The Penn's Grove record., 1884-12-20

lost Hugh's love utterly /; but did dis
cover it,. and l could not wonder at my
loss. Haggard, ugly, untidy, never
speaking, Y smiling, | seemed nalf
mad.
"You really ought to rouse yourself, -
Katie said, speaking with the cheerful
wisdom that would have fascinated a
third person. "You have lost your
baby, but you have your husband you
have not been bereaved as / have been. -
How | wished for strength to crush
herl
Leave me Alone" / growled.
"Leave you alone2 Certainly, dear;
it is what most people will soon long TO
do. But | think, for poor Hugh's sake,
you ought to strive not to be such a de-
pressing person."
Poor Hugh How dared she men,
ton him2
Indeed you should not foster these
humors," she said soothingly ; "you
seem anxious to kill yourself, to judge
by your own acts,"
"As if you cared-as if you would
not be glad | was dead 10
"And what benefit might | expect to
reap from your death?" she asked, with
the slightest possible elevation Of her
arched eyebrows.
What beneit2 Hugh |" l almost
shrieked. 81 suppose you think you
could marry Hugh"
My long ~self-control had at last given
way and | stood before her gasping and
painting.
perhaps / might do worse than
marry him. she said, with her slow,
aggravatlng smile.
'sBut you could not, you could not !"
l cried, triumphant ven In my misery.
THE Deceased Wife's Sister Bill has
not yet passed the House of Lords.
Your marriage would not be legal"
sit would in America"
"Ha I"
eyes, Hugh told me so."
ooh, Heaven I" | reeled backwards,
as though bereft of all vital power.
Hugh had talked to her of their posi-
BILE marriage if l were dead L had no
sensation but a crushed, stunned n
of inward agony, and in the midst of it
my SISTERS next words were vaguely
heard, but not comprehended-
she was not referring to me, you
goose 1t would be like you to go and
tell him a whole romance of your own"
/ had a dim knowledge that she was
saying something but her words con-
yeyed NJ meaning.
Hugh loved her--had told her evan
how she might be his wife If | were
dead. 1t was enough must die to
accommodate them. / had only strength
to think the one thought oye and over
81 must die" | got up calmly, and
went upstairs slowly, stony-faced,
leaden-hearted, but strong with my
purpose. l dressed myself for walking
more carefully than l had done for
weeks, and quietly went out. The
street door closed after me with a bang
the icy wind smote me sharply /; but
l did not feel it as l went swiftly
towards the railway-station to meet the
train by which Hugh was coming
home. There was u grim humor in the
idea that l should find death 80 near
him. l laughed noisily as l hurried on
through the we~ll-dressed crowdHit was
amusing. There would be a %scuffle, a
cry of "a woman killed !" a hush, and
Hugh would come with the rest olook,
and the mangled remains would be his
wife. Let him marry Katie then if he
liked. with that sight ever in his eyes
and tingling in every nerve of his body.
I hurried on-lights were flashing at
the station, porters were signaling to
each other; away in the distance was
the train, It's steam shining in the dark
ness, its red eyes glaring hungrlly,
while the engine emitted short sobs, as
if it knew and regretted the work be-
fore it.
l stood on the very edge of the plat
form and waited. The tram came on
Cuickly-the station was a long me-.
Leaning from one of the windows
was Hugh, with the lamplight on his
face. In one minute more he would
be wifeless. Oh, my lost loYel
"Stand back ~ a porter said grufiy,
catching hold of ny shawl. "You are
too near"
l certainly was too near. / threw
off the shawl with a frantic gesture,
and then with a cry that rang into the
night, chilling even my W blood, |
leapedl
Helen, Helen pa pair of arms
were round me-Hugh's arms-Hugh's
voice was calling to me.
"Let me goi" l shrieked. "You are
too late-you cannot save me nowP'
SIT is |, Helen-you are safe"
''Safel Let me die Oh, for Heav-
EMS sake let me die r.
"Merciful goodness, Helen, what is
the matterP 1t is I-awake, awake
You are dreaming, love-"
"0h, Hugh. where am LIZ"
"Here, in the drawing-roon, at home
with me. What has been the matter2"
81 chung to hlm-I held him as
though / should never let him go. 1t
was all a dream, but its horrors were
over me yet.
'How long you must have been sleep
ing here ! The fire is out. and you are
almost frozen; and | have been fancy
ing such a cosy room, and such q bright
faced wife, all the way from Manches-
ter"
l was not yet fully awake. 1 held
him close to me, while tears rained on
his wet sleeve.
ooh, Hugh, l have dreamt such hor-
rorsi | thought you had ceased to
love me, and were going to marry my
sister Katie"
What sister Katie 2"
'sKatie Bashforth. l thought that
the Captain was dead. and that she had
come to live with us, and"
81 think you are dreaming yet, little
woman You have no sister. You
were too good for there to be another
of the same"
mo sisterP Oh, Hugh, she vas too
real 1 cannot have invented her in a
dream. Why, l see her yeti"
"Well unless she was born to-day
you have none; and a sister a few hours
old is not likely to be formidable, even
if she we're possible In your case"
"What O'Clock is it now ~
'Nine.n
"Then I have slept more than two
hours; but in that time 1 have lived
years upon years of agony. l thought
that baby was dead, and that you did
not love me; and ! was trying 70 kill
myself when you awoke me-"