Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1883-12-12
ALMOST TO LATE,

ALMOST TO LATE.
Charles Archer stood at the door n
the one room high up in a noisy tene
ment house in New York, which h,
called home" 1t was not the wedde,
home he had dreamed of twelve wear
before, when he uttered the valedictor,
al Yale, and when Helen Gordon smil
ed at thi applause that greeted his an
pearance on the stage. Nor was that
crouching figure by the window, in tn,
untldy print dress, with the pretty. sui
len face and the uncombed golden hair
much like the graceful b. lie, whose
company he had been 50 proud. st
happy TO monopolize upon that colder
day.
Il am going now, Helen"
His wife looked up and caught the
expression of pitying regret upon his
dark and handsome face. Her heart
was full of angry rebellion against her
fate, against herself, against him-al.
most against God.
Why do you look at me like that ?''
she said peevishly. II know that the
room has not been swept, and that
have not made my toilet for the day.
Ny 10 lei:" she laughed bitterly "When
shall L make toilet again, wonder
L once set the fashion in New Haven
And, oh to think-only TO think what
my life might have been if l had been
wiSe.''
Her husbands face darkened all over.
81 understand ~ he exclaimed. "You
mean if you had married Paul Hayden
instead Of me !"
How can l help such thoughts !? /
saw his wife early yesterday mornin g
when L was out. She was driving to
the railway station on her way to their
country house for the summer. / heard
the footman say so TO some one when
he went to buy the tickets for her. And,
Oh what difference there was between
US two. No wonder she has kept her
beauty. No wonder 1 have lost mine.
Beauty and health. and youth and hap
plness, they are all goi-g away from
NE because We are so poor"
Better days may be coming, love, :"
said the husband, after a pause. Il
have heard of a good situation at this
time, you know. II get it, it will be
a stepping stone to other things Of
more consequence. And when L am
rich, you know well, my darling, that
| shall refuse you nothing"
You have thought so many times
that better days were close at hand.
And every time you have been disap-
pointed. and we have lived on the same
horrible life" was the discouraglng Te-
ply.
Il. know, my dearest but this is
really good news, trust and hope. Ii
YOU Will only kiss me and wish me
good luck, | have faith that It VIII
Gomez
He bent down, his dark eyes wistfully
searching hers for one glance OF love.
such as he had often seen there Id the
happy days of couTtship. But love, SO
far as she was concerned. he sometimes
feared, had flown out of the WINDOW OF
his home when poverty entered. Inc
heat, the dust, tie discordant street cries
without, the shabbF disordered room
within, the general sense OF heroWn uh-
tidiDess. and the CALLING memory OF the
freshly beautiful summer cos woTn
by the wife of Paul Hayden as she
lounged in her carriage the previous Gay
all these things coplbiHed to banish
the affectionate glance for when the
husbands heart so vainly bungereo, l,
and to make the wife's parting KISS 50
celd and formal that it fingered Ike ICE
upon the young mans lips IS he tufheo
away. =
d. He said nothing, but the deep slen
that seemed to come from the very
depths of a tried and overladen heai'
silently reproached her.
She caught last glimpse OF his race
as he closed the door. Ii wore loos
of repressed sorrow that would haunt
her to her dying day. What evil spur!
had tempted her to try him so /! was II
his fault that, by the failure OF cam
IN the great ''panic, tue savings y,
Years of steady toll had been loSt II "
moment ? Had he not labored laI.n.
fully ever since for her support rol
her ungratefnl sake had he not ever
stopped TO menial toll, when 10 oshe'
employment could be procured
And now she had sent him Irom ns'
uncheered 10y look or word OF ionu
ness. What if some accident Should
happen to the train by which he was =
travels What if he should never re
turn 2 For a moment she sat dunip
almost paralyzed by the shock Oh tna, n;,
idea. Then she sprang from her cnai ai
and rushed to the door. she woulu
call him back, and ask him to torgls'
that careless, cruel parting. She We.
too late. He was already in the street
A moment later she heard the snin
whistle of the train. He was gone.
The day passed on sadly eno9sn
Thought after thought came cro"ulDs
into her mind to unse:tle and repi.s'
her. They bore their fruit. IN los'
than an hour after Charles ArGn9l
departure his home wore a very aluon
enU aspect By nightfall the one III III
was trim and clean as willing naHu
could make it, Before the clean VIII
Cows q pair of snowy muslin CURTAIN
We're drawn. The stove shone nhI
mirror, and from its open front plisn
Welcome to the absent master na.nt,
out, flooding the very halls Win wal i'' .
and light.
And summer evening though IL Wa
Doth light and warmth were neeu.. ~,
AT sunset angry clouds rose III ,n rn
south, and the rain came Sharply 10" =
WITH an accompanying wind tnat nne,
little OF its own mind and veered snaap =
y round continually from south 70 60.
Amid the wailing wind and dropPln,
Tain Helen Archer worked steadny on