The Republican journal., 1882-08-31
long as live shall have in my eyes no
legal significance whatever.

edward Hay"
This was written on the first page of
sheet of note paper. On the second
portion of the sheet. and wholly Getach-
ed were these words:
ooh, how | love YOU, Bel 1t nearly
breaks me down to think that | am go
ing to leave you. am not we'll, either,
but hope to be soon. If we could only
60 back to old times before that cursed
plcnic-l can't help using the word.
You liked me little, | think, and you
might have-Well, all that is over. |
suppose | shall never see you again
certainly not for many years. You will
then, no doubt, be married to some good
fellow, and there will be an end Of me.
50 be it You shall be free from all an
noyanCe. give YOU a proof of that in
the first part Of this note, which you can
show people They will see that am
not, and never have been, your husband"
The unlucky lover signed his name
again, but as he forgot to add the period
at the end Of his sentence, the signature
read, "lour husband, Edward Hay
Miss Bel Anna; who had read the
note throughout, with a deep blush in
her cheeks, suddenly burst out laughing.
1t was rather hysterical, but she was
plainly amused at something. She Ill
lowed the hand holding the sheet Of note
paper to sink in her lap, and fixing her
eyes upon the floor, murmured
Your husband, Edward Hay :"
Then she sighed and said in the same
low tone;
"Poor, dear fellow, He is sick; and
and | suppose | ought to he there TO
nurse him"
Edward Hay rose suddenly from his
sick bed and abruptly left the country.
Ten days atterward his property was
sold and his attorney transmitted the
proceeds to the young man in Paris He
remained there three months, went to
Rome and stayed six hen he took q run
to Russia, and came home, via England
and Scotland, to New York.
1t was quite pie tsant evening in au-
tumn when he reached the Millbank
nei.hhorho0d again As he had no home
| Of his own he had written to Il friend
that nc was coming to see him, and
having gotten ont of the train he set off
on foot in the direction of his friends
house.
The pathway which he followed wound
across green fields and passed within a
few hundred yards Of Judge Annans
Seeing this, 4 fact which he had probably
lost sight Of, Mr.. Edward Hay made de
! tour TO avoid the house. This lcd him
into i picturesque glen, which he follow
ed MI at once he emerged into the
very grove where they had held the pic
nic, and there at the foot of the oak
where he and Miss Bel Anan had been
married sat Miss Bel Anan.
The Young fellow stopped and stood
still, trembling a little and looking ather.
She was leaning on 4 huge root, With
| one hand covering her eyes, and sobbng
Bel :"
Thc words seemed to escape from him
unconsciously as he fastened to her
And then came another word from the
lips o' Miss Bel .Anau rs She started up,
apparently as much the result Of I'M
pulse:
"EdWard y
rs they We're locked in each others
arms moment atterward, there seemed
to be very little explanation. These were
natural, however, under the circumstan-
ces, and We're soon made Miss Bel Amman
informed her husband that She had not
the least objection to being Mrs. Edward
Hay; and when the customary perform
| ances followed and Mr.. Edward Hay
moaned bis andless condition, Miss An
nan, or Mrs. Hay, as the reader peases,
said smiling, as she leaned her head up
on his shoulder:
II will give your estate back to You us
| bought it, my dear. The property Of a
wife Belongs to her husband -
This charming young person had in
deed purchased Edward Hays property :;
and, as only year had elapsed since he
had deserted her, she was still his wife,
and their possessions We're, therefore, in
| common.
Nevertheless there was wedding, and
the young people were formally married
| by 4 minister. The occasion was grand
troic at Judge Annan's hospitable man
sion. and Mr. Edward Hay said to his
wife, as she blushed under the orange
flowers
"Aftot all, believe / wish to beyour
husband" J. Esten Cooke