Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1888-03-16
TOLD IN THE SHADOWS.
BY JAMES FRANKLIN PITTS.

! NV dead had been buried two
hours; | had returned home. The
servants respectfully awaited my
orders. l told them to open the
shutters and draw back the cur
tain they did so, and Gods sweet
sunshine came again into the desc
late house. Surely, it was better
so when the heart Is darkened
with the unutterable woe of be-
reavement, let Nature console us if
she can.
Within fifteen years three darling
children had at ioag intervals been
carried from this house to the Gem
etery. This day my husband had
ioined them. Kind friends had
come back with me to my dwelling,
Offering to stay and comfort my
crushed spirit. sent them away,
preferring to be alone with my
thoughts. Luxury and comfort
we're around me, wealth was at my
command; but my heart was heavy
with its losses and wished to bear
IN solitude its aches.
There was another reason why /
wanted to be alone. How it is with
other widowed hearts, | know not;
but /, IN that hour felt an Overpow-
ering desire to commune with my
self about aim who had gone.
Had loved hlmi All, yes; no
need to ask myself that question.
He was my first, my only love.
Had he been kind-had our mar
RED life been happyF Yes-alwaysI
yes. He had surrounded me with
his devOtions, he had given me
riches, position, beautiful home
and after our children were taken
he had given me redoubled affec
ton. How, then, could l regard
his memory with anything but th'
highest hOnOri
Keca1se 1 knew that he haC
locked a secret from me in hi
heart, and had carried it to th'
grave, because the conviction tha
something was kept back from me
haunted my waking hours anC
troubled my dreams while he lived
and now that the turf was being
placed upon his grave, the mockinj
thought rose up before me, an'
would not down.
Never was it named between us
for how could | bring so indefinite
an accusation against himi So TO
fifteen years | had labOred, and la
bored in vain to discover the truth
But the secret | could never grasp
though the evidences that he ha'
one were plain enough. A grea
change came upon him with hi
marriage. He was often abstract
ed often found him looking in
tently at my face; he was strange
ly forgetful, especially as to thing
that had happene d before we wer
welded. Sometimes, in the earl
months of our un ion, he would sui
prise me by processing ignoranc
as to important affairs of peopl
with whom he had been yer
intimate; and once, in particular
l became greatly vexed at his fol
getfulness. 1t was in one of thos
moments of endearment that max
married people lovers again, tha
I put my arm around his neck an
said
"NOw show me, Charles, tha
your memory is not so poor as 70
pretend. Tell me what time of da
it was that you kissed me good-b
when you went to Europe, the yea
before we were married ~
He hesita ted, and then replied
"Why, about midnight, of course
The time was, in fact, at nOOn.-
How could he forget such things
1 have spoken of his conduct thf
led me to think that he had a q
: cret. Such things cannot be col
cealed from a loving wife; the
will tell their story Of cOnceaimen
Had any further evidence bee
needed, his death.bed would ha'
supplied it. A fatality OF sudde
and unexpected death, l had bee
told, was one OF the peculiarities
Z the family from which he sprung
+, his own children had d dropped ava
with appalling swift1ess; wh'
/ he came to die it was with
the hour after he had walked in
the door. His tongue was tied
those last dreadful moments; mol
but knew how he struggled
speak to me and break this a
worthy silence Of fifteen years.
r His secret died with him; and he
r | sat alone when the grave had =
aQivad him DondartnO nOt un(