Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1885-03-06

Nearly an hour passed before he
lifted the latch of his garden gate
again.
CHANGING up at Lizzie's bedroom
window he saw that 1t was dark.
"Poor childl / hope she is sound
asleep by this time" he said aloud, as
he halted on the porch Olight his last
cigar.
mo i am not asleep" said a voice
ont Of the darkness, SO close to him
that it caused him to start.
"Iizzie, my darling, is this you2
Why are you not in bed, my dear?'
Il could not go.
"But your head will be worse for
sitting up Ike this. / ana sure you
must have suffered ag0nies all through
this evening, my love. When | saw
you turn so pale ut the tea table !
could have gone and Knocked my own
head against the wall.
But why ?" asked Lizzie, surprised
at his tone.
"For being such a stupid brute rs to
bring home company without know
lag whether you were i'll OF well, " was
the reply. but you see, my darling,
mct her unexpectedly on the boat,
and what could do2 To tell the
plain truth, my dear, she invited her
self here to tea, but of course | couidnt
explain to you al the bedroom: door,
while she was standing ia the hail be
low. And all through the evening |
was looking and longing for the
whistle of that city train. | knew
you must be suffering fortunes, you
were so pale and still, and entertain
ed her, in your place, to the best of
my ability; but, by George it was
hard work Poor Mildred, she used to
be nice, pretty, simple, hearted, IN
nocent little girl, and loved her as a
sister in our young days. But now,
between her Partisan dress and Paris
ian affections, her paint and powder,
and patches and false hair, she does
not seem like the same person TO me at
all. In fact little wife, you are the
best company can have III this world,
and l sometimes think | doR't care if
Inevcr have any other till / die. How
is the poor little head now2 Lean it
on my shoulder-So."
lips fNndly upon her forehead.
81 am SO thankful, dear, thai you
are just what you arem lie went on.
This hiding the advance of years is a
false and terrible thing TO me. Poor
Mildred she was gray many ear
ago, and yet she fancles that she can
cheat every one into believing her
young again by the arts of her toilet"
"Paint-powder-false hairl' muir
INJURED Lizzie, wonderingly. "Walter,
are you sure2'
Why, where were you eyes that
you could not see them9" said he,
laughing. But l forgot that you
have not known Mildred from her
earliest years, as have. To me the
change is plain enough. Thank
Heavenl you will never degrade your.
self, my dear"
"Then-you don't object to-you
don't dislike gray hair, Walter2" ask
ed Lizzie, anxiously.
What question! Wait till your
hair turns white, my love, and you
will see that 1t is as dear TO me as
VIXEN 1t is as black as now.
But, oh, it is white already said
poor Lizzie, almost Historically. And
she was SO beautiful and graceful and
accomplished - so perfectly dressed,
too-aud she sang so beautiful. and
you listened, Walter, and you talked
TO her, and / was only poor, pale,
silent creature, and, oh, dear, only
look at this"
She lifted the dark tresses aside,
showed MIN the gray locks upon her
temples, and burst into tears. 1t was
just one of those utterly absurd,
hySterical, nonsensical outbreaks that
woman now and then must give
way to or die, and that man can
never check in a better or moro kindly
way than Walter Hazledeau did, by a
silent embrace and kiss.
Gradually the wife grew calm.
Laying there upon his faithful heart,
and listening to his whispered words,
she said how unwarranted all her
Jealous suspicion and suffering had
been.
"Yoa will be wiser another time,
my love, said her husband, as they
turned TO enter the house together.
But in ease yoH should ever, through
illness. or from any other reason,
distrust me again, let me have a tails
man TO carry with me that will recall
to you all that we have talked about
tonight"
Lifting the dark tresses aside, he
took small penknife from his pocket
and severed whitened lock.
There, Lizzie, love, I'll wear that