The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-12-06

She sat for long time quite alone.
The faint rays of sunset faded, twilight
died out and the moon arose. The light
fell over her, and made her fair hair aud
skin, in her light dress. look more like
statute than living woman:
Suddenly voice cried in her ear;
why, Lottie is anything the natter"
Aud looking up, she saw her brother>n
law, Charles Handel, leaning over the
gate rs it the moonlight, or are you
really so pale?' he added And to her
eyes he looked very pale himself
She arose then, and stood with he !
hands folded loosely and helplessly TO |
gether in a quiet unusual way to her. i
Jim is not home yet, she said 1T is
as though" she began and stopped.
''Well?" said he.
Il can't tell you,' she said 'If he lay |
dead in that room there suppose should
feel just So
There's nothing the matter with Jim.
said his brother. II saw him a few hours |
ago. He had been to the bank and had
drawn the money for his land. He is
making day of it, that's all And if he
has net altered entirely he may come
home to you not quite sober. Jim used
to 60 on great many sprees in the old
times. never quite believed he had set
tied down as entirely as he seemed to
have done. Perhaps, though, it would
not be quite safe tonight with so much
money about him. I'll go and hunt him
mp"
Then Dr. Handel went away and Lottle
sat down again. The moon set; the night
grew dark; the rising wind moanel about
the house-still no well know step came
up the little path.
When the gray dawn broke she sat
upon the threshold still, and knew her
forcbodings had been true.
BY this time neighbors had learned
what had happened, and some came to
her Her hunband's horse had been
| found fastened in the woods, and there
were footsteps on the ground that seemed
to indicate a struggle. At the tavern
he had been seen drinking great deal,
and exhibiting his money. A rough>
looking stranger had been seen to fol-
low him, it was now remembered
No one deubsl that he had been muir :
dered in the woods hard by; but though
search was made, it was year before
someone telling trees at some distance
from the spot where James Handels horse
had been tied, found dead body covered
with leaves and quite unacceptable.
Popular opinion, however, decided that
it was all that remained of James Handel,
and as such it was buried
The ceremony over, all doubts as to
the poor mans death were at an end
LottIe wore her widows cap, and assumed
a widows rights over the property; and
years went by, and the boys grew tall,
and the girl wore her mothers smile, but
Charles Handel thought her less charm
inc. She never could be so sweet a wom-
an rs her mother was, he believed
The few penetrating women had been
right. He had never ceased to love Lot,
tie; he loved her still He knew also
what no one else knew-that her married
life had been disappointment. Jim had
cared for her great deal for while
But the end of his loving had come speed
lily, and hcnceforth she had been the wo-
man who cooked his dinners, washed his
dishes, and nursed his children, and little
more.
Now, as the years went by, Charles be.
gan to feel that hope he scarcely dared
to cherish at first was growing stronger
that Lottie cared something for him al
last She had been widow ten years
surely there was nothing wrong in his
7 telling her his heart at once.
= One evening he went out to the old
farm with q purpose in his heart. He
found Lottie alone. The boys and theil
sister had gone to singing school together
S She sat by the fireside, knitting, and hi
l drew his chair close to hers, and the sOf
light of fire and candle, the silence of TIN
country winter night, her beauty-fol
she was very fair too look upon still
D and, most of all, the kindly look she gave
him, made that easy to say which haC
seemed to be so difficult.
He told.her that he loved her, and haC
always loved her, and asked her to be hi
wife. And rather by looks than words
he learned that, however it had been il
: the past, her heart was his at last Thel
= he sat beside her. and his arm lay abOu
her waist, and her head dropped uOn hi
- shoulder.
The happiest part of my life lies be
y fore me, though am forty, he said. g
> believe | can make your future happ
:, also, " he said; and-as lac spoke there cam
II a tapping upon the window pane.
j THE children have come home, sal,
the mother" and with a tell tale blusl
" upon her cheek, arose and opened TIN
door
u But the children, as she called them
were not without. Instead of their Sigh
u figure she saw the form of man leanin
G against the door. She looked closer, an
: started back with shrek, for he walke
Il past her into the room and she saw tina
Il it was her husband, jim Handel. Ii
u was older, of course; his hair was lro
; gray, and his face was blosted. as
: drunkard's always is. He staggered
> little and his speech was thick, but sh
II knew him and so did his brother Charles
u at once.
h All he said was; well, here l ar
u again"
Then he spread himself upon tn
= lounge und went to sleep, as tipsy me
IT do.
re His wife and brother looked at him wit
blanched, terror stricken faces At las
y the woman turned toward the mai
C "Goodb bye, he said; "God help us both
IL And he kissed her hand and went.
Afterwards, when the boys and her gil
a came home, the mother told them th
is strange news that their father had return
II ed. A peep at the face on the lounge oil
&c not encourage them to hope much frol
!. his return.
l. The next morning Jim Handel wa
" dead. He never told of his adventure
: A year afterward there was quit
= wedding in the old farm house. TIL
lie patient physicians love at last met wit
n its reward
d 100 Doses One Dollar is true only
- g