Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1881-01-25

20, 1901.
, then, because you sal'd the mon.
would never compensate you for t!
constant separation. Toe tay the OF
is renewed. After our cOnversatlt
, this morning, I think your old obje
ton will hardly have any VT Ight so
J have accepted, and leave in an hour.
; Will write to you ever month, 1nclo
J ing remitt,ances. leave the aG comp
ny bank note for the dress you deslr
have sent for Aunt Cordelia, as usus
to stay with you.
j ERNEST MATHER. :"
Il Not loving word, not regret II
the long separation.
Myra realized then how considera
and loving her husband had been unde
the wearing vexatiOns of her whims AM
caprices.
| Great tears rolled down her cheeks a
she bitterly reproached herself.
II have made him believe I dom
care for anything but money" sh
thought. HE leaves me this to consoi
me for his absence. Oh, Ernest, com.
home again, and I'll wear calico and q
sud bonnet to church before I'll teas,
you for fnery again !"
IL was not an easy task to get dinner
and meet Aunt Cordelia, but it must bs
done. ~ RI.
It was no new thing for that worthy
splnster to see Myra In tears when Err
nest was away on business; so she only
expressed desire to see ''any man
alive she'd cry for" and said no more
about the little wife's red eyes.
The days passed very wearily.
Aunt Cordelia preached only sermons
to Myra about extravagance and vari-
GUS other feminine weaknesses, till the
poor liJtle woman wished she was as
homely and in-clad as the tOrmentOl
herself.
"You never see me with such dress
IN the house as that,'' the spinstel
would say, with a complacent glance at
her dyed skirts.
II buy my clothes to wear," Myra
retorted. "If had as much money as
you. Aunt Cordelia, I'd be ashamed to
go about the house in such dresses"
And the spinster would shake her
head and groan, audibly plying "poor
dear Ernest"
"You never see me-" was ever her
opening address.
And Myra grew to hate the words, in
the long months of her enforced COM
pahionship.
For Ernest did not return.
Spring, summer, autumn passed
away, and December was opening, vet
still he did not come.
Every month a formal letter reached
Myra, inclosing check for her xpen-
ses OF such liberal value as proved Er-
nest was making money; but each one
Informed her that her husband was Just
leaving the place from which he wrote,
and made no mention of his next desti.
nation.
Heart-sick, penitent, and oh ! SO lone.
ly, the little wife spent only what was
necessary for the house, and fairly
loathed the sight of the money that was
accumulating in her hands.
Letter after letter she wrote and de-
stroyed, not knowing where to direct
them.
She was growing so pale and worn,
so quiet and saddened, that Aunt Cor
delia's questions were most often unan-
swered.
She was sitting in the drawing room
one cold December morning, when Mr..
Aknew, Ernest's employer, came in.
Pm sorry to disturb you, Mrs. Ma
ther," he said; "but wish to inquire
IT you have heard from Ernest this
week."
"Not since the first" she replied.
HE wrote to US on the fifth that he
would remain in Cumberland until the
first of the year, and was to send some
papers on the seventh. These have not
come, and we are embarrassed for want
OF them. L telegraphed yesterday, but
have no reply. However, if you have
not heard he is ill, he is probably bet.-
ter"
"Ill !" she faltered.
"Well, judged from his last he had
not fully recovered from the fever he
had, although he resumed business. If
you hear to-day, will you be kind
enough to send us word ?'
"Certainly," Myra managed to gasp,
in q choked voice; and Mr.. Agnew
left.
I'll! A fever! Sick at a MOTEL, and
she not near! Ernest. her Ernest J"
All the love In the little Woman's
heart rose in protest. She astonished
Aunt Cordelia by dashing into the la.
dy's room. crying:
"Take care of the house! I'm going
to Cumberland" and dashed out again
as abruptly.
The trunk was packed.
Myra never knew what went into it.
She hugged her hoard of money.
Carefully she put it in the bosom of
her dress.
She cried and aughed and acted gene
rally like lunatic.
The afternoon found her seated in an
express train, rushing to Ernest as fast
as steam could carry her.
In wide pleasant room. Ernest Ma
ther lay upon his bed Dangerously ill.
He had been for months irving to
quiet his sick, reckless heart by over
working his body, keeping such bust
ness hours, such stress and labor in his
work, that the firm at home ever ceas
ed congratuIating themselves upon their
choice of a traveller.
He made money fast, supplying Myra
with generous hand, and yet saving
considerable.
For what?
Bitterly he thought that when he was
very rich man ne would go home
again and try to make Myra content.
ed.
He tried to fancy he had ceased to
love her; but the unceasing craving OF
bis heart for the sight of her face and
the sound of her voice contradicted
this.
Work, work, work!
That was the medicine for his men
tai pain, the overwrought brain gave
way, the overtask ed-body succumbed
and e.lay ill with fever for two weeks.
Up again before his sire ngth was hall
restored, and now the rela pse had pros.
trated him. and he lay suffering and
apparently dying too ill to do any more
than lie helpless at the mercy of stran.
gers.
The long night was pa ssing, and q
cold. gray dawn announce ced another
wintry day, when a vehicle drove up tc
the door of the hotel, and in a dim
confused way Ernest hear d the hustle OF
the newly arrived travellers.
He was vaguely wondering if any
friends would come to b i'm, when the
door of the room opened very softly,
and he he's d the waiter say.
"Mr. Mather is here"
A soft little rustic followed, and then
two cold hands fell upon his forehead,
tears and kisses followed, and Myra
was sobbing.