The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1890-03-18

ing me TO lay aside my travcling-garb.
''He went TO Richmond day before yes
terday ana may not get back before
SATURDAY."
"Your first separation isn't it?'
asked /, struck with something not
quite natural in her manner
.'Yes. He was obliged to go-on bust
ness, adding the last word as il might
be an after-thought.
/ While she spoke she was rearranging
some clothing hung in press to make
room for that had laid off. Her hands
wavered, and she kept her face turned
from me.
With the slight land insufferable)
touch of superior scorn of a fancy-free-
as-yet maiden for the sentimental feel
! ings of young married folks" feigned
to overlook her emotion. She might
! pine at the heart for the absent mate,
! but she did me the justice TO be sincere
! ly delighted at my coming. / would
content myself with that for the pres
ent. and tolerate a weakness peculiar TO
her position; so / made talk of city
news and the journey, taking pains not
to ask question, until presently she
showed me a sunny face. that was the
/ prettier and sweeter for the mist, which
was not quite dew, lingering upon her
eyelashes We supped en- tete-a-tete.
and sat out on the porch until bed
| tiAe watching the moon rise, and
mount-the crystal-white light driving
back the shadows from the wet grass
and ribbon-like graveled paths winding
away into the shrubbery: enjoying the
scent-frcighted air throbbing and cool
| ing before the river breeze. and talking,
talking, talking, as only two girls who
have been bosom friends from infancy
can talk after nearly six months sep
aration. Augusta bore her part gallant
! ly, and quite forgot the passing cloud
that had dimmed her eyes and shaken
| her voice.
When we were ready for bed the
cloud returned and broke. l saw Der
kneeling form trembling from head to
foot while she was saying her prayers,
and heard stifed sob. Arising. with
| averted face, she went to a bureau on
| the far side of the room, took minia-
| ture from drawer. kissed it twice, and
furtively slipped it under her pillow.
When we had lain down, and the light
was out, | knew. gentle and gradual
as was the movement. that she drew
the picture from its hiding-place and
pressed it to her bosom. Passing my
hand caressingly over her cheek, / felt
that it was wet.
Augusta said, softly. 'can not
comfort you? What is it. my poor dear?
Surely you are not grieving over a sor
row that will be cured so soon as will
Mr.. Deane's absence?"
She chung to me in wild storm of
tears. She was but twenty. and had
not had secret from me in ten years;
so / got this one.
De deferred Fred he said, had called Franz
to Richmond. With all her sweetness
of temper, his wife had been spoiled
child in her fathers house, and her
husband had never crossed her. She
especially desired that he should be at
home while i was there, and could not
be convinced that the matter in hand
could not be transacted as we'll by cor
respondence as in person. From plead
ing she passed to remonstrance, then to
indignant protest. The result was that
reef of horrors to the newly-wedded.
the first quarrel. Frank told her that
she was unreasonable and childish, and
asked her how she expected him to
make living for herself and him if
she kept him tied to her apron-string.
''And / called him unfeeling and
cruel and-6rutaLf" confessed the peni-
tent, between her sobs Il have cried
myself to sleep for two nights over it,
If | could bat see him for one minute
long enough to beg his pardon-I could
let him go again for six months, if nee
aSsary. If you had seen his face when
[ had said that last ScicEed word, He
turned as white as death, and bit his
lips hard TO keep back the bitter answer
deserved. How could | do it? How
,OuLd do it?''
II did seem inexcusable to me-a
slightly-prigglsh damsel with we'll
formulated creed of wifely duty and de-
pOrtment-but lectured her mildly in
consideration of her genuine distress.
''He has a generous heart" | con-
eluded. ''He will not bear a grudge,
you may be sure, and his very soul is
bound up in you"
The neatly-cut plaster did not draw
the lips of the wound together. Indeed,
il bled afresh.
ale never said an unkind word to me
in his life, my suffering, patient ILL
used angel. And | wouldn't walk down
to the boat with him, although knew
he was longing to ask me to do it
didn't even go with him to the door,
and when ne kissed me goodbye just