News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1888-12-13


"Ah, yes, to be sure. Well, 1 know
designs are wanted for new hospital
somewhere near Manchester. The pre-
MUM is hundred pounds. Now
'tFor Gods sake, tell me, y interruptei
the other eagerly and hoarsely, ''do you
think have any chance ?"
"Well, said Lyle, 81 was going tC
have try. My father has an idea ]
ought to distinguish myself in that
line; but I'm an awful duf1er on plans
always was. So if you care to go in
for tit s goodish premium-it might
be worth your while. And, by the way,
Carol, don't sign your own name for 1
believe old Linton, your wife's uncle, is
to be one of the judges. He is still no
end down on you, and-it might make
difference. See? Sign it-oh, any
thing you like, and send it under cover
to me. You can trust me not to father
1t, he added, laughing. 'tI'll send you
all the particulars tomorrow, and let
you know whenever the things's decid-
ed"
"Lyle, [ cannot thank you sufficient
ly," said Carol unsteadily, though I
fear there is very little chance for me-"
''Pooh % replied the other in airy
tones, you've as good a chance as any
of the rest"
Carrcl declined his companions in
vitatlOn to accompany him, and with a
grasp of the hand the two men parted
Jim turned down a side street, and from
thence through the Embankment gar
dens to the river
Marjory met him with her usual
CHEEKY smile; but he fancied her sweet
face was paler and more worn looking
! thar h. Ill
naturally large and bright, seemed to
clapped her little hands joyfully when
he told her of Lyle's proposal and she
was so merry and hopeful all the evening
that Jim felt his spirits rise. She pre-
pared a nice little supper for him, too
and Jim did not notice, for wonder,
that one or two of their cherished books
had disappeared. Baby was very good
tonight she did not cry at all and the
| evening was the most cheerful they had
| passed for some time.
! In the evening of the following day
came letter from Lyle; and as soon as
1t was light the next morning Carol
began his task. He worked hard and
patiently, but he suffered terribly from
nervous headaches; he took even less
food than usual and the baby's con-
slant monotonous wall made him some |
times feel Ealf crazy.
At last the drawing was finished. Car |
rol signed it "Jsola, care of A. Lyle. !
Esq" as his friend had suggested |
MarjOry thought it beautiful, and had |
no doubt of its being successful; but |
Carol was not so sanguine. However, he !
sent it off at once; and Marjory already
began to calculate how long time
must elapse before its fate would BIZ de-
cided.
1t was weary waiting, though; and to
JIm-ay, and to Marjory too-the once
dreaded pawnshOp became sadly and
painfully familiar. Meanwhile their
baby was slowly but surely fading away
from them.
One afternoon Carol returned some /
what earlier than usual from the city,
whittier he had been in answer to some
Turing viii wisp advertisement {
-t was dull, wet day; and as he turned i
Up the marrow street which lea to his
,oIne, his heart snnlN with q curious. un- q
letined dread. They had been up with G
The baby all night, but she had seemed
better nnd brighter when Jim left in the
Marjory met him, as she always did, !
ut the door. At q glance his fears were
quickened.
''What is it2'' he said hastily. "The
she wo, Sc %
''Jim,'' she answered, looking up at
him with dry, grief stricken eyes, 'Jim
baby is dead l'' /.
He followed her silently to the room
where the tiny creature, with waxen fea-
lures so like his own, lay cold and still
and smiling
"When ?" he asked in q choked voice.
Just three hours ago, she replied
monotouously.
Carol stood looking down on all that
was, left to him of his baby daughter and
smoothed the short, fluffy hair with a
strange, wistful look in his dark, sunken
eyes.
''Poor little thing i" ne said, sadly and
brokenly. "God knows what she is
spared ~
There was silence, for Marjory could
not speak. The rain dripped on the
window sill outside; the wind shook the
easement and moaned in the chimney.
Then, with a quick, dry sob, Carol took
his wife in his arms and they mingled
their tears together.
So the autumn dragged on. At last
one dreadful day, when even Marjory
broke down and when Jim looked so
y
and fruitless quest for work that it al
most broke his wife sheart to see him
at last, privately, and with many pangs
of humbled pride, Mrs. Carol wrote her
uncle. She did not tell her husband,
for she knew that if she did nothing
would induce him to let the letter go.
The answer came soon enough; and it so
chanced that Carol met the postman at
the door and took the letter from him.
He gave to his wife, and waited while
she read it; then, seeing her face blanch,
took it from her trembling hands, and
with compressed lips glanced at the few
words it contained. 1t was short and to
the point:
DEAR MARJoRY-Ifyou like toleave your hus-
band, l viii take you back to your old home.
On other terms and in no other 1oGy will l
help you. You took your own way; and now
you may take the consequences.
JOSEPH LINTON.
1t is said much for Jim's utter heart
sickness that he did not even show any
displeasure at Marjory's having written.
He only said gently
''You should not have asked him,
dear /
But the passionate little Marjory tore
up the letter and threw it into the fire. /
place.
1t haunted Jim, though. If it were I
not for him, he thought wretchedly, his ]
Marjory would be cared for again as she
ought to be. He knew her too we'll 10
think she would leave him. No word j
had come of his drawing; he had almost |
given up hope; a deadly, horrible de- !
preston seemed to have taken possess :
ion of him. Every way seemed closed
to him-save one.
"Dear," he said one night with an eff
fort-they had been sitting silent for
long time in the dismantled little sitting
you not hke-to go
back-to Manchester ?"
"What, without you, Jim r. she cried, I
with incredulous amazement in her tired
little voice.
eyes," very steadily.
'Ah, Jim," tones of keen reproach,
"do you want me to go?"
"'My darling, You need not ask me
that" and Jim's voice shook slightly.
sBut-it would be better-for you"
'Ah, my DEAR" she said with an ut
tempt az her old sauciness, ''you need
not hint; you can't get rid OF me. Don't
think it %
Then she suddenly laid her curly head
on his knee and began to cry.
go, Jim,'' she sobbed, "d0nt send me
away How can you speak sol You
break my heart All, darling, you
could not do without me, could you Z"