Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1888-01-12
TEARS TURNED TO SMILES.
BY JEFFIE FoRBUsH HANAFoRD.

Those little tiffs that sometimes cast a shade
On wedlock oft are love In masquerade.
"Once, and for all, Elsie. can not CO."
Royce Lonsdale put down his cup, not very
gently, and glanced at his wife, as he made
the above remark.
They were seated in their cozy little
breakfast-room, surrounded by all the COM
forts of charming and beautiful home.
Elsie returned his glance with decided
frown on her pretty face as she threw the
letter she had been reading down on the
table.
"It's really too provoking, Royce. You
%ond b6 6d$d $ & "a nY%hsEs ss One
instead Of six months. Violet writes they
expect to have a lovely time. Ned isn't
afraid to leave his business. Oh, want to
go so much am sure you could arrange
it II you were half a mind to-" Elsie
paused for breath, and waited eXpectantly
for a reply, but received none.
Royce evidently considered the subject
settled, and proceeded to finish his break
fast with unimpaired appetite.
Passing up his cup for second cup OF
coffee, he discovered his wifes eyes filled
with tears, and that she was eating little or
nothing.
"Do be reasonable, Elsie" Royce spoke
to take you if it were possible for me to
get away this week. But il really is-as /
said before-quite impossible"
After saying this Royce left the table
and put his arm affectionately around his
wife. But Elsie was in no mood for caress-
es, and snatching her hands away from him
she suddenly left the room, with that in
evitable slam of the door that is absolutely
S when aSg Spe ds-t is tsSE9ug6ly
she loved, was bound TO cry; so the next
ten minutes were spent in tears.
Royce, feeling very angry with every
thing in general, and his wife in particu-
lar, snatched up his hat and departed for
his Office.
After the lapse of half an hour, Elsie
felt thoroughly ashamed of herself, and
wished she had not let her temper get the
upper hand of her; that she had not said
so many unkind things to her husband. At
that instant the little French clock chimed
out o'clock, aud Elsie sprang to her feet,
hastily opened the door, and hurried toward
the breakfast-room.
Eight o'clock, and Royce invariably
left the house for the Office at quarter
of 8, and now because she had given way
to her temper, he would, of course, be late.
The door stood ajar. Elsie pushed it
open and glanced in expecting 10 see Royce
sitting there in a detected attitude. But
instead the room was empty. Gone! Elsie
could not realize it. Indeed, she would not
believe it. But careful search of the house
proved that he was really gone. And with
out kissing her good-by. The first time he
had failed to do so since their marriage.
What should she do? Elsie was unde-
cided.
The low French window opened on TO
a veranda that ran entirely around the
house, and as il stood invitingly open, she
obeyed a sudden impulse and went out.
AS she did so something white caught her
eye-a letter laying on the steps that led
down to the delightful little garden, where
the roses. pink, white, and crimson, sent up
their sweet fragrance.
Elsie picked it up, her thoughts too
busy with the events of the morning to
wonder why it was there or who could have
dropped it.
Turning it carelessly over in her hand,
her eye caught her husbands name. With
trembling hands she opened it out and
read the following:
"SEPT. 18th. 1887.
FRIEND RoYCE-Yours received, and
| gladly undertake your commission. l am
surprised at what you wrote. l will do my
best for you. / do not see the lady very
often. The whole affair is quite romantic.
| / can remember the time when every one
here expected you would marry her, and
| you surprised every one by doing nothing
| of the sort. She always appears sad of
late, and, now you have told me the reason,
pity her. IL she consents TO forget and
forgive, myself will take trip into Lon
don this week and see her safely to your
Office. Sincerely yours,
"KENT HALLETT."
Elsie read it through to the end. Her
heart seemed to stand still. She crushed
the paper in her tightly clenched hand, and
trembled with excitement. Who was this
| girl her husband was so interested in?
| This, then, was the reason he could not
leave his business. She understood it all
! now. What should she do2
Her heart ached as young hearts only
can ache.
Again she read the letter, stanoing
there on the broad veranda, the sunlight
falling on her slim, girlish figure in it's
pale-blue morning dress, glinting like sill
yer from her nut-brown hair, and falling
pityingly on the sweet, pale face bent over
that fatal letter.
She could never be happy again.
Onco moro she turned her attention TO
the letter and read ii through for the third
time. Then she quickly entered the house,
and. changing her pretty morning dress for
dark street suit, was soon walking rapidly
in the direction of her husbands Office.
Let MS now follow Royce. Before he had
reached his Office he felt sorry he had left
home without bidding Elsie good-by. He
blamed himself for all the trouble. II he
had only explained TO her why he could
not leave at this particular time, everything
would have been all right. But he wanted
TO wait until the whole affair was settled
before he told her. Never mind" he
said to himself; II will go home early TO
dinner and make IL all up"
| Then his attention was attracted by a
letter lying on his desk.
From Kentl" he exclaimed, as he
quickly read IL through.
Then, taking up his pen, he hastily wrote