Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-04-26

less right quite agree with you, dear.
When you ask for the genuine article take
care that you get it. It's half as nice again
aud goes ever so much further. You want
to win great battle, and, like brave Gen.
eral who commands the puppets-I beg their
pardon-1 mean soldiers-wear the crown oil
victory. But the battle isn't quite ended
yet. There are a few more fires to face, a
few more marches to make, but it's nearly al
an end, and then you can lay down the
sword and like the gladiators of old cry
'Habet.' And then your army, the world,
will praise you, and you'll live happy ever
after-as they do in the story books. What
do you say to this summing up? Almost as
good as the Judges to-day, isn't it,
Madge? Now / must be of. I've to go in
somewhere else, and you have
to dress for Mrs. Mays ball. II
you've nothing better TO do tomorrow,
call for me and we'll do some shopping TO-
gether, and renew our conversation. sup
pose shall find Jack where we left him, so
don't trouble to come down. I'll make nv
own adieu. Good night, dear, remember all
I've said. My pupil is quickly mastering
the task I've set her-much quicker than l
ever thought it was possible"
Alice was gone. heard her go down to
Jack. heard her speaking to him at the
door, bidding her good night. The door
closed upon her and she was gone,
What true friend, and what would my
life have been without her advice? She
alone had known and understood my nature.
If she had not spoken as she did before
entered upon nv new life, / might have
acted so differently. Perhaps should have
resented Jacks marrying me for nv money,
and shown him by nv treatment of him I
did. / might have become soured and pet
ulant, made myself more objectionable to
him than ever. But no, started upon my
mission in a different spirit. BY no sign,
word, or action, did he suspect that I knew
why he mad asked me to be his wife. His
wishes were mine, his ideas mine, his tastes
mine, until at last we have become united
by sympathies. I've made myself essential
to him. When he's worried he flies to me
for consolation, when troubled and uncer-
tain of anything. for advice. And yet how
different things might have been if Alice
had not read Jacks character Alright.
The fire was burning so brightly in the
CRATE that 1 got up and turned out the lights.
meant to ensconce myself snugly in an
armchair and enjoy peaceful slumber be-
fore dressing for the nights frivolity.
Everything was at hand, and had quite an
hour before nv maid would come to disturb
me. But someone was coming to disturb
me already, for there was knock at the
door.
"Come in"
1t was Jack.
"Are YOU going to be alone, Madge? ]
knew Alice was gone, but l didn't know
whether anyone intended calling in on the
way to the dance?"
mot that am aware of, Jack. You're
going with me, are you not? But perhaps
you're too tired
No4 -
with you. A Young married woman NAV be
all very well under an old married woman's
wing, but l don't believe in it. Her hus-
bands the proper person to chaperon her.
But I've got lot of things to say to you,
Madge. First of all, what have you to say
TO me about to-day's proceedings? You
haven't congratulated me vet"
why, Jack, you've received enough
congratulations and adulatioE to fill vol
ume. You'll have your head quite turned.
You know how proud was of you. Didn't
my face act as mirror to my thoughts?"
docs your face always act as a mirror to
your thoughts, always, darling?"
'Darlingp' He had never called me by
such an endearing name before. NV face
did act as a mirror TO nv thoughts then.
for / felt myself turning deadly pale. and
then the blood rushed back again till it al
most seemed to be bursting forth from every
feature of my face. 1 could not answer him.
my heart was too full.
Jack didn't repeat the question, but sat
down at my feet and took both my hands in
his.
''Madge, this has been an eventful dey for
me- I've assured myself a position in the |
world. I'm doubly proud of having done
so, because have you to share that position |
with me, but have much more to accom- |
pIish before my goal is reached, |
Many more briefs to get, speeches
10 make, and cases to win, |
I've another brief on hand tonight, another |
speech to make, another case to win, of more |
Importance to me than life itself. Shall / |
win ii as easily as 1 did the one TODAY? Pm
going to try. This is nv own case. and Won
are the judge. Madge, I'm going to relate /!
q little anecdote. Before we were married. |
during our engagement-I happened to be
spending day up the river, between Wind
sor and Ouseley. l was alone in a punt
and steering myself up the back water. On
my travels 1 came across canoe, 1t was
moored into a bed of willows. In this canoe
were two young people, oblivious of eyery-
thing and everybody, for they were in love.
AT least, the young fellow was, but the girl
could not understand why he did love her.
For when he said, Dolly, 1 love YOU;
haven't told you SO thousands of timeso'
her only answer was, Yes, but why?'
His question and her answer rang in nv
ears the whole of that day and often since.
Then, Madge, didn't understand how much
Dolly's answer meant to that poor boy, for
l didn't know what love was, and 1 didn't
want to know. But that's six months AGO.
and time works wonders. A good many
things can happen in SIX months. I've made
confession to you in relating this little
river adventure. Can you guess what it is?"
Yes, Jack, that when you proposed to
me you didn't care for me. When YOU mar
ried me you didn't care for me. You"
Stop, Madge, the truth is often unpala-
table. What you have guessed is, I'm
to confess, only too true. 1 was
poor, ambitious. You were rich, pretty, and
good catch I was advised to marry
you, and accordingly set about doing so. /
asked you to marry me. You said Yes
w neither loved you or YOU loved ME T
didn't give thought, and therefore didn't
ask you that question. 1 doubt if 1 ever
did give such commodity as love even a
passing thought then, but give it many
passing thoughts now. We are husband and
wife, and expected and believed to care for
,ne another. Madge, I'm going to repeat
he question that young fellow has repeated
70 many times to his sweetheart in that ca
Zoe on the river, though mine differs in
many points to his. 1 can only say ''Madge.
you know love you.' 1 can't say 'haven'ti / |
old you so thousands of times?' because 1 |
haven't, but want you to make me the same
Inswer as Dolly did. will you?"
"Yes, but why?"
"Why, Madge? because you have been /,
he one to open my eyes to love and to life.
AVE founded for me new existence, and
aught me what real happiness is. why?
'eeause you are my sunshine, and without !
'ou everything would wither awav. You
re as essential to me as the suns rays are ,
o the flowers. Madge, my wife, you don't ,
oubt me, do you? 1 have never deceived