The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1888-12-22

quick, dry sob Carol took his wife in his
arms and they mingled their tears together.
A few more davs passed and the baby was
buried. Even that was struggle to the
poverty-stricken father and mother. 1t
was wonderful how thcy missed the tiny
thing--theirs for 80 short atime-her funny,
winning baby ways, and even her fretful,
peevish cries. To Marjory, 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 n sharp ut
tack of bronchitis and left him moro spirit
less aud 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 II 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
enough; and it so chanced that Carol met
the postman at tho 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 1t contained 1t was short
and to the point.
DEAR MARJoRY: II you like to leave your
husband will take you back to yorr old hons.
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 Marjorys having written. He
only said gently:
"You should not have asked him, dear"
But passionate little Mariory tore up the
letter and threw it into the fireplace.
1t haunted Jim, though. II IL 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;
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 like-to go back-to Map-
chester!"
"What, without you. Jiml" she cried,
with incredulous amazement in her tired
little voice.
"Yes," very steadily.
"Ah, Jim," in tones of keen reproach, "do
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 laid her curly head on
his knee and began to cry.
80, JIM" she said, ''don't send me
away! How can you speak so! You
break my hearth All, darling, you could not
do without me, could your'
"God forgive me, no." he answered,
hoarsely. "You are all L haven AS he
spoke he drew her into his arms and held
her against his breast. She clung to him,
sobbing passionately, for long time.
'Marjory,' he said, suddenly, have you
had any thing to eat to-day. For you ate
nothing this morning"
"Yes, dear, of course / have" she an
swered, sitting up and drying her tears.
"What had you oui"-notng with pang how
wan and weak she looked and what heavy
shadows lay under her sweet brown eyes.
80, all / wanted.n
81 know what that means" he said in
low, agitated tones. "Child, you are starv-
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 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, heartrending 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. l haven't the slightest
thought of dying, you foolish jim. Don't,
my dear, don't!' she went on, imploringly.
But Carols self-control seemed TO have
deserted him utterly; and fora 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, he answered
wearily, raising his head and leaning back
in his chair. (There were only two chairs
in the room now, aud very little else)
Mariory's soft brown eyes filed again
with tears; but she resolutely winked them
away, and said, trying to smile: 'We will
make up for lost time and have some sup
per. Then things will look brighter.
have an idea, do you know, that our luck is
going to take turn"
Jim smiled family; his ideas pointed in
diametrically opposite direction.
"And therefore," Marjory went on, with
gayety the more touching to Jim, because
he knew it was assumed for his sake, 1--WE
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 l wonder" looking round the room
moditativey, ''if there is nothing more we
can put away,n (They always called it
''putting away."D
Carol did not speak. He could not, Just
then. Marjory stole softly up stairs to her
bedroom, and slowly opened small box
which stood there. 1t contained nothing of
much value, seemingly. Only few baby
clothes and a tarnished silver rattle, of
which latter the tiny bells tinkled merrily as
Marjory lifted it. Her tears fell thick and
fast as she rubbed the pretty 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 luxury not to be
thought OF. She held the rattle out to him
silently.
80, Marjory, not that--I can'ti" he said,
hoarsely, hiding his face in his hands.