Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1884-01-04
bestow upon her tho inesumablc privi
loyOs of NillnYhood.

|
1t was not 80 bluntly stated, OF
course. and was accompanied by many
why's and whcrctorcs intended to mod.
ify, TO some extent, what she consid-
cred the licndish conception and the in
delicate execution of the plot.
IL was of no consequence whatever
10 Hemingway that she desired his de-
mise; was oven figuring upon it al that
moment with pleasurablo anticipations
of timo when II would have cast
about her n mantle Of unimpeachable
dignity and permanent security from
so ,ial prosecutions. She was sitting
there, like section OF paradise, fitted
into that dingy chair, illuminating the
whole room and filling it with the cx-
quisite odor of heliotropo. To such n
presence n man may forgive much.
There was but one thought in his mind
after he was assured that IL was not an
Illusion which had come to torture him
with malicious contrast. "Her friends
would certainly object"
She assured him with strict vcracity
that it was her own affair entirely and
rested with themselves.
When IL all came out Annie was
shocked beyond anything. She had
always known that Meg" would do
something disgraceful, but she was not
prepared for this. To deliberately
propose to man and then coply sit
down with the eyes of the whole com
munity upon her and wait for him TO
dic-S was too much.
The doctor was secretly In sympathy
with what he called the Mutual Benefit
Association. and the result of all this
was an Immediate and quiet wedding,
ut which the groom did not wear the
arc ,ulation black.
Any unpleasant gossip that might
have followed the event was neatly
averted by u story industrously circulat-
cd by Tom AinSlee to the effect that
Hemingway was really an old lover of
"Meg's," and some mysterious hints
OF Il romantic story in the background
that he could tn,i II he felt disposed.
week later, when Ainslce came for
his usual afternoon visit to the invalid,
Meg called him aside and hesitatingly
inquired whether he thought it would
hurt the patient to be moved.
I'm m-m, no, don't think itwould
hurt him to be moved; in fact, ! am
sure it would not; but | would suggest
that you are in danger of defeating your
Own purpose. If you nurse him too well.
you know, he might recover, and that,
under the circumstances, would fall
little short of disaster"
"Don't be brutal, Tom,'.' she said.
This place is incifably dismal, and he
may aS well be comfortable for the little
time that is left"
She took cottage in the suburbs
near the river, with plenty of space
around it and windows that looked out
I ,Nt a
iar-blue rims of hills. 1t was June;
about the verandas and windows hung
n mass OF climbing roses that filled the
place with fragrance, and into the airy
front room, with its wide windows and
its distant glimpses of river and green
hills beyond, went the invald's bed.
All day long the fresh breeze from
the river, laden with the odor OF roses,
parted the ileecy drapery of the win
, dows and blew softly upon his face.
Everywhere reigned the delicious quiet
his tortured nerves had needed above
all things; the grateful absence of the
sound of wheels and. other urban noises
that had fretted his soul with their din
the only echo of these that reached
him now was the daily pilgrimage of
, Tom Ainslee's buggy. Near him, all
, day long, sat Meg" in her soft white
dress and her flowers with the soft light
on her brown hair, and a softer light in
, her great violet eyes; surroundings
, which certainly invited an interest in
, terrestrial things, and, as the weeks
, passed by, John Hemingway, n man of
honor and sensitive consc ,ence, began
, to be troubled with a misgiving-a mis-
giving that after all he was not going to
fulfil his part of the contract. He felt
, that for the first time in his life he was
o about to 20 squarcly back on an obli-
CATION. He had entered into deliber-
a ate contract to die within given time,
= and what amends could he make for
/ his ungenerous recovery? 1t would be
+ but poor return for her assiduous at
q ten ion and tender ministrations. She
| could not have been more swcetly care
, full OF his comfort if she had "loved witt
| a love that was more than love" in cc.
I turn for which he was about TO intlict
upon her permanent and unmitigat ID
I disappointment. In vain he aSsur I'd
I himself that had he ever dreamed of a
/ possible recovery he would never have
O allowed her to take such risk. This
D could not possibly alleviate her disa p.
e pontment nor excuse his rerfidy.
. He was thinking of these things one
4 day as he lay with his face turned in
ward looking at Meg, whose eyes had
i wandered from the book in her hand to
/ the hills beyond the river. She brought
e them back presently, and they rested
q for moment on the face among tho
4 pillows. The distiguring beard had
v been removed and the face was GER
n tainly better than when she had first
:, seen it. She supplied an imaginary
v roundness of contour and decided that
:: nothing but health was needed to make
d him very handsome man.
John, your face is certainly getting
It fuller; suppose, after all. You should
,. get well?"
d This sentence, inspired by tender
N interest. had somehow heartless ring
v when uttered.
q 1T would certainly be an unglatefu
o return for all your Kindness, but AN
afraid | am getting BETTER" he said
/. apologetically. "In fact, Tom init
> mated to-day that l might recover"
/ Meg also had misgivng. She hat
thought good deal about the posi-
q bility of his recovery, and wondered
F. whether it would make much difference
- to him. Whether John Hemingway
d restored to health and no longer in neeC
/. of nursing, might not wish himself I
l. single man again; whether there nigh
IS not be in all the lands he had traversct
some one he would have preferred t,
ir her if he could have had his choice anc
IT known that he was going to live, ant
there was nothing reassuring in his re
~ mark that he was "afraid he was get
~ - ting better"
. Don't you want to get well, JohnP'
u she asked sadly, trying to scan his fac
" in tho doannnino, tuyil;f,ht