New-York tribune., 1885-08-16
THE MESSAGE.

slow-psced r,ooma boaas The faded mistress Of the
ycIngry had lam down to de; of ths
Tho doom and on the unlovcd. Ready to take her
negec!scu, c!sc,atent 10 clutch 1T the gauds the osmet %
giacS MA and to parade triumph wnicn 'H'"'1
have been nc, vonng woman of course. Spbter
eno charms than bright eyes. rosy ups aiways
arng in smile slender nv gre t fnsoinate a,o man
ei Iobn Hardens character-a man who hua ors in
O. Soh thc meanest ranks of life, spent ms years oht
nom si'o att,ng and Stunned rather tDan sousr.
money oneynsny in the true sense OF the word. 10
s nnt out of countenance by no one ~; nsu career.
,sadng maxim of the I,;;yoIas With ali the
whlis. " nnnlence. he remained the bidnt. piain-
gn,ter honely John Harden OF early aays. .fya0
Tss inst sixty, and the girl pnsea fonl,sh Soarng-
.s;.n of occurrences on some iVoi...' iTbo
ta,iohi ta.d G work could hardly he twenty. lhe
air sat opposite to each other Oy s' iatravng
Of their secret thoughts to chance caves,
noIn,er ars nj tho door, Yet despite such guarueu
speech quick observer h,ps' ,s arrs amsIcd cheek
nov or'Ina ewes, the mans look OF suppiiesseu suppl s
saaisacon told their own story sssd ne brongh
eenger hnJ house made way for aJoyous successor
thls n, nnder various guises, men can L9re e,+,
whom, un 80 fbe costly time-plece on inc Hantoi,
The hanu h,aS A. 70 twelve and the mere sign seemed
sneiI RV,n ihS or Mr. Harden rose to make up tlle
% % be dld so letting one hand ran o" n,or s ao
psnion 1T is ggeMne WI a,d ,d'i in Voice Of tender
concern %Ss pr allowing herself for moment 20 her ee
Ino away by impulse. leaned IorwaI"' noa
carried rsg awa5 cnris Just touched his scant gray
ysss her softly-rounGed cheek JUST came ~ r
tract with his own lined s ana at saes time p she
nSls"ared lie said nothing but kneellng Deiore
VI Xre making it up after methoolcai laonIi, III;
coDtrlyea q. hs, 1no to her not unwilling fingers
W Wa,s,eoh nov of crimson leather lined with Velvo..
W;,hin cleaned wedding-rlng, ana as o,, faoo
Enery gazed upon it turtlveiy, nei "''A
~I.u-ad evufation equal 10 neT OWL
"" this shallow GIRL the first gilmpse ot ,saIf &
weddngring meant i,;na Possessed nothing;
tSe ring would give her ali she set store uy, "I II
render her exactly what she wished 10 @
neid tbrov fine responsibility OF her own eA.s' ~
wouiu onotbers shoulders relieve her from tho
o5ious burden of bread winning. anora 80 vaoU, %
luxury social power and the knu VI o""s nd fo do
ordinary nature that by such women Is ae 20 omen @
Sntv for Affection Tho ring, in short was 10 opu
vide the portals of career after ner TO C" the man
wthope ~ r,g svmboiized the aspect of life most
sgreeable TO him. In one respect monty hins Va ar
had not rendered him caous. Ills r,an;st'b,e of
ta;, feminine type over renamed irreslstipio W
sSi eliness of spiritual or intellectnai beauty
r. was not at all likely that he should nave 'ns
,emotest conception; but no owned tno sway % VI
f"so,s orlbood the easy assurance OF young,
handsome reckless women. 10 suriace onhao hoae 20
look or manner, he was ever ready u on;ng uo Tor
Ssm SuS '' His first marriage had been chidiess INC
enormous wealth amassed so aboropsly iacKea an
herr Might not young wIie mako hiin LILO P
Ths ,;ny box consigned to its hidtng-place MI.
Harden fetched from the lobby eioso ny csrefnl7v
cSart ahe cir,s shoulders. He next went to the
si1eboard, and half-flling glass with wne. j9 H9
mt let yourself get chill or faint tnen no Saio
softly. standing over her, glass IN hano; A., .,..s
S5s inst slipped the wine and put back the glass
smiling gratefully. He returned 10 the % so
swallowed the remainder OF the wine' 'nen SA'
down in his old place by the nre.
Inst then the door was tapped lightly ana an
elderly, homely woman-servant mace her appear
Won ulease. sir, she said, without looking at
the GIRL. "mistress is herself again, and asks for
Such a simmons. unwelcome although 1t might
BE- was Imperative, With lingering LOOK AZ INC
vision OF life, youth and Jo!Iity iSit Den.hd ths
Harden followed his hu5neu oonooeue0S w VIZ
chamber of death
IA xas a strikingly Injurious room. hung Win
rich arras of crimson slkand carpets to match. In
which the feet sank noiselessy. On eacn sue h q,
candeabras supported by little Loves In tinted
porcelain. On the dressing-table glittered silver
fonned scent-bottes and a woman's small watch
sstP Win diamonds The FIRE had been allowed to
burn low and only one small lamp lit up the silent
room and its solitary occupant worn w whi'e-
haired woman whose life was nearing lts close.
IN was casy to see that, like her husband, Mrs.
Harden had not been born TO such luxury as thus;
her physogn2my as wei % as ba1Ss s S"n still Showed
evidence of laboIious toll The heavy Six curtains
ofwarm red and downy quilt covered with satin.
mistress Twenty years Of opulence had never
famillarized her with it. 10 the last, she looked
she felt s5s ssd m gen to the faithful
peasant woman who had grown old III her service
"Ieavc US alone" -
pened She nad remembered something, been re-
minded of something she wanted to say to him at
the last, and as will ofIeu happen IN the case OF
fhe diving a brief return of consciousness was
accompanied by a momentary recovery OF pnysicai
strengih--lasr, bright. evanescent nicKer Oh the
The servant withdrew, and Mrs Harden now
beckoned the shrinking, conscience-stricken man
to her bedside. -
him and the faithful partner OF well nigh forty
years From the beginning OF her illness, greatly
70 his relief she had ady4qsd amy TO fbc
past OF the future as they more immediately con-
cernod themselves He had taken care that every, every
physician had been summoned IN consnii alton;
ali the that decorum exacted under the cir
cumstauces had been testified by him: be was con-
stautly In the slck-roOm. But the solemn conf
dence, the final understanding tce supreme
yalediction that might be looked for from two
human beings who bad passed almost lifetime
together, had never been uttered.
Now il became clear TO him that they were not
TO he separated thus. The opportunity for last
word had come and she clutched at IT with almost
frenzed eargerDesS The expression on her race
he could not misread-she was determined to say
what she had 10 say She felt confident that death
would afford her this grace consent to hold aiool
aiittle while. go
"John." she began, gathering hre ana force with
eyery word all the pent-up indignation of years
poured forth at the last, "l have had something
to say to YOU for years past Now must speak, OF
'You ought not to agtate yourself Bessie" he
said neryously; IL will do you harm"
"Harmlp she reiterated with a gesture OF con.
tempt lyon speak of harm to n dying .woman
But do not interrupt me. My time is short"
"John, ! am not AFRAID TO die. have never
been whatis called q religious woman; | was
never tender-heartcd TO the poor and afflicted as
see now that ought TO have been. But have
done ny duty. As a wife. as a woman. have acted
uprlghtly. When the same moment comes TO you,
when the door stands Omen before You. as II does