Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1882-05-10

, long while, II seemed to Cora that Il
would never speak, AT last, with
! sudden effort, he said
Miss Cora, you've known me onl
a few days, but you've seen enough q
me to know that am q blunt spoke
fellow, so l hope you won't be upset b.
what I'm going to say, I'm not muc
Of q gentleman, but haven't any YER
bad habits and make q fair living, an,
-and-well, want u wife, little gal
aud love you, lf you'll have mo
III do my prcttiesi to make you tn
happieSt woman in the country.
Cora smiled up at him through tear
filed eyes, and this gave him courage
to slip one arm over the back Of thu
cutter and draw her closer to his side,
She murmurcd something about be
lug almost u stranger TO him; bu
Frank, grown wonderfully bold, pres
sed with his lips the lids over the girl
dark eyes, and quriod;
DO you love any other manT
no., she answered honestly enough
Il believe you are the best man | ever
knew
Whcreupon Frank kissed her again,
upon the lips this time, and made q
second proposition, to which at first she
would not listen. But the will and the
energy Of her earnest hearted wooeI
carried the day, and the result was q
call on the jnstice Of the peace and
when they re-entcrcd the inn that night
the girl was Cora Pressy no longer,
but Cora Hollistcr, aud Franks face
was radiant and triumphant.
In the dingy waiting room an cxcit-
cd crowd was gathered.
Frank cndcavorcd to hurry his wife
past the doorway, but her quick glance
had caught glimpse of a familiar fig
ure.
'Fathcr!' she cried and stepped into
the room.
Yes, there he was, haggard and dis
heveled, with blood-shot eyes and I'M
looking" once Inere was JUS. ,"o
ghost of dcbonair air about him still
despite his wrctchedness. An officer
guarded him on either side.
"What has he done?' cried Cora,
with pallid lips.
Some one in the crowd answered
brutally enough:
"Killed brother gambler twenty
miles back. They're taking him
through the city.
Then the poor little bride went into
a dead faint in her husbands arms,
and he carried her up stairs with his
brown cheek against her white one.
All night he watched beside her
while she went from one deathly swoon
into another. At last in the gray
morning she smiled sadly into her
husbands eyes, and whispered:
"Do not be troubled. will go
away" "Not ifI can help it, an
swered Frank, with a grim set Of his
under lip.
Then all at once he put his face
down on the pillow beside her and be-
began to cry like a two-year-old baby.
With her slender hands she stroked
the mans big curly head, and talked
to him in sweet, weary way that
went straight to his warm heart.
Dear friend, she said, Il know how
unselfsh you are, but will not allow
YOU to make such sacrifice. You
shall not share my shame
Look here, little woman, / knew all
about this affair yesterday morning
that's why l was in such a rushe to get
married. 1 knew they would bring
Colonel Pressy through here, and
knew if did not make sure of you
then, that !, never should get you. My
little darling wife, he went on, kissing
her hair, and eyes, and lips; thank
God nothing can separate us-nothine
but death.
And looking into her husbands eyes
Cora knew that here was her safe home
and shelter forevermOre.
My reader would set me down as ar
unsatisfactory story teller were l to
omit the sequel.
Colonel Pressy committed suicide
month later in his prison cell.
Frank took his little wife away tt
his eastern home, where she lives
contented little matron, proud and hap
py in her husbands love and the pos
session of a cooling, bright-faced baby.
Those who can themselves do goot
service are but as one to thOuSanC