Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1881-11-01
alive she'd cry for" and said no more
about the little wife's red eyes.
The days Pass very yearily. ,.s4,,

awe 1ne,0 CRY Iol, ana ealQ no MOI
about the little Wife's red eyes.
The days pass yeryl Wearily. .,ss,.s
Aunt Cordelia preached only sermon
to Myra about exfravagance and weak
peases, till the poor little woman Wishe
she was as homely and ill-clad as tn
tormentor herself. .s..f.e,ss...f,, =.
"You never see me with such . dree
In the house as that the spinste
would say, with y oomplacent5glance Z
her dyed skirts IA ~
II buy my clothes to wear" Myr
retorted "f I had as much money :
you, Aunt Cofdelia, I'd be ashamed t
90 about the house in such dresses"
And the spinster would shake he
bead and grcan, audibly plying "poo
dear Ernest"
"Yon never ses me-" was ever he
opening address.
And My1a grew to hate the words, II
the long months Of her enforced com
panionship. = S''s
For earnest did not return. M
Spring, summer, autumn passed awas
and December was opening, yet still b,
did not come. ~,
Every month formal letter reache,
Myra, tnclosing q check for her expen.
ses Of such libenbvalue ~ proved sEr
nest was making money but each op'
Uniformed her that her husband va
[3nse ieaping e-khsEleca7 froR bio& ~
wrote, and no mention Of his des'
tfnAtton. :, .siI4.sa. I..l.j 7. .5.43 Il t.l..s
Heart-sicks sRenitenti and OH sofl0ne
", the little wife spent only what Wel
p necessary for ths house and fairly l0thet
the sigh6 Of 'thtS money that was accu'
Imulating in her hands - Is Iaie
1 Letter after Letter she wrote and de,
stroyed, not knowing where to direc'
She wss growing 20 pale and worn
sotquiet and snbdhed, that Aunt tCsrde-
LAS most hateful speeches went often
unanswered.
She was sitting in the drawing room
i0ne cold December morning, when Mr..
Agnew, Ernest's EN- nployer; canne In.
/ II am sorry to disturb you, Mrs.
Mather, he said, ssb1t I wish to In
jquire If you have heard from Earnest
this week" ~.
Mot since the first. !" she replied
HE wrote us. on the nth that he
would remain In Cumberland until the
frat of the yearand was to send some
papers on the seventh. These have moi
come, and we are embarrassed for want
iof them. I telegraphed yesterday but
have no reply. However, II you have
not heard he Is i'll, he Is probably bet.
ter"
"Ill!" she faltered.
"Well, 1 judged from his last that he
had not fully recovered from the fever
be had. although he resumed business
If you hear to-day. will you be kind
enough to send rs word 2"
Certainly" Myra managed to gasp
in checked voice, and Mr.. Agnew
left.
iii! A feverl Sick at hotel, and
she not near! Ernest, her Ernest !"
All the love in the little woman's
heart rose in protest. She astonished
Aunt Cordelia by dashing into the Ia
dy's room, crying: yf,
"Take careof the houael lam going
to Cumbertand !" and dashed out again
as abruptly.
The trunk was packed. Myra nevel
knew, what went into It.
She hugged her hoard Of money
Carefully she put 1t in the bosom OF he,
dress. 1
She cried and laughed, and sacted
generally like lunatic. a.
The afternoon found her seated in ar
express train. rushing to Ernest ~ fas'
a. steam could carry her. - ].
In wide, pleasant room. Ernest Ma
ther lay upon his bed dangerously III.
He had been for months trying tt
quiet his sick, restless heart by over
working his body, keeping such busi
work, that the firm at home never ceas'
or7f r.. fv,1 Ia 70 n3
choice of traveller.
He made money fast. supplying Myr'
with generous hand, and yet saving
considerable.
For what? .
Bitterly he thought that when h
was q very rich man he would go home
again and try to make Myra contented
He tried to fancy he had ceased tC
love her but the unceasing craving o
his heart for the sight of her face ant
the sound of her voice contradictet
this.
Work, work, work
That was the medicine for his menta
pain till the overworked brain CAV,
way. the overtasked body succumbed
and he lay ill with fever for two weeks
Up again before his strength was hal
restored. and now the relapse had pros
trated him, and he lay suffering ant
apparently dying, too i'll to send to
Myra, too i'll to give directions, too il
to do any more than lie helpless at tn
mercy, Of strangers.
Thelong night was passing, and |
cold, gray dawn announced anothe
wintry day, when . vehicle drove mp &
the hotel, and in q dim, confused wa,
Ernest heard the bustle of the newl,
arrived travellers.
He was vaguely wondering il an,
friend. would come to him, when tn
door of his room opened very softly
and he heard the walter say:
"Mr. Mather Is hers"
A soft little rustic zfollowed, and the
twoscool hands fell ap0n his hot fore
head, tears and kisses followed, an
Myra was sobbing:
| "Oh. Ernest darling! thank God
have found you'll Oh, dear, forgiv
mel"
He was too sick to talk much, but b
made his wife fully understand his bu
siness, and then sank off to sleep in til
isweet consciousness that love had cOm
/ to him, nurse and comforter.
It was q long, tedious illness, but /
the years that followed 1t, Ernest an
Myra looked back upon It as the begir
lining of their true happiness.
i Doubts and repiufngs were swel
away in the danger of q separation /
the grave, and all Myra's penitent
went into such entire, self-sacrificin
devotion, a. snatched he husband frol
the very jaws Of death to her ow
Iagain.