St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-07-15

at has touched there, but is prevalent in
adjacent cities"
A chalky little face, with its eager starry
eyes, is lifted to his.
He puzzles little at this and then to
himself:
''Ah, l thought as much! DR.. Halstead
is establishing his practice somewhere in the
vicinity of Paris
Harry Gordon loves Clara Jaffer Blu
what does he do tonight? Take her in hist
arms and tell her not to fear. as he longed
to do at this moment? Tell her that Edgar
Halstead shall spare himself for her sake
that he can bring him home at once, and
will!
No; he takes no farewell beyond his usual
one, but he goes home and pens the follow
ing lines:
Come back Don't throw away your
life seeking practice among those Southern
towns at present. You are needed here.
You are needed by Clara Jaffer. Her eyes
told me so tonight when | said your city
was affected by the plague. She loves you
not me- You are egregiously mistaken, old
fellow"
And what does Clara? She goes to her
bed to toss about, with wide staring eyes,
till dawn.
''You are pale. this morning." remarks
her mother during breakfast.
Her noisy young brother comes in before
she can reply.
''What dye think? Hal GOrdon's got a
telegram sayin' DR.. Halstead's down with
the cholera-Oh. mother, lOokl What's the
matter with Clara" as his sister falls for
ward, white and unconscious.
Harry Gordon comes that night and tries
to tell her the rest. There is no need; she
knows in the first glance at his friends face
that he is dead.
Later on, he says:
Before he went he told me to be your
friend. He mistoOf something you said /
now think, and must have heard some fool
ish talk coupling our names together. OH
and his face whitens in sympathy as he
speaks holding her little limp fingers be-
tween his own. 'Letme help you if L can.
L am SO sorry"
Now, for the first time, she weeps-weeps
and means for that heart that has been eS-
tranged by her own fatal, foolish coquetryl
Weeps for the dear manly life gone out
gone out so grandly willie saving other lives,
Weeps-oh, how she weeps for her lost,
lost love!
Octobers red sunset streams its glory
through the gaudy foliage, and Clara, pale,
y.
Can this creature be the radiant, bloom
ing Clara of last spring?
That patient, tender, faithful friend-his
friend-the friend he bequeathed to her,
steps up to her side, and light stirs ia her
eyes, or is it indeed the fleclling shadows of
the leaves that blink against the sunlight
overhead? No; she smiles pleasantly ana
gratefully at his approach-even a faint
dawn fits over her cheek as she SAYS:
''You always seem to know my weary
moods and come and comfort me. 1t is so
good of you"
do you really find comfort in my COM
ing or do you only say so?"
The surprised look in her eyes gradually
merges into Quiet warmth, a tender. af-
fectlonate warmth-aS she meets his steady,
patient gaze.
''You bring me comfort now, and always
have, since"
''And always will?" his eyes still ask.
But her eyes turn off now, and look to the
south. When they come back his look
strong and hopeful; they say:
Il can wait, my darling. for years-for
my life: for l love you, and respect the love
OF your heart"
Harry Gordon did wait-waited until the
old love had linked itself with the new-a
love as tender if not as tumultuous as the
first.
When sometimes, as years pass Oh. that
sad look comes and fingers in Clara'S eyes
Harry knows that his wife's thoughts are
with the dead. But it disturbS not the peace
between them. With all that she has given
him, can he not spare that tribute to his lost
friend?