The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1886-02-05

| prevail upon Iue ~ ucScTt Hcfs foh
spoke my mind freely to you. Had | act
ed basely by her, you would have been
lenient to me. acted honorable, and
you discarded me for the act. She died
in my arms, having enjoyed brief
spell of happiness, the memory of which
brightens even this cold and bitter
night did her no wrong; I am thank
full for it! Life is short, and to all men
comes day when there is no to-mor-
row. 1t is coming fast to me, and it
comforts me to think that did not COM
nit the sin to which you would have
urged me, and for which you would but
too readily have pardOned me"
| He paused exhausted, and Mr.. Ever
sole pointed sternly to the door.
| go"
Mr. Richard paused moment before
the colored photograph of monument
placed over his wife's grave.
''Men O. your stamp" said the young
man, with scornful smile, "torture
their women while they live, and by
way of advertisement to themselves
raise monuments over them when they
are dead. They even shed tears, so
that the world may see and applaud.
Miserable impostors.
White with passion, Mr.. Evers"le
started from his chair and said: "Will
you go; or. shall 1 have you turned
from the house?"
Restrain yourself, said Mr.. Richard.
Sudden excitement may be fatal to me
aud inconvenient to you. Should any
thing happen, spare me that!'
| He pointed to the pictured monu-
left the room and the house.
His road lay through Regents Park,
the trees in which were quantity bsauti-
full with their pure white fringes of
snow, which was still falling lightly.
! Memories came to him as he walked
slowly on, budding himself close in the
! vain attempt to keep out the cold
memories of merry youthful frolics in
this very park, when falling snow was
to him an exquisite delight.
"From then 20 now, he muttered ''a
slow and sure descending. 1t was on
the Alpine ranges 1 plucked flowers
from ice-bound clefts, and now l am in
the valley of the shadow. But STILL"
he said. bri Tightening up, "the air is sweet,
| and SO may be the hour"
He felt in his one sound pocket, and
| took therefrom all the money he had in
the world-ten shillings and few cop
pers. which he had obtained shortly be-
fore his visit to MIR. Eversole by selling
the last of his possessions-the wedding
ring of his dead wife and a few favorite
books TO which he had chung with al
most human love through all his
troubles. These ten shillings spent,
certain destituticn was his portion.
On his way towards one of IL, mar
row streets which branch southwark
from Whitechapel he had noticed how
| gradually the snow which lay on the
paths had changed its aspect, till from
| lovely white it had become Il sullen
| gray. But in his heart he felt more at
home in these narrow thoroughfares;
there was in his nature some spiritual
kinship with the poorer life which here
abided, and which, despite the sordid
surroundings, was sweetened by hu-
man affection and chastened by human
sorrow. His step grew lighter, his eyes
brighter. ''The stars shine every
where" he thought, ION rich and poor
alike" And then he cried aloud:
what, Polly!'
A girl about fourteen, but looking
much younger. as poor as himself, the
sister of his dead wife.
| PRECIOUS cold, amt it, Dick?" she
said.
! precious things are generally scarce,
Polly" he said, ''and as for cold. we
have plenty of it."
81 like the snow." said Polly. '.If
only it didn't get into your boots"
| Polly" he said, touching her eyes
with his fingers, you've been crying"
"Oh. You don't know, Dick" she
said. her large eyes growing larger.
.'Poor Mrs. Pink died in the hospital
this morning"
Poor creature! It's happy release.
She had more than her share of suffer-
ing. And the children"
His hand sought the wall. He had
lost his breath, and he was compelled
to cling to something for support.
you're awful bad, said Polly, pres
emily. That's just how Mrs. Pink
went on. A church-yard cough, Dick"
Il fear SO. Polly
you'll be better when summer
comes
EYES," he said, with bright smile;
81 shall be better when summer comes.
I think it will come sOon."
Il hope so, Dick
"Thank you. Polly. But Mrs. Pink's
children-tell me of them
They're in dreadful way. They
amt got friend in the world now.
And Dick, do you know don't believe
they We had anything to eat the live
long day. Why, here they are!''
There they were indeed. at Mr.. Rich
ards knees. He looked down and saw
two mites, pallid. hungry, ragged. their
lips quivering from yearning desire,
their eyes filled with bewildering de-
spair. He stopped, and placing his
hand beneath their chins, raised their
faces to the light.
$50 poor mothers dead?" he said.
They nodded vacantly. There minds
were blank. They had something far
more pressing than death to trouble
them their stomachs.
''And you're all alone. little ones?'
They nodded again as vacantly as be-
fore. Bitterly cold as was the night
they were obvious of it. They did not
! feel the snow falling upon their white
upturned faces. The ish, within their
little bodies was SO absorbing that. like
Aaron's rod, it swallowed up all minor
evils. The loss of mother-a good
mother so far as health and means per-
mitted-the grave which lay open in
their young lives, their being orphaned.
the desolate future that stretched before
them-all was nothing to them. 1t was
the present which Oppressed them, the