The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1885-09-05

drenched messenger, "p'raps you'd
better open it and see. Anyway, I've
no call to hang around here no
longer ~
And off he went, while Mr.. Smith
carried his buff envelope back to the
parlor light and somewhat nervously
tore it open:
R GqwDEE ac Aag 1r Ta John Rs smith aaG
your child dangerously hurt. Come by
next train. JARED MEREDITH, NJ. D.
Again and again Mr.. Smiths be
wildered eyes roved over the contents
of this appalling missive before he
could fully comprehend its deadly
meaning.
Dead! Killed. he muttered to
himself. "My Jenny killed by rail
road accidentn'
And then, catching a railway guide
from the bookshelf, he whirled over
its leaves with trembling hand. The
next train did not leave the terminus
under an hour and a half! To him
the time seemed almost like eternity.
How could he endure this awful agony
of soul for an nOur and a half?
perhaps they are Incorrect" he
muttered to himself, wiping the beads
of cold sweat from his brow. "Peo-
pie can't always Judge exactly in such
a moment of dismay. Perhaps she is
only badly hurt, and | can nurse her
through it after all. Ny Jenny my
loving, patient, sweet-eyed wife,
4 strong sob rose up in his throat as
if it would strange him. mo, no,
she is killed." he gasped, as his eye
fell once more on the telegram. Dead
and | can never speak to her again, or
tell her what a cruel, exacting brute |
have been God knows didn't mean
it, and now it is too late to make any
amends. Why didn't the children 90
too? How can | bring them up with
out Jenny?"
His head dropped low in his culver
ing hands; low spasmodic groan
burst from his pale lips. An hour and
half before he could 60 to Jenny;
half an hour then, before hecOuld look
upon her dead face for Cowdrey was
an insignificant way station some
eight or ten miles up the road.
"If | could only live my life over
again. he cried aloud to the bare
walls, while tight in his arms he
clasped Jenny's little workbasket,
with It's strips of unfinished hemming
all that was left to him of the fair,
departed presence. "If | could only
speak to her lust once and ask for
giveness for a thousand things. But
not is too late-too late And"
He stopped abruptly. The sound
OF hack driven hastily up to the
door ha Oh Inr1- Of Tho hall
wire reused him once more into re-
luctant action.
John dear joint"
"Jenny, my wife,
He stood, pale and stupefed, staring
at her as if she were actually a ghost
returned from theregions OF space and
unhealthy.
"There has been a terrible railraad
accident " said Jenny, her voice falter-
ing, as she laid the baby down on a
sofa and took little Johnny lovingly
on her lap. "A few miles beyond Cow
drey three or four people were killed,
but, thank God, We escaped unhurt.
OF course, / took the first train back
that | could, for | knew that you
would hear of it and be uneasy. And
only think, dear, there was a poor
mother killed, with her little babe in
her arms, and her name was the same
as mine-'Mrs. John Smith. ;"
He pointed one trembling finger to
the telegram, which lay open on the
cable. Mrs. Smith read it with di-
lated eyes and pale face.
ooh! my love, what a fright you
have had she exclaimed. "And only
to reflect, it might have been mel"
But it is not. Oh thank heaven,
my own darling wife, it is not, gasped
the husband, holding his recovered
treasure close to his heart. ''And |
have yet time to live my life over
again +"
And from that hour John Smith was
a changed man. To Jenny it seemed
almost like millennium, but Mrs.
GeOrgiana Trotter turned up her
nose and said:
"John Smith must be in his dotage,
spending all his time and money in
carriages to the park, extra help and
fine clothes for that pale-faced wife OF
his. John Smith always was a fool"