Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1888-12-20

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.
A few more DAYS passed and the baby was
buried. Even that was a struggle to the
poverty-stricken father and mother. 1t
was wonderful how they missed the tiny
thing-theirs for so short a time-her funny,
winning baby ways, and even her fretful,
peevish cries. To Mariory, during the long
hours when her husband was absent, the
house seemed horribly, unnaturally still
and desolate.
The weather was wet and chilly, and Jim
caught cold which ended in a sharp at
tack of bronchitis and left him more spirit
less and haggard looking than ever. So the
autumn dragged on.
At last-one dreadful day when even
Marjory broke down, and when Jim looked
so weak and i'll as he set off on his weary
and fruitless quest for work that it almost
broke his wife's heart to see him-at last,
! privately, and with many pangs of humbled
pride, Mrs. Carol wrote to 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
the postman at the door and took the letter
| from him. He gave it 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: If you like to leave your
husband 1 will take you back to your old home.
| On no other terms. and in no other way will
| help you. You took your own way and now
you may take the consequences.
JOSEPH LINTON"
1t said much for Jim's utter heart-sick-
ness that he did not even show any dis
pleasure at Marjory's having written. He
only said gently:
You should not have asked him, dear"
But passionate little Marjory tore up the
letter and threw it into the fireplace.
1t haunted Jim, though. If it were not
for him, he thought, wretchedly, his Mar
| jory would be cared for again as she ought
to be. He knew her too well to think she
would leave him. No word had come of his
drawing; he had almost given up hope; a
deadly, horrible depression seemed to have
taken possession of him. Every way seemed
| closed to him-Save one
Dear" he said one night with an effort
they had been sitting silent for long
time in the dismantled little sitting room
would you not ike-to go back-to Man.
chester!"
What, without you, Jimr she cried,
with incredulous amazement in her tired
! little voice.
YES" very steadily
"Ah, Jim," in tones of keen reproach, edo
you want me to go!'
"My darling, you need not ask me that, "
and Jim's voice shook slightly. "But-it
would be better-for you.''
"Ah, my dear" she said, with an attempt
at her old sauciness, you need not hint:
you can't get rid of me. Don't think of it,
Then she suddenly laii her curly head on
his knee and began to cry.
30, jim" she said, ''don't send me
away! How can you speak so! You
break my heart! All, darling. you could not
do without me, could you:'
"God forgive me, no." he answered,
hoarsely. You are all L havei" As he
spoke he drew her into his arms and held
her against his breast. She chung to him,
sobbing passionately, for long time.
'Marjory," he said, suddenly, have you
had any thing to eat to-dayl For you ate
nothing this morning"
Eyes, dear, of course I have" she an
swered, sitting up and drying her tears
what had you" -noting with pang how
wan and weak she looked, and what heavy
shadows lay under her sweet brown eyes.
20, all wanted
81 know what that means" he said, in
low, agitated tones. "Child, you are starry
ing yourself to DEATH l am killing you
you, my little Marjory, who are dearer to
me than my own soul! You are dying be-
fore my eyes-as our baby did-and l can
do nothing-nothing! o, my God-this is
tortured" And laying his head down on his
arms on the table, he, too, sobbed-a mans
heavy, heart-rending sobs, fearless and Bit
ter.
In an instant Majory's arms were around
his neck her lips resting on his dark bent
head
''Hush, dear boy, hush" she said, in her
quaint little motherly way. 'You are talk
ing nonsense, dear. 1 haven't the slightest
thought of dying, you foolish Jim. Don't,
my DEAR don'tr' she went on, imploringly.
But Carols self-control seemed to have
deserted him utterly; and for time his
agitation was terrible.
Then there was long silence, broken at
last by Marjory's voice, in anxious tones:
'You have eaten nothing to-day, Jim,
am quite sure; and you are quite faint and
worn out"
My darling, Icould not eat, 4" he answered
YEARLY, raising his head and leaning back
in his chair. (There were only two chairs
in the room now, and very little else.)
Mariory's soft brown eyes filed again
with tears; but she resolutely winked them
away, and said, trying to smile: 1--WE will
make up for lost time and have some sup
rtyil h-;r
have an idea, do you know, that our luck is
going to take a turn"
Jim smiled family; his ideas pointed in a
Numerically opposite direction.
"And therefore" Marjory went on, with
a gayety the more touching to Jim, because
he knew it was assumed for his sake, I've
will go out and buy something for supper,
my dear Jim. A great fellow like you can
not possibly live on bread and tea-and not
much of that-as you have been doing
Now 1 wonder,n looking round the room
meditatively, ''if there is nothing more we
can put away" (They always called it
putting away.")
Carol did not speak. He could not, just
then. Mariory stole softly up stairs to her
bedroom, and slowly opened a small box
which stood there. 1t contained nothing of
much value seemingly. Only few baby
clothes and a furnished silver rattle, of
which latter the tiny bells tinkled merrily as
Mariory lifted it. Her tears fell thick and
fast as she rubbed thepretty toy with an old
glove until it shone quite br lightly in the
dim candlelight. Then she went down
stairs. Jim was sitting where she
had left him, but he turned as she came in
and shivered slightly; for the night was
chilly, and fire was q luxury not to be
thought of. She held the rattle out to him
silently.