Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1886-04-29

ing horror, the condding trust TO shrink
ling fear. Little by--little the poor girl
roused TO the fact that her husband despised
the very gentleness he had so often praised,
and that the charm of fu,, Arse was the
one that had attracted him to his wife.
Probably father or guardian would have
protected Alices fortune after marriage,
but il was in her own control, her mother
being her only guardian. And Henry
Parker spent ii freely; Mt first'in profuse
style of living, in luxuries his wife could
share, but later in gambling and low vice,
travelling the downward path with fearful
rapidity,
Six years after his marriage he deserted
his wife, who returned TO her Mother and a
year later the newspapers gave her the ac-
count of his death in continental gambling
| room, where he was shot in n scuiile.
II was after year Of widowhood that
| Alice Parker came once more TO Claymont,
her sweet face pale and sad, and her blue
eyes often dreamily moumful. She was
but little changed, though older and graver
than in her girlhood.
The long bright summer passed happily,
and in September Alice was to return to her
mother to prepare for a quiet wedding.
My brother was to be the happy man at
last.
1t was the evening before she was to
leave us that Miss Arnold invited Mark and
myself to tea, We were all in the sitting
room early in the evening, when gentle
man asked for Mrs. Parker, and Alice
turned very white as she introduced Mr..
George Parker.
"My husbands brother" she said, aside
TO me. "He was always very kind to me-"
For few moments after his introduction
Mr.. Parker sat in embarrassed silence.
Then he said, very suddenly, II do not
know whether my news will be good news
or bad news to you, Allie. come 10 tell
you, as soon as possible after hearing it
myself, that Harry is not dead"
Alice did not faint or scream. White as
death, she said, steadily, "Why did he con-
ceal it from me"
"He did not Intentionally. He was left
for dead, and afterward taken to hospital,
but as he got better in other ways, the doc
tors found his brain was weakened. He
was sent to an insane asylum, and it was
only two weeks ago that he recovered his
sanity enough to send for me. / went to
him at once, and brought him to my house.
lie is strong ana we'll, and oslss for you 10
60 to him"
"Yes; / shall go to mothers tomorrow"
Alice said. "Will you bring him to me?"
Inere seemed no question OF ner duty III
her pure heart, but the hopeless misery of
her fair face was heart breaking to witness.
Mr.. Parker left in time for an early return
train to Londen, and Miss Arnold took me
to her own room TO look at some lace.
"Let them be alone, she said to me. at
is for the last time. / know Alice. Under
that shrinking, gentle manner there is a
strong martyr spirit, and she will do her
duty at any cost. Oh, the poor child! the
poor child
And we broke into bitter weeping to-
gether, for as deeply as she grieved for
Alice did grieve for my brother
did not see Alice again. Mark met me
in the hall, and saying to Miss Arnold, go
in to her-comfort her if you can," he drew
my hand through his arm and led me out
of the house.
That was just one week ago. To-day we
read in the local paper this paragraph:
"Mrs. Henry Parker, residing at 232 -
street, S. W., was found dead in her room
from the effects of an overdose of chloral.
The dose was probably taken accidentally,
as Mrs. Parker had been suffering from
insomnia, and using chloral TO produce
Sleep"
Mark is locked in his room, and even /
dare not intrude upon him, or ask the ques-
ton that haunts me. Was the overdose
taken by accident, or in a moment of utter
despair?