Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1890-01-25

r~eSpondence as in person. From plead
ing She passed to remonstranCc, then %
indignant protest. The result was that
reef Of horrors to the newly-wcdded,
the first quarrel. Frank told her that
she was unreasonable and childish, and
asked her how she expected him to
make a living for herself and him ii
she kept him tied to her apron-string.
And | called him unfeeling and
cruel and -brutdN' confessed the peni-
tent, between her sobs. II have cried
myself to sleep for two nights over it.
If | could but see him for one minute
long enough to beg his pardon-l could
let him 20 again for six months, if nee
essary, If you had seen his face when
| had said that last 2r}cted word He
turned as white as death, and bit his
lips hard to keep back the bitter answer
| deserved. How could l do it? How
c0Uli | do it?'
1t did seem i~nexcusable to me-a
slightly-prigglsh damsel with a we'll
formulated creed of witely duty and de-
portment-but | lectured her mildly in
consideration of her genuine distress,
'lie has a generous heart" | con-
cludcd, "Ile 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,
it blcl afresh.
ale never said an unkind word to me
in his life, my suffering, patient, i'll
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 20 with him to the door,
and when he kissed me goodbye | just
let him do it, and stood like a dumb
block while he walked out of the
house-oh, Nancy, so slowly and un-
willingly, 1t wasn't a bit like his step!
| didn't stir to go to the window, where
| had always stood every morning, to
kiss my hand to him when he went
down to the Office. But ! watched him
from away back in the room where he
couldn't see me, and saw him go dowr
the path and stop under the honey
sucklc at the gate to look up at the win
dow. When he didn't see inc his face
turned absolutely dark-the most awful
thing. and he rushed off down the stree
with never a glance behind him. Tha
was our first parting. We parted undo
a thunder-cloud, Nancy. | have live
in the heart of it ever since, If yol
had not come | think | must have gon
crazy, thinking and living it all over.
My sympathy quoted her somewhat
| hope, but | am afraid the batterc
platitudcs of which, as is the case wit
most ~younglings Of inexperienced, | ha
great store, wrought more soporiiically
Pausing for breath and a reply, a
!, length, ! discovered that she wa
asleep.
Chilled and chagrined, | laid her frol
my arms upon her own pillow. Som'
thing slid from her lax hand. 1t WI
= her husbands miniature, glass and Sc
ting, warmed by her passionate holt
ing. | thrust it impatiently under III
c pillow. The cut was not dangerous,
reflected, with judicial fatuousnes
when the patient could slumber und'
h the surgeons hands.
@ was aroused in the morning by
If shower of kisses upon my lips and ey
q lids. In the slow awakening from tt
o. slumbers of health and youth | dream'
n that | was walking through a vista
l. honcysuckles that bobbed dewily again
d my face, and opened laughing eyes up'
Augustus countcnance. She wore
y white gown, bound at the waist with
=, blue sa~sh-Frank's favorite color: T.
\. honeysuckles were in her belt; 7
"a breath and fragrance and refreshme
At OF the May morning were about and
:. her. | had oversight myself by II mi
\, ter of two hours, and breakfast "
az lrady. Augusta sat at the open wind'
10 and chatted while ! dressed.
as II am quite another creature to-da,
she said, blithely. You have wrong
a a wonderful cure upon me-, DIR. Nam
mt | am going to follow your prescriptio
IN nut useless regrets behind me, and
-el have like a rational Christian in futu
! have been thinking. too, oyer the p
7 sibilities of Frank getting back on
nd day, instead Of Saturday. feel aim
20 sure that he will be here to-morr
vn This is Thursday, you know.
mt imagine how he will thank you WI
no ho hears what good advice you g.
:"
,n Gould | remind her that she
In dropped asleep before ! had reached
ri application" of my homily? She
still chatting. when. fully dressed
io.ned her at the window, and put
arm about her. A white jasmine, tao
q, along the window-frame. cast grace
streamers from one side to the otl
Smiling happily and roguishly, Augt
=, pulled down a spray bearing as m
iive-pointcd flowers as leaves, cole
s"' RAPIDLY into IA wreath, and laid 1T on
head.
And you shall wear a starry croV
she chanted, gayly.
nod think the gate-latch clicked.
know we both looked out at the s.
,lel instant.
rec Frank Deanc was just entering
eel yard.
ned Have | said that he was a hands
ght man? | had always thought so,
ate, never believed he could be so roy
ere beautiful as now framed in the no
,uld sucked arch OF the little gateway.
res face wa, alight with happiness and
II to his eyes eagerly sought the win
city and, AS a low exclamation OF raptur'
not capped the figure beside me, he SIN
she tossed his hand into the air in
the greeting, and bounded quickly uI
hich walk. Augusta fcw into the ha
her meet him. l. left alone for a mon
-tce. saw him. ! solemnly aver, as hesse
bed iuot upon the lower step Of the p
and the flash of the May sunshine upoI