Morris tribune., 1886-12-29

for at least two minutes, contemplat.
ed drawing large check, and telling
his wife he had been teasing her. But
he could not bring himself to- do it.
After awhile his wife looked into the
room with her old bonnet and shaw
on and said:
"Jonas, am going to spend the day
with my sister r.in-law, but ] shall be
home before dinner time"
81 hope you will enjoy yourself, my
DEAR" said Jonas.
He saw her eyes were heavy with
weaping and looked away ashamed
OF himself. Then he betook himself
to his Office where he ground out his
money and during the day compro'
missed with himself. He would do no
extravagant thing, but when he went
home he would give his wife what was
necessary. And after all, as he said
to himself it would have been better
to do it. He had grieved her, and she
was the only thing he loved on earth:
He went home earlier than usual
that evening, to make what amends
his soul would consent to, and as he
walked briskly along, being light upon
his feet yet-for who has ever heard
OF miser growing fat?-he thought
he would never again bring the tears
to those good, kind eyes. Never,
never again. and then-what was that
crowd? People were coming his way,
looking backward as they came. Men,
boys, women, all the rifraff that an
accident or an arrest will collect in the
city. And now he was in the midst
of the throng and close to four police
men, who, with set faces, marched
in time, bearing between them a
stretcher on which lay human
form. 1t was covered-covered with
a shawl. Jonas looked. Oh heavens!
he knew the pattern of that shawl;
only a few hours before it's dingy palm
leaves of yellow brown, its faded fringe
it's shabby brown center had been
spread out before him. 1t was his
wife's shawl!
"Stop-stop-stop!" he cried. "Let
me see her-let me see her."
"Do you know her?" asked g. police
man.
LET me see her face" said Jonas.
glow IlS 81 1dIlO UIItIU ~ hIIlOlN 1lIbLlJ
near by, supported him by the arm.
You would not know her face; a
telegraph pole fell on her; it is crushed
all out OF shape" said the policeman.
"But shawls are alike; keep up your
courage. | do not think this is any
relation of yours; she's too shabby.
See here, this is her bonnet, you don't
know that?"
The policeman held up q bonnet.
1t was crushed and soaked with blood;
but Jonas knew 1.-THE streaked rib
bon, and a flower among the other
flowers had lost its petals. He had
fingered it as it lay on the table beside
him.
eyes, know it," he cried, "she is
Sara; it S my wife!"
Then he pulled away the shawl from
the crushed face, and tainted outright.
Just as his senses left him he heard
some one say:
His wife? Why, 1 thought she was
a beggar."
And another answered: "Like
enough-they call him a miser. l
know him. His name is Jonas Pray"
They carried the poor woman to
Jonas Pray's old house, helping him
to follow, as he became himself. She
was laid upon her bed, and there was
a coroner's inquest and then women
prepared her body for burial, talking
among themselves of the shame it was
that she, a rich mans wife, should be
SO clad; and then their work finished;
they went away, that he might be
alone with her, if he would. But be-
fore the time camel he had a cab called
and went away in it. He was driven
to a large dry-goods store, where he
asked to see the manager. and was
shownto his Office.
HE has come to beg" thought the
manager; and "what can do for your"
was curt. But Jonas cared nothing
for anyone's manner now. He an
swered, sadly: ~ want to buy
a shawl"
ga salesman will attend to you,
sir" said the manager.
NO." said Jonas, II am too i'll, too
broken to talk to a salesman, l can
trust you. | want the costliest shawl
you have"
ga madman, Thought the manager,
"our costliest IS $5,OOO," said he re-
pressing smile.
"Have it put up for me-" said Jo-
mas.
"CertainIy mad" said the manager
to himself.
But Jonas had taken a check from
his pocket, and with trembling hands
was filling up the blanks.
The manager looked it over
"Jonas Pray" he said
more respectfully. Then it flash
ed upon him that he had read of
q fatal accident to this mans wife
that day. 1t was a strange proceeding,
Secretly he called others
to look at his customer. One knew
him; financially he was all right.
"And the rest is none of our busi-
ness" said the manager, as he saw
the bundle of splendor carried down
stairs after Jonas Pray. ''They spoke
Of him as a miser, in the paper. That
is q pretty purchase for q miser."
Meanwhile Jonas was driven home.
From the door foated long streamers
Of black Grape. No sweet face smiled
greeting. Carrying the shawl under
his arm he went up stairs to the dark
ened room, where under straight folds
of white, drapery, seemed to lay the
form of his wife. A watcher sat there;
he sent her away; and then, alone in
the room he knelt beside the bier.
"Sara," he said, "Sara, can you
near me? I loved you, Sara; but l was
such miser- such mlser; but Pve
bought you a shawl at last. Oh!
Sara, Sara! l paid as much as could
or it, my dear. You shall be wrapped
n it in your coffin"
At that instant voice cried: "Oh!
Jonas, Jonas, dear! Oh, my poor
Jonas!"
And turning he saw his wife, either
n the spirit or in the flesh, standing
behind him. His knees trembled un-
Ter him. But the figure came closer,
It was no ghost, but living woman,
and she took him in her arms.
"Oh, how i'll you look" she said.
Did you really love me SO? And this
S all my fault. l went to my.sister-
n-law's, and there in a fret-oh, l was