The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1884-01-05
HER BIRTHDAY.

pretty little wife.
Must you really 60, Dick2s i'm
ploringly.
Must I really go?v he repeated.
"What dreadfully solemn facel Yes,
you ridiculous darling, I really must
Why?" persistently.
"Oh, because Of an AN engagement I
ri cannot break, dearl" a trife guilt
lily. "Good gracious what an inquisi-
tive little mortal it is, to be surei
Don't trouble your pretty head with
business engagements; and once more,
my pet, good-by. And-oh I say,
Dolly" turning back and putting
furry head inside the door, eif you are
in search Of job, just wish you'd
mend my other overcoat. I noticed q
big tear in it for the first time tonight.
Will you?"
And to his rather disconnected speech
Mrs. Dick nodded, and smiled bright
acquiescence.
The door slammed behind Dick, and
she glanced round the cosy, home-like
room.
If Dick had not been obliged to go
out and such cold night, too"
The gas burned brightly
The CHEEKY fire in the CRATE was abed
of golden Goals.
The French clock on the mantel
ticked musically.
Towards the crimson covered table,
on which lay pile of unopened maga-
zines, looked two wistful blue eyes.
But the bride of six months shook
her dainty, bronze-brown head with
resolute determination.
The rosy lips repeated the hack
neyed formula duty first, pleasure
after"
So, accordingly, the little white
hands laboriously lugged and hauled
Dicks big overcoat into the room,
turned it over, and commenced their
wifely occupation.
She smiled softly to herself, for her
thoughts were pleasant ones as she sat
and sewed.
A rarely pretty picture in the par
loris fre-lit glow, the childish figure in
the soft dark dress and snowy muslin
apron, the busy hands flying briskly
through their task.
Tomorrow will be my birthday, and
Dick has forgotten it, / know How
L
morrow"
And as it broke merrily into "Coming
Thro' the Rye" the French clock on
the low marble mantel struck 10.
Her task finished, she turned the
coat over to see if it needed other re-
pairs, and as she did so small square
sheet of creamy paper futtered from
an inside pocket and fell upon the car
pet.
She bent forward aud picked it up
with q laugh.
Which of Dicks friends is suffi-
ciently foppish to perfume his love let
ters, I wonder?"
Then she turned it right side up and
looked at it?
And she saw-what?
Nothing very alarming.
Only thick sheet of embossed paper,
stamped with a monogram, in blue and
gold, incomprehensible as monograms
usually are.
Awoman's letter, decidedly, written
in pretty, serawling, irregular hand,
Enthusiastically woman's.
The bird-like song died on Dolly Ev-
erett's lips.
The soft, bright color faded slowly
out of her face.
The blue eyes grew wide and startled
as deliberately, though almost inyolun-
tarily, she read the few words on the
page before her.
The note ran:
DEAR DARLING-I have missed you
dreadfully of late. Come. Exercise dplo-
macy tonight and slip away. I hate her for
keeping you from me. Besides, Gerster is in
town. Is the hint too broada Inspite of all,
Dick, ever your ESTHER
That was all.
But it was enough.
For few moments Dolly's eyes,
blazing, terrified, stared straight at the
fatal sheet, as though they would shrivel
it up with their blue fire.
Then she flung it shudderingly from
her, as though it were q yenomous
thing, and could sting her.
Who was the woman who dared write
IN that manner to Dick-her Dick p
yes, she told herself, with an air of de-
fant proprietorship, hers only.
She crushed her hands tightly to-
gether, till the diamond next the plain
gold circlet cut the white flesh cruelty.
Then, as horrible suspicion leaped
to life in her brain, with slow moan
she slipped from the chair and crouched,
shlvering, against the great shaggy
oyercoat.
Her fears took shape.
What if he had gone to meet this
woman?
For the first time he had evaded
answering her questions.
And how guilty and hurried he had
seemed SO horribly happy and light
hearted, too.
i A thousand words and glances, be-
fore almost unnoticed, now flashed upon
her.
She snatched up the note again and
looked at it.
It was dated the evening of that day.
"Oh, Dick Dickl7 she cried wildly,
how could you, how could you? And
loved you SOP
Then with sudden burst of sobs she
broke down altogether, and, burying
her face in the crtlmpled overcoat, wept
and wept as if her. very heart would
break, the graceful little figure was
shaken and convulsed.
The fire burned Low in the. CRATE un-
der coating of gray ashes.
Now she did not pause to listen to
the music.
Footsteps came along the sidewalk,
up the steps.
A latch key turned cautiously in the
door.
She neither heard nor stirred.