The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1891-09-12

This vas the first time that Swipesey
had seen the lady face to face. and he
started n little and looked at her again.
Then he put his hands behind him and
stared at the floor for a moment 81
know who you arc" he said, present
ly. You are his wife"
The woman looked up quickly and
raised one of her hands to her fore
head. She seemed n bit dazed, and
asked in a way that convinced
SwipeSey hat she scarcely knew what
she said: How did You know"
II knew! guessed. / put two and
two together, and l know more about
the old man than the rest of the people:
and do you know, II you will let me
say it, I think you haven't treated him
right"
The woman flushed, and looked at
the boy angrily.
Don't get mad about it." he advised
her, in a fatherly way. Il mind my
own business. What you two people
want to do is to make up and stop all
this" He paused, with a judicial air.
How did you know this?" the
woman asked. Does Mr.. Griswold
make a confidant of an Office boy?"
Swlpesey was all dignity then. You
are mistaken there. lie never said a
word TO me about it. / don't know
very much about it, only / have put
two and two together. | remember
about six months ago, when he bought
the paper, that one day some one was
in the Office and asked him about you.
lie all to Ice became very cool, and
said, in an uneasy way, that you were
in Californy for your health. And one
day l was cleaning up his desk, and /
found n picture there-your picture. |
put it back where / found it: and one
night, when | had to come back to the
office with some copy to leave for the
compositors to begin on in the morn
ing, I found him in the dark at his
desk, sitting there and crying. with
the picture in his hand. He didn't
know / saw him, but l did Just the
same. And that's why I'm sorry for
him; l had never seen a man cry be-
fore. And when he's cross and hard
with us people about the Office, l know
he amt really that way, but that the
pain drives him to it. and he is trying
to forget about everything"
The Office boy told all this in a grave
manner, and his quietness evidently
impressed itself on the woman in his
favor, for she said nothing, and
allowed him to go on.
G.Snmafimac I ,ro,,lI caa - &ho oxl.-
papers that Mrs. Griswold, wife of
Editor Griswold, of the B~riggsvillc
Bugle, is in Santa Barbara for her
health and then you would be in Ia
coma and all sorts Of places; but he
never spoke of you in his paper, and
you never came here. / have heard
talk, too, of a quarrel you two had, and
% course, l have-have surmised that |
something was wrong. / don't know
what separated you, or why you left
him, or he you, and it isn't any of nv
business; but now you have come back
to him, l hope you will stay with him"
The woman looked at Swipesey's
intelligent, freckled face, and saw the
brightness of his small, gray eyes.
She was impressed with his red hair
and his snub nose. And she humored
him by asking: rs that what you
would advise me to do?"
Certainly" answered the boy, with
out hesitation. That's what / would
advise you to do"
But suppose he wants me to come
more than half way? Suppose, after
all, he doesn't want me &c stay?"
That's all right. I'll fix that l can
manage it He's been waiting for you
for a longtime, guess, but he's too proud
to tell you to come back to him. He's up
now, writing a letter, and"-
here Swipesey looked at her brightly
81 think it is to you. Sometimes he
has started letters, which l have found
in the waste basket torn or partly
burned, beginning: My dearest wife,
but l don't think he has ever sent
However, that is none of my
business. But to-day what do you
think he did? He sent everybody home
in order to be alone that he might
write. 1t was nothing connected with
paper, know, for the copy is all
in. ! think he is writing to you up
stairs to come back, and he doesn't
know you are here already"
IF he will only say he was wrong
and ask my forgiveness" the woman
nuttered, looking out of the window
the pattering rain. Then she started
up, seemingly unaware of the boys
presence. But l mustn't ask too much.
was in the wrong as much as he"
Now I tell you what to do" said
Swipesey. with eagerness- "If you
put this into my hands, we'll fix it up
Ill right" His eyes shone, and he took
few steps forward, with his small ,
hands clasped together and his face
'aised hopefully toward the woman.
let me go upstairs and sort Of
prepare him. I'll not say who wants
see him, but I'll just give him a hint
And then you go up and surprise him; /.
md If you look at him and smile, and !
I you tell him you are sorry, l don't
hink he would send you away; now, !.
10 your" IL
The oma looked down at the lad, )
md smiled sadly at him. She could .
Tot help being amused at his eagerness J
o help her and the lonely man up :
tairs. {
He seemed to divine what she was
linking Of, for he said: 4
''Oh, You mustn't think I am dipping G
ny finger into something that amt my I
BUSINESS, for l should like to hear him {
augh as he did a long time ago; and, J
'esides, it amt right for two people to :
'e apart the way you and him are" .
The woman laughed nervously. II i
on"a think you had better NEEDLE, 9
fser all she said. you may 30 . l