Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1883-03-22

boldness which love alone can give.
She was almost afraid of that un-
gracious man, and she was jealous
Of Becky, much loved, happy Becky.
At the end Of six months Of such a
life the doctor noticed that Della
looked pale and thin. "You need a
little more fresh air." he prescribed,
"and shall take you out as often
as I can" Not without some in
ward fear, but attired in her very
best, Della sat in the buggy by the
side of her lord. 1t was balmy
spring afternoon, nature looked so
fresh, so bright, so happy, that a
little of this happiness breathed
itself into Delia's sad heart The
doctor must also have been touched
by these benign influences, for never
before had he been so kind, SO at
tentive to her, SO talkative. She
smiled several times; twice she ahso-
lutely laughed. She sat little
nearer to him, her cheeks bloomed
and she was beginning to feel quite
comfortable, when, as luck would
have it, they happened to ride past Il
very small cottage. so very small
that Della said, "Oh, look, l wonder
how people live in such a tiny bit
of house"
The doctors brow grew dark. "In
such a house as this" he said in his
most impressive manner, "in just
such a house as this my wife and i
lived in the greatest happiness when
we were first married"
Had Della been suddenly shifted
from India's coral strand to Green
lands icy mountains the shock could
hardly have been greater. "IIis
wife," she thought, "then if she IS
his wife, what an I?' Peculiar
reasoning, perhaps, but Della knew
very we'll what she meant. All
that evening she sat silently sewing
and answering the doctors remarks
with a primness of dignity that sur
prised him. But he asked no queS-
tions and took refuge in thoughts of
the old days when Becky sat in that
same chair, sewing too, but with
such bright, loving looks, such an
interesting way of saying things.
And now, what difference! What,
in truth, was this woman to him? !?
Not a wife, not even companion,
only housekeeper. And he gazed
at her refectively. 1t so happened
that Della, who had been making
desperate efforts to overcome her
sulky mood, looked up at that mo-
ment and caught the full meaning
of the doctors eyes. Had he slapped
her face she could not have felt it
more, but she gave no sign. With
white fingers that trembled little
she folded her work and said, Il am
tired, l will go to my room."
Della did not sleep much that
night. 81 must leave him." she de
cided at last. Il will not live with
him unless I am really his wife. l
cannot" Leave him; but how? She
would not go back to her mothers
house where questions would be
asked which she was determined not
to answer; and besides it was too
near. Where could she go? A few
hours afterwards that question was
answered. She received letter post
marked "Denver, Colorado" it came
from "dear cousin Mamie" and as
she read her letter Delia's face
frightened; cit is just what want
ed" she said to herself.
One evening, when the doctor
came home, Bridget met him at the
door and said. "Missus has gone, sir;
she had to go kind of sudden, but
she said she would write and tell
you" "All right" answered the
doctor. "Gone to her mother's," he
explained to himself. 81 suppose
there is some sort of fandango
going on there" He made himself
very comfortable. 1t was a cool
evening, and he smoked his cigar,
and put his feet on the stove, with
mo one nigh to hinder" But what
the doctor really liked was to be
hindered; he enjoyed watching the
mild shadow of dlsapproval stealing
over Delias face; if she had frankly
and briskly expressed her opinion,
then taken it back prettily, he might
have fallen in love with her; but
Della always relapsed into meekness,
and all was lost. AS the days
passed the doctor began to miss his
housekeeper. "Why does she not
write? Cold-blooded creature!"
The cold-blooded creature wrote.
Her letter was dated from Denver. 1t
said: