Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-05-28

uduUS. lou KNOW, JONI. bQbt uuSUAQuS are
always numbering their wives"
" Middle aged wives, dear, or elderly, whose
lives are heavily insured. shall telegraph at
once"
"Then her death Will be at your door, sir
mind that!' and too indignant to waste upon
me more v ords, away went Mary to take last
peep at our own sleeping babes, at the dead
and the poor young mother whom she had
doomed to q violent death.
she was stu be bending Ding, over ner and had
traordnary length OF the lashes. and the
beauty OF the face in repose, when we were
startled by knock at the front door.
TITS the husband. l know 1t Is. o, John,
don't Detray her. don't give her up; you
wouldn't be so cruel"
:, . No child; watch y her tin return.
"Her husband. AS If should !"
Our household having long since retired,
long indeed before my return, myself opened
the door.
The street lamp lighted dimly two figures;
one tall stout and muffied.
"Mr. Merton"
1 answered in the Affirmative
You have kindly given shelter to lady 2"
The speaker nodded to his companion, who
touched his hat ana vansh3d.
The other stranger had now entered the ball,
and grasped my band.
"Mr. TIemay ne 2" asked hestatingy.
"Captaln TremayDe. How Is she?"
"Asleep, under my w;fe'5 care; sleeping as
peacefully as child
'.IhaLk God So youag-at such an hour-in
saw long shudder run through the tall
powerful frame.
.'And the child ?" he added after p,use, In
a horror-stricken whisper. ''She had it with
herr"
l hardly knew what to answer; but he had
thrown off his heavy ulster and travelling cap,
and now stood before me as handsome and
pleasant and honest-loOkiDg young fellow as
/ ever saw, and my heart wArmed to him. He
was no assassin. or ruf1ian. or cowardly bully,
whatever Mary might say. The shadow Of a
great horror that lay in the blue mellow eyes
had been laid there by terror. not crime.
1.-The child is dead,' 1 said softly.
"1t died two days ago, died suddenly In con-
brain. She was doing 80 well, poor little thing;
but afterward she grew delirious, and in her
rawlings she accused herself and me. I could do
nothinE she would not have me near her. but
beat me OFF with her hands, as she couldn't
bear the sight OF me. And was 80 fond OF her
and she OF met Here the man broke down. he
walked to the window, then turned and asked
abruptly, MAY 60 to herr"
thought OF Mary and heStated.
"She Is sleeping so peacefully just now; and
If she awoke suddenly and saw you
''She shall not see me.' he broke in eagerly.
II will be SO quiet; but 1 must see her.
nuTsed her through long illness a year ago.
and she Would have no one near her but me-
Under the heavy military mustache 1 saw
his Up culver: he paused, then added, 81 must
peal. both In voice and eyes.
win you wait here minute? viii see
whether she still sleeps"
She still slept the heavy peaceful sleep OF a
tired child, Mary keeping a stern watch and
guard over her. beckoned her out of the )om.
"Well!" with fretfui impatient eagerness
"You have seen him? What Is he like? Is he
"Judge for yourself: he Is In the dining ROOM
BE says he must see her-he must come In"
That he shsn't. the cruel wretch: or it sh Ill
be over my PROSTATE body" tragically.
Well, go and tell him So"
=" Will" And away, nothing daunted, went
I smiled. "she will no more resist the plead
Ing OF those blue handsome eyes than did her
husband. he Will win her over with look" /
was right; she soon returned, and not alone
him. thought it would be better" all this
apologetically.
He crossed the room as no1selessly as
sat down beside 1t. Mary shaded the lamp 50
that the room was in twilight, and so we ali
three sat down to wait.
For more than an hour we waited, then Mary
stole out Capt Tremayne looked up as the door
opened and closed; then with quick sigh, laid
the brown curly head down upon the pillow as
wife without touching 1t, and his hand moved
up towards her where 1t lay on the coverleC
but without touching that either for fear of
aWakfng or disturbing her.
1t was not until the first gray Streak5 of day-
light were struggling In through the window,
beside which sat, that there was Slight stir;
she was aWak1Dg at last.
"Hugh!' she Observation-Disclosures at first
then uTgently-"Hugh!"
'Yes, dear"
she turned her face toward his where 1t lay
beside her, She was only partially awake as
yet, her eyes were still closed; but the hand on
the coyerlet crept up softly towards him, hut
tered over his face. rested one moment caress-
ingly on the brown curls, then, with long con
tented sigh, her arm stole round his neck
Husband, kiss mel"
"His presence has saved her." was my me n
tai comment; "there Is nothing now 70 rear.n
and, unhoticed. l left the room.
Chilled and cramped With the long sitting
after the nights journey. l was nos sorry to
find the sitting room bright with lamp and
nrelight, the kettle singing on the HOB break
fast as comfortably laid out for two as Ii the
hour had been nine instead OF SIX and Mrs
Merton as neat and fresh and trim as II that
midnight tragedy had been all a dream. Let
cav1llSts sheer as they may, there "a nothing
for man like wife. II She be good one. I
myself may have had my doubts on the sub
therefore be trying at times even the best of
them. But certainly had no doubts what.
ever as stretched out my feet to the blaze,
and resigned myself cheerfully to being petted
"Well?" questioned Mrs. Merton, when my
creature comforts had all been duly attended
s 70; ana IN no1 beioIe ! told her how matters
."And 80 they are fond OF each other, after
all; and his being unkind to her and her poor
f" How s nsSGn POOR aOs aseaa
young and handsome and nice! felt so sorry
for him"
.ae must have travelled down in the same
"Oh. no; he told me all about it. He had
been summoned up to town on business, and
left home yesterday morning. In the evening
fetch something from the kitchen"
Have gossip there, you mean
you Know s so1e% dont you don't like nurses
HMy dear am married. mon ond moro
over, an NJ. d. A we'll balanced mind must
hate somebody or some class OF bodies; and as
rue, medlcal men hate nurses
"Nonsense. John! Well, Mira. Tremayne got
being traced to the station, where she had
taken ticket to London. Captain Tremayne
was telegraphed to, and was stopped as he got
into the train on his way home. Some one
must have seen you leave the station"
"AS he came to look for her here some
BODY must have brought him; two came to the
door,"
'It will be all right now that he has found
her, and Is fond OF her; she will get quite we'll
and he will only have TO comfort her for the.
loss OF her poor little baby"
/ wipe my pen. blot the MSS, and RISE NV
story Is DONE and, as IL is the first. so will it
probably be the last OF which shall bs guilty.
Mrs. Merton looks up from the glove she ia
mend1ng. 1.-THE story donel Why all you
have written is only the beginning OF the end
You could not surely have the heart to break
on In that unsatisfactory manner. Not word
about Captain Tremaynes gratitude or the
hammer they MT lie nj Hhrfofrnoc m tho h,rt,