The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1881-11-04


all over the West, and, never finding it,
mentioned Colorado and Denver, and
when Dora found herself alone with him
for . moment. she said, f"Did you ever
see Joseph Raymond ID Denver?"
"Joe Raymond? Oh yes knew, him
well !; lived with him nigh on to month.
His wife was a real good cook couldn't
be beat nowhere in them parts"
"You say he was married?"
"To be sure o right smart Teller,
and mighty fond Of his wife. Women
arc scarce out there.
Prudence came in, and the old man
went on his way all unconscious of the
great stone he had cast into the still
waters of Dora's heart. -
whats the matter?" said Pru-l
dence YOU'RE as white as . ghost.
Dora's only answer was to dart out OF
the house and run, as for her life, down
tine frozen orchard path by which she
could gain upon and overtake this ter.
rihle mans She might have said, with.
holy Herbert" - 3e ~
:. ts My thoughts are all . case Of knives,
'sarzrss, Wounding my heart
With scattered smart ffF,
only misery must have time to crystal
4 HE into memory before it takes the
form of poetry. She stood before the
old man at the turning, bareheaded and
breathless. 'sHow did the Joe Ray.
mond look that you lived with |? (" gasped
Dora, ,
81 never said Joe Raymond" said
the old man peevishly; "I said Jim
Raymond They had a big boy named
Joe, Who" but Dora was off again be-
fore he could finish his sentence.
She ran back through the orchard,
giving thanks with all her heart that
she had not suffered herself to be per.
suaded of Joe's faithlessness on one
hearing. Her feeling of grateful awe as
if she had escaped from sudden death
kept her from mourning much over the
passing away of this seventh anniversa-
ry of Joe's departure with no sign of his
return.
His letters had wholly ceased, and
there was nothing left for Dora but to
possess her soul with patience. When
another new year dawned upon her, she
put on the old red dress more from habit
than from any CLEAN of hope in her
heart, and did not care to look in the
glass. In the twilight she walked slow
ly down the orchard-path and leaned on
the gate that opened into the road.
Suddenly man sprang out from be-
hind the wall. Theodore, my gift OF
God =" he said; and Dora, though she
recognized no mark of the lover who had
left her eight years before, felt that no
other knew that password, and suffered
herself to rest silently in his arms in the
ineffable content that comes after long
waiting.
When Joe and Dora went into the
house, and she looked at him by candle
light, her heart almost misgave her; his
luxuriant beard and the manly assurance
of his manners were not ut all like her
Joe of beloved memory, and terrible
barrier seemed to rise up between them,
while Prudence remained in the room
with her company manners, which sat
more awkwardly upon her than her Sum
day gown. ~ 2
When Dora tiptoed softly by her Sis
ter's door at very late hour that night
Prudence was lying awake for her.
"Dont tell me, she said, "that you've
been waiting for that Joe Raymond all
this time p
:" won't tell you if you don't want to
hear it," said Dora.
Do you know whether he came home
any better off than when he went away 2"
81 really haven't thought to ask him, 4"
said Dora, carelessly. Prudence groaned
and turned her face to the wall.
Joe waited only till the next day to
tell Mrs. Hall the story of his success,
which seemed very moderate in his trav-
eled eyes, but seemed noble fortune to
her homely ideas.
81 never thought before, said Dora's
father at the wedding, "that woman
could keep secret; and guess it aint
much more common than snow In dog
days."
"How long would you have waited
for me?" whispered Joe in Dora's ear.
Forever" said Dora, solemnly.
And Mrs. Prudence Hall, as she over
heard the word, thanked her stars that
Dora's foolish notions had not wrecked
her at last on a poverty-stricken mar
rioUa