Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1883-04-26


Gus, like a twilight shower.
1t was thus that Arthur Trellidge was
brought face place with an unspeakable an
guish, from which there seemed no escape.
His wife was very ill. Stricken, without
a moments warning, her disease for several
days baffied the skill of the physicians who
had been summoned. The result OF their
consultation was thatan operation would be
necessary That operation was exceedingly
delicate, difficult and dangerous, and it was
not improbable that she would die from its
effects.
. Mrs. Trellidge listened with supernatural
GOODNESS to the old family physician who
broke this intelligence to her. When ne
had done speaking, she said, briefly, that al!
her earthly affairs were in order, and begged
to see her husband for few moments alone,
previous to taking the chloroform which was
to be given to her, and while arrangements
were being made for the operation.
Her husband came to her, and sat beside
her on the bed, her hands in hisand his eyes
fixed upon hers, as though wistfully trying
to thread the labyrinths of her soul. They
were alone together, with Death just within
hearing.
She was suffering torture, and could scarce
ly speak; but while feebly pressing his
hands, she managed to say what had been
weighing on her mind for some months.
1t was said in broken sentences and almost
in a whisper.
He put his ear close to her mouth that not
word might escape him. These words,
necessarily, were very few. There was no
time or strength for long explanation. Both
knew that the probability was that she
would never awake, to live, from the effects
of the chloroform-sleep into which she was
soon to sink. knowing that, every word
that passed between the two had a profound
and tender meaning. For a few minutes
they gazed steadfastly at one another with
out exchanging word. Slowly the tears
gathered in his wife's eyes, and, putting all
her strength into the pressure which she
gave his hands, she simply said,
"YOu love me nOW?"
Perhaps she laid an uncommon involun-
tary emphasis on the word "now." At any
rate, that word smote Arthur's heart, and
he hid his face in his wife's bosom and
sobbed terrible sobs. With one weak hand
hepatted his rugged shoulder, and comfort
ed him with that loving touch.
"YOu could not help it-you were not to
blame. Twas / that was foolish to- fancy
that you could love an old woman like me.
l heard all you said to your friend that day.
Hush my darling one, my darling one.
You do love me now? If, indeed, am to
go down into that dark valley, let me take
with me this thought, you do love me
now"
Who shall say that the elements of exqui-
site happiness were not present in the ago
nv of that farewell! Inthe tears that rained
from the eyes of both, the dregs and droth
of earthly motive seemed to be washed
away, and all the traits of the good, the
beautiful and the true, in the character Of
each, were brought face to face.
The chloroform was administered, The op-
Grafton was over, the doctor and the surgeon
were gone, and at sunset of that day Ar
thur remained the solitary watcher beside
the bed which contained the deadlike form
of his unconscious wife.
He went to the doors, locked them, and
softly Though there was no need for cau-
tion) opening wide the window nearest the
bed pushed back the shutter SO that the
latest CLEANS of the sunset might fall upon
his wifes white features. Still she lay in
a profound stupor induced by repeated ap-
plicatiOn of the chlOrOfOrm. With no fear
of waking her, he took her hands and patted
them gently between his, laid his face
against hers, and in the silent agony of
the hour, saw that question again float up
permOSt-
"How could live without her?"
How, Indeed? Now that her life was
trembling in the balance, now that it was
doubtful whether her eyes would ever look
on him again, he felt how inexpressively
dear she had become to him, he remember
ed the innumerable little acts, unapprecia-
ted at the time, by which he had tried
to make him love her. Every day, which
separately appeared before him, brought
with it some little or great act Of unSelfish-
ness upon her part, the object OF which was
his happiness and good. He remembered
that she had put everything that was hers
into his keeping without reservation and
!, without stipulation that not once had she
: oppressed him with a sense of his own sell
|, fishness, unintellectuality, or general un-
| worthiness that she had made his family
) and friends her own, and had thought it nc
: sacrifice to break fellowship with her near
est kindred SO that she might have him.
He felt-for the first time, probably-that
/ her generosity toward him had been inf.
5 mite, and that the manner in which that
, generosity had expressed itself had been as
sweet and beautiful as the generosity itself
: FIe knew that not even had she forgotten
, the difference which separated their ages
f life, there had grown in him anything that
J was better than what had previously been
in him, of the womanly woman who lay
f before him at the point of death, and whom
r he had married for her money! Hour at:
f ter hour, long after the sun had gone down
these thoughts rushed through his brain
f finding expression in an articulate prayer
= but assuming an incoherent speech in sucl
: whispered words as: go God, spare her tt
| see how 1 will love hern
He insisted on being left alone with hel
I all through the night. There was little fol
l him to do. That little consisted in mOisten
r ing her lips and forehead, and giving her q
S teaspoonful of stimulant from time to time
! The doctor and the surgeon came at al
e early hour next morning, and while they
2 and the nurse were alone together in hi:
wife's room, from which they had excluded
: him, Arthur made up his mind that the
!. worst had come, and that she must die
\ He sat by the parlor window, gazing alb
;, stractedly out in the stre"' which had growr
= quite noisy with the usual sounds Of morn
: ing life. So intense was his abstraction tha
: he did not hear footsteps approaching hin