The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1885-05-21

'Ehy?" asked Cuthbert
''She won't let me hug my mossero"
why not?' asked Cuthbert
81 don't know, said Albert Edw ard.
DO you love my nosser2'
''1es, said Cuthbert.
Then suddenly he started to his feet,
sick at heart.
The truth flashed upon him. He
knew why he was SO happy at that sim
pie home. He loved his friend's wife
The feeling had come to him. He had
had no thought it could be. lie had
done nothing man should not do.
He could no more help it than he could
have helped q sudden attack of illness,
or lightning stroke; but it was true
1t was true, he loved her; and this was
the first love of his life, and love at
nearly forty, a stronger. deeper. and,
as he felt. more enduring passion
than he could have harborcd in his
heart at one-and-twenty.
His friends wife, yirtuous matron,
sitting amongst her children, uncOn-
scious of his thoughts Well, at least
he was only pitiable wretch. He had
SAID nothing, done nothing, to show it.
moment, but had only thought life
sweeter than it had ever been before.
Oh, so much sweeteri
And now he would do the only thing
gentleman and man of honor could
do. = He would leave the dangerous
spot He would rise with the dawn,
and before he could see that sweet
woman again, would quit the house.
IT L l.. al
note that night, with q trembling hand,
and eyes that scarcely saw the paper:
Mrs. FIELDING.-DEAR MADAM-Sud-
me to leave at once. L cannot even wait to
thank you for your kind hospitality. Give
my love to my dear old friend, whom
hope to see sOOn.-YOurS truly,
BENJAMIN CUTHBERT."
This he enveloped, sealed, and gave
to Black Sam, scraping his fiddle in
the kitchen.
He did not sleep much that night.
Albert Edward cried territically with
Ion" cat-like squalls, and choking sobs,
and his light drew Il number of curious
winged things into his room that
buzzed about, and cracked the news
paper, and tickled in the surbasc, and
rustled in the curtains.
At daybreak, unrefrCShed and very
miserable, he took his portmanteau in
his hand and shut the door behind him.
'Good-bye, dear woman," he said
sadly. Goodbye forever"
He looked at certain window as he
spoke-it was quite the wrong room;
but that was not the only mistake he
had made-and then walked to the
station, accumulating alternate layers
of dust and mud on his boots, and,
breakfastless and forlorn, took the ear
liest morning train cityward.
He had been trying to forget his folly
for two good weeks, when one morning
somebody asked for him, and that
somebody proved to be no other than
his old friend, Richard Fielding.
Hands clasped and kind words passed,
and then Fielding cried in his own
hearty honest way.
''But why didn't you stay at my
house, Ben? L should have been Sc
glad. Catherine says it was too stupid.
My wife says the baby kept you awake.
It's frightful little squaller. Splen-
did child, though; weighs fourteen
pounds. Nurse Smith says you asked
after it so kindly when you met her on
the stairs, you thought it must be sick.
Quite unfortunate, your coming when
l was away, and my wife couldn't en-
tertain you"
Mrs. Fielding was most kind" said
Cuthbert.
''Oh, yes, Catherine would do her
best, but my wife is different, said Mr.
Fielding, spreading his hands abroad
My wife has aplOnb, and all that
the life of every company she is in
good talker. Now Catherine, nice do
mestic little woman, is very quiet-a
little serious and silent-eh?"
WHO is Catherine9" asked Cuthbert
with wildly beating heart.
Catherine was Mrs. Jefferson Field
ing. You remember poor Jetl ? She 5
his widow. She's lived with us for
years. The children adore her. You
know she says she never said anything
about the new baby; didn't like to. l
wonder why not? But Nurse Smith
says you must have known, for YOU
asked after it; and its shriek-no baby
| over four weeks shrieks like that. OF
course you know, Cuthbert.
Il don't know. I'm an old bachelor
l laid it all to Albert Edward" said
MIR. Cuthbert. Il made several mis-
takes in your family. couldn't think
why Nurse Smith carried SO many
trays OF provisions upstairs, and IL
thought your brothers widow wasyour
wife"
Poor little, sister-in-lawr said
Fielding. Eyes, yes, a nice body, but
not Amelia Jane. She is quite another
person"
Thank heaven" gasped Cuthbert.
Il see how it is" thought Fielding.
Catherine has been prim and dull, or
offended him somehow. Come down
with me. Amelia Jane is up now and
wants you to see baby" said Fielding.
| Cuthbert went.
All the way along he sang a song OF
rejoicing to himself. He had not fallen
in love with Fielding's wife; he had
nothing to be ashamed of. There was
no harm in adoring Jefferson's widow.
Standing at the railway-station one
day-..To think" said Mrs. Richard
Fielding, chow things come about.
Who would have dreamt that your
friend was coming here to marry Cath.
crime. Well, it's good match for
both. I'm delighted"
80 am l." said the husband. Then
they waved their kerchiefs to the de-
parting bride and bridegroom, and
/ went home together.