Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1880-01-09
me as your wife,"

me as your wife,"
Her tone, her words, stung George LIE
Roy to the point of fury. "My wife!'' he
said "Heavens I wish you had not that
claim upon my tolerance. A man reaps a
fearful harvest from youthful mistake. y
Then he turned on his heel and closed the
door sharply behind him. Eddie was only
a trifie more miserable than she had been
before
The next day was Sunday. Parties for
church were made up. Eddie found her
self listlessly ncluded in one. 1t might at
least be more tolerable than wandering
aimlessly about the hotel. AS she was
handed into the stage she noticed her hus-
band gathering in Minna Storey's dra-
peries within the compass of a light
wagon, in which he was going to drive
her. She was talking and laughing as
usual. There was not cloud upon Georges
face. The sight cut Eddie to the heart.
She averted ner face hastily. Her fellow
passengers saw what she saw; they pitied
her. 1t is hard to young, proud nature
to be pitied.
The stage clattered off amid a gay Babel
of voices. A mile down the road there
was hill. At the top of this hill the hor-
ses took fright, one becoming perfectly
uncomfortable. Plunging and rearing,
they dragged the stage to the edge of the
mountain. The next moment the great
numbering vehicle was overturned and
pitched down the mountain side. Then
the horses, having done their worst, stood
still. The driver picked himself up and
surveyed the scene of the disaster. The
first object that met his eyes was Mrs. LIE
Roy, who had been thrown against heap
of stones. A messenger was dispatched
to the hotel, who met DR.. LIE Roy first of
all in his no-top wagon.
"Hurry! hurry! he cried. ''The stage
has gone over the side Of the mountain.
Mrs. LIE Roy is dead"
George was off like the wind; but not
before Miss Storey had entreated, with
white lips, to be let out. He was alone
when he was confronted by Eddie's pitiful
face.
They gathered her up and carried her to
the hotel for dead. The rest of the party
escaped unhurt; except Tor trifing cuts
and bruises; but when they laid her on her
bed they thought that life was extinct.
I might quote pages in support Of the
assertion that the worth of a treasure is
by the dread of loosing it.
Harshness, Indifference, neglect, logged
George LIE Roy's steps like stern accusers,
now that Eddie lay speechless, uncon-
scious, for hopeless hours. It seemed to
him that he had killed her. If he had been
with her this might not have happened.
Surely he might have shielded he. Shield
ed her? All !! had he shielded her from
other dangers, other Ills? The bitter re-
proach haunted him that he had betrayed
his trust.
How utterly little and contemplate
their discussions now seemed! Only the
one truth remained, that she was his, the
woman he loved, the only one who could
fill his heart.
He sent for her father and mother. They
came, wrung by the cruelist anguish; but
they came just as she began to revive.
Youth is stubborn; life is obstinate; and
love wrestled with prayer. George LIE
Roy had never known before what it was
to face mysterious Providence, omnipo-
tent, and yet hearkening to supplication.
Eddie was given to him again given
back to him, SO it seemed, from death. 1t
was a second marriage.
We often wonder if we would live our
lives better if we could live them over
again. Certainly Eddie and her husband
prohted by their former mistakes. For.
one thing, they spent their second honey
moon in a home of their own. When Ed
die went down from the Sweetbrier
Springs, in the fall, to Port Royal, she
found lovely house made ready for her,
of which she was the unconditional mis-
tress. George explained, to all whom it
might concern, that the situation of the
house suited the requirements Of his prac-
tice better than that of the LIE Roy home
stead.
1t astonishing how easy it was to get
on with Mrs. LIE Roy mere after this.
Sometimes, indeed, Eddie wondered
whether her former troubles had not been
chimeras of her brain.
AS for Mr.. and Mrs Clark, they were at
last entirely reconciled to their daughters
marriage. They spent the greater part of
their subsequent lives in spelling their lit
tie grandchildren to their hearts content.
-Harper's Bazaar.