The Lesson that Helen Archer Learned
From Bitter Experience
IL am going now, Helen"
Charles Archer stood at the door of the one
room high up in a noisy tenement house in
New York, which be called "home." 1t was
not the welded home he had dreaned of II
years before, when he uttered the ''Valedic-
tory" at Yale, when Helen Gordon blushed
and smiled at the applause that greeted his
appearance on the stage. Nor was that crouch
ing figure beside the window, in the untidy
print dress, with the pretty, sullen face, and
the uncombed golden hair, much like the
graceful belle, of whose company he had
been so proud. so happy to mOnopolize upon
that golden day.
His wife looked up and canght the express
sion of plying regret upon his dark and
handsome lace Her heart was full of angry
rebellion against her fate, against herself,
against him-almost against Godl
"Why do you look at me like that2" she
said peevishly az know that the room has
not been swept, and that l have not made
my toilet for the day. "My toilet" she
laughed bitterly. when shall / make a
toilet again, wonder? once set the fash
ion in New Haven't Who would believe
it now? And, oh. to think-only to think
what my life might have been, if had been
wise"
Her husbands face darkened all over.
81 understand he exclaimed. you mean
If you had married Paul Hayden in instead
of me-"
How can 1 help such thoughts2 l saw
his wife early yesterday morning when l
was out. She was driving to the railway
station on her way to their country house for
the summer. L heard the footman say so to
some one when he went 10 buy tickets for
her. And, oh, what a difference there was
between US twol No wonder she has kept
her beauty. No wonder l lost mine. Beauty
and health and youth and happiness, they are
all going away from me because we so
poor"
Better days may be coming love-" said
the husband, after pause. Il have heard
Of good situation this time, you know. If
L get it, it will be stepping stone to other
things of more consequence. And when L
am rich, you know well, my darling, that
shall refuse you nothing"
"You have thought so many times that
better days were close at hand. And every
time you have been disappointed, and we
have lived on the same horrible life" was
the discsuraging reply.
Il know, my dearest but this is really
good news, trust and hope. If you will
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
Is he had so often seen there in the happy
days of courtship. But love, so far as she
WAS concerned, he sometimes feared, had
flown out of the window of his home when
poverty entered. The heat, the dust, the
discordant street-cries without, the shabby,
disordered room within, the general sense of
her own untidiness, and the CALLING memory
of the freshly beautiful summer cos
tune worn by the wife Of Paul Hayden,
as she lounged in her carriage on the pre-
vious day-all these things combined to
Danish the atfectionate glance for which the
husbands heart so vainly hungered, and to
make the wife's parting kiss so cold and
formal that it fingered like ice upon the
young mans lips as he turned away.
He said nothing. But the deep sigh, that
seemed to come from the very depths of a
tired and overladen heart, silently reproach-
ed her.
She caught the last glimpse of his face as
he closed the door. Ii wore the look of re-
pressed sorrow that would haunt her to her
dying day. What evil spirit had tempted
her to try him so?
Was It his fault, that by the sudden fail
ure of bank in the great "panic," the saw
ings of years of steady toll had been Lost in
q moment? Had he not labored faithfully
ever since for her support For her un-
gratful sake, had he not stopped even to
menlal toll, when no other employment
could be procured2
And now she had sent him from her, I'M
cheered by look or word of fondness. What
if some accident should happen to the train
by which he was to travell What if he
should never return?
For a moment she sat dumb, almost par
alyzed by the shock of that idea. Then she
sprsng from her chair and rushed to the door.
She would call him back and ask him to for
give that careless, cruel parting.
She was too late. He was already in the
street A moment later she heard the shrill
whistle Of the train. He was gone. the
day passed sadly enough. Thought after
thought came crowding into her mind to un-
settle and reproye her. They bore their fruit
In less than one hour after Charles Ar
cher's departure his home wore a different
aspect. By nightfall the one room was
trim and clean as willing hands could
make it. Before the clean windows a
pair of snowy muslin curtains were
mirrow, and from its open front bright
welcome to the absent master flashed out,
flooding the very walls with warmth and
light
And summer evening though it was, both
light and warmth were needed. At sunset
angry clouds rose in the South, and the rain
came sharply down, with an accompanying