St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-01-01

lioet Jul tiiC at DOUil tIluS all
his life. 1t probably would not extend
far into the hidden future. If it should
what a loveless, childless, wifeless old
man he would be, cynical to the core
with no better demand than self upon
his love.
All, well! Man when badly wOuded is
not, after all, ..SOmuch unlike forsaken,
wounded rat, that creeps away to die
unseen by its kind. That would be his
fate, probably-a pleasant one, certainly.
AS if owing it grudge, he jerked out
his watch.
Eight! Mabel's party must be in full
blast by now, and-wOuld she be sorry
he was not
"Castles in the air." he muttered
s5cornfully, appropos of some by-gone
thought. Now for the solid facts and
Mrs. st. Vale. Now. if man wants
to be fool enough to fall in love, why
can't he be reasonable and fall into it
with some one suited to his years, some
one whom he might have a show of
getting. In other things l fancy am a
sensible man, but Well" he unused,
tying his cravat before the looking
glass and scOwling at his own reflection,
1T is not, suppose, so much the fault
of man as the fate of. mankind to
regret an Orient of youthful illusions
while he stands in the western shadows!
Damme! never could tie cravat de-
Gently, and this one" The scowl upon
his face became positively appalling.
Snatching up his coat Howard yanked
1t on with vengeance.
Then, with sigh, yet more like
grOan, he went out into the winter
night, leaped into his waiting vehicle
and dashed away down the gusty streets
as if determined to out-ride himself, to
escape from the dark, brOOding demon
of his own thought.
OutWardly cynic, Howard was at
heart philanthrOpiSt. Few of his
friends ever guessed how many homes
his money had frightened that Christmas
eve. If they had found it out, and COM
plimented him on charity, Howard
would probably have shrugged his
shoulders, and said his money might
better ''go to the dogs" than accumulate
for God alone knew who at his death.
In those "wee sma' hours ayant the
twal'' Howard returned hcme.
Strangely distracted the charming
widow had found her distinguished
guest all evening.
Not her beauty, her wit, her charm
ing acts nor yet the champagne her jew
eled hands poured, her ruby lips just
kissed, could WOO him to his usual brill
liant eloquence and gallantry. Her
genius. as she called him, even seemed
Indifferent to the sound beating he re-
ceived in rubber.
AS he now stood under the cold gas in
his own room, and over lately resur-
rected fire, how barren and bleak his
lot seemed. How pleasant would have
been wOman'S cOmpaniOnShip, pro-
vided, of course, she loved him.
Through his brain ran the words of
song he had heard sung by Mabel Hurst
while delivering her Christmas packet:
Nothing is half so well, 1 think,
As love. The hidden ell-water
Is not so delicate to drink.
Nothing is
'sFire! Fire! Fire.'
The cry and clang of bells commin-
gled.
Waking from his reverie, Howard
walked to the window, dashed it's curtain
aside and looked out.
Instantly from his face dropped its
dreamy expression. ''My God" he
whispered, as tongue of flame shot up
into the wintry. windy darkness. at is
Cliff street. Mab-GOd grant they are
safe. God grant it-God grant it."
In the interval which elapsed between
his locating and reaching that fire, How
ard was insane.
previous, was now flaming ruin when
he dashed up.
''Is everybody safe?" he cried, with
intent wildness. ''Mab-where is she?
quick! Bon camarade, where are yOu?''
From crowd of women huddled near
slight, thinly clad, white-faced figure
advanced to meet him.
isn't it AWFUL she whispered
hoarsely. so, Jack"
But, regardless of all observers, he
caught her in his strong arms. He held
her fast. He kissed her eyes, her hair,
her mouth. She was his world-she
was safe, safe! He could never be
quite unhappy again so long as she was
safe, secure. He mumbled wild, fond,
foolish words above that pretty gleam-
ing head upon his breast, and then
Like log he fell forward, holding her
still.
The physicians pronounced it brain
fever, and for weeks he lay at deaths
door, wildly raving in delirium, and ten
derby ntrsed in his own home by Mrs.
Hurst and her daughter.
The latter grew strangely pale
and wOmanly, listening to the wild
rawlings of the weak man she never
could remember as otherwise than
strong. before.
On his recovery, who shall describe
the change in Howard? Contrary to his
widest dreams, his life was at last to
be illumined with woman'S love-the
love of that tiny, fragile, hooking
creature in whom his every thought was
centered, around whom his great heart
uvr1nnpH on6 fyuicfn6 oh hn
wonder of it. To have her always with
him-his wife! To fear no other man,
younger and handSOmer-Or-
Yet the difference in their ages was
sharp thorn in his flesh, after all.
Would she not some time regret and Il
wish were not such gray old fogy,"
he said, looking down with anxious eyes
into her face, more Spirituelle from her
sick-room vigils. 'Oh, sweetheart, how
could you have loved me out of all the
world?"
She returned him a charming moue.
''DOn't flatter yourself too much, ma
chere. Titania once fancied donkey,
you know, and"-with soft, exquisite
donkey alive that night, Jack. when
you kissed me so before all those peo-
ple."
sWhat did care?" recklessly. 'What
were they to me when had found you
safe, darling? An old fool l was, da1-
ling, butt
IAN old fool is the worst fool" she
quoted. Then, very shyly placing her
face against his, ''lOve is a great equal
izer," she says. "a few years-and L
shall be old and gray as you are, Jack;
but we shall have each other, and II
shall not mind at all. AS for aging, 1
Think" with a shaky little laugh, 81
took great stride toward catching up
with you there in that awful time when
they-they said you might die, and l