Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1888-01-14

I
Commonwealth of Arkansas" he would
| sometimes say TO himself, consolng
| himself with that fact.
He had often been sorely tempted. in
these sweet months of what was really
| his coursship, to take her in his arms
| and sue for the love he craved SO
strongly. 1t was bad enough when he
| expected to die and leave her, but now
when he knew he should live, perhaps
as long as other men. and never he
able to win her love, il was terrible.
| And, then. when he contemplated the
! parting which must come soon, he felt
| that he would rather be an invalid al
ways, and have her daily companiOnship
if nothing more.
Still it was something to be well again,
and when he thought of all her patience
and unwearied kindness, her noble self
sacrifice, he said to himself: Il will be
man. / should be but poor coward
did say or do anything to offend that
| pure spirit. | will go away and make
no sign. Let her get her divorce. |
will see she has a sufficient allowance.
But it was very hard for him.
| In all this time she had been a skilful
] physician, an intelligent student of his
case. 4 considerate, though despotic
nurse, and an agreeable companion,
nothing more; and when she found that
at last the disease yielded to her per-
sistent efforts. her professional enthusi-
| asm knew no bounds. She had been
the cool, careful, passiOnless practi-
toner, now she was the triumphant
| victor She had overcome disease in
one of its most treacherous and insidi-
Gus shapes. She had conquered Death
and was radiant with professional self
congratulation, rs the most learned
savan: might be. But apparently the
weakness of tender love had not come
with gentle insistence into her cold
heart.
1t was the morning before Denslow' :
departure. Black Care pressed down
his brows, and Gloom had laid its dark
! mantle about his shoulders. He saun-
tered to the window and looked out.
Bright March sunlight lay on the noun
tain, on the white dusty road, and on
the figure of Madeline. as she stood
there in her white flannel dress. peering
into the cavernOus depths of u market
wagon. while the same lank Arkansan
flonrished his whip over the straight
backs of tie patient, unofending
mules.
So had she stood on that summer
morning months before when DenslOw
had seen her for the first time, and he
turned away sick at heart, thinking how
she was Just as far away from him now
as then, even though the law had made
her his property, His property, in
deed. And he smiled grimly rs he
thought of aug man being able to con-
troll that high-spirited, strong-willed,
imperious girl.
''She has not the slightest idea of
what love is" he sighed. ''She is ut
terlv cold and emotionless. save where
her sympathy is temporarily awakened.
Even tire her now that can no Ion
ger be deemed an invalid.
.!Thar's two as good cookin' hens as
| We ever seed in yer life, and haint nary
one on um blind. lowed We wouldn't
want um eff they WIZ, and ef they he'd a
been wouldn't brung um."
There was a rattle of silver CONS. a
| crack of the long dashed whip, and .
| creak of the mountain-break. and the
market wagon started on. and Madeline
turned back into the porch and vanish
ed from her husbands sight.
He sat down. thinking of the changes
that had been wrought since that first
/ morning so long ago. Then he had
been an invalid waiting for his coffin,
I dying man eking out few more days,
now he was strong and comparatively
well. He looked at the dumbbells (his
little physicians prescription) and he
felt bis well-muscled arms, and threw
back his shoulders and let the bracins
March air into his lungs, and was glad
that he lived.
.Ah, WELL" he sighed. "a man can
have everything in this world. Let me
be thankful for what have"
He went away with a heavy heart
Madeline smilingly gave him her hand
1T the parting, and it was all over.
He had come out of the sweetest
dream of his life with seemingly every
thing to make him happy. health in
fair degree, money. a good appetite,
and plenty of friends in his old homo
glad to welcome him home from the
border land of Death, but man will b'
an ungratefn creature to the end OF thu
/, world. and he cursed his fate and sigh
ed for the graceful figure and the brlgh
sunny face of the woman. when th'
world was full of women, each ready
to be taken from the home-hearth, as ;
flower is willing to be plucked from th'
| multitude of the unchosen.
But in modern parlance "he wanted
the EARTH" and it was a very smal
part of its dust embodied in the sweet
ness ard charm of little Madeline, tina
seemed so desirable TO him.
Months passed slowly enough. III
had expected to be notified in due, lega
form that his wifewished to be separat
: cd from him, and was puzzled TO know
why such notification did not make it
appearance.
He determined to make her n hand
some provision when the time came
and all the old interest in business hav
ing returned with his health. he be
came a most assiduous man of business
forming stock companies, workin;
| mines. buying and selling, and nego
! tating and trying in all this to los
sense of the small pain tugging ava.
at his big unsophisticated heart.
He travelled about good deal at tina
, time, and at last business brought hin
to Chicago. and his arrival Was dul
chronieled. .elA
1 He knew this had. been Madeline
: home at one time. but he had heard N