The morning call., 1891-07-14

| Her voice choked by a sob, Mrs. Dass0n
| walked quickly away, leaving her hand
| maiden, to whom she was invariably kind
| and conslderate, quite conscience stricken
The park to which Leila directed her steps
| was not an inviting promenade, for the
| gravel was sloppy with recent rain and the
! shrubs half hidden by mist. However, she
persevered III pacing the most sheltered
walks till good resolutions came to her aid
and she could return home in happier
frame of mind.
Before doing So, however, she went to a
| Bon Marche at no great distance. She had
| just remembered that Alfred was in want of
| new pair of slippers. She would buy him
the prettieSt pair She could procure and this
| gift should be her peace-otferlns when they
met in the evening.
| A showily-dressed woman followed her
| into the department she visited, standing by
! her side wnie she made her selection, and
turning over the slippers as il she were as
| siSting Mrs DaSsOn Ill her choice; but when
| the shOpman CHANGED to be off his guard the
| Mortified lady saw her appropriate pair of
| the most expensive ones.
On seeing herself observed she dropped
| her booty and, with familiar nod, walked
| away, saying: =
"I'Il walt tor you outside" But ere she
| reached the door an assistant, who had wit
messed the theft, sprang forward and de-
| tanned her.
After a struggle she was brought back to
the counter where Mrs. Dasson, terrified and
disguised, was still standing, and TO the hor-
| Tor and dlSmay OF the young wife, she heard
| herself accused as confederate.
| Fortunately for her the proprietor of the
! emporium was quickly on the spot, and by
| him she was recognized as frequent Gus
| toner
Appeased by his apologies, she would
| have paid for her purchase and departed,
| but when she put her hand in her pocket
| her purse-Alfred's present on her birthday
was gone.
The police now made their appearance,
| the thief was searched and Mrs. Dasson s
| purse fannd upon her.
Satisfied at having regained possession of
| it she made another attempt to escape from
| a scene which was rendered int0lerably
| painful by the bowls and protestations of
| The prisoner.
| But her evidence was required; she was
| the most important witness in the case, and
| in spite Of her absolute refusal to prosecute
| and extreme reluctance 20 take any part in
the affair she WAS compelled to yield to the
| requirements of the law.
A cab was called, and much against her
| will Mrs. Dasson was driven to the neares.
| police court.
1t was a crowded one that day: some
local rejoicings had ended in street row,
| and so many were the rioters, so conflicting
| the testimony, that very faint and weary
did the unwilling witness become ere the
shopifter was placed in the dock.
| he bdlului OIutdt OIL giving evidence
against her was over at last and Mrs. Das-
son free TO depart; but as, with the aid of
| policeman, she was edging her way through
the throng hanging about the doors, a few
words reached her that made her heart
| stand still
THE worst accident they've ever had on
that line" one man was saying TO another
" \ on see it happened just as the train was
| full of city gents going up to their offices.
dld hear that there Was ten dead and no
| end of wounded"
SIS its it true?" gasped Mrs Dasson to
the policeman who WAS plotting her. Aud
where did it happen ?"
well yes, mum. Pm afraid it's true
enough. A collision. you know, somewheres
between -" and he named the station
| from which her husband travelled, land the
next. Happened about 8 20, reckon"
Oh, agony that it was to hear this! to be
| forced to tell herself that if her husband had
gone earlier, as lie intended, he would have
| escaped.
She locked so i'll that the policeman ciyillv
offered to procure a conveyance, into which
| he assisted her, asking where he should tell
| the cabman TO drive.
| ITO the city,, was the reply.
| And, accordingly, thther she was taken,
trembling, weeping, praying; now yielding
| to despair, and feeling convinced that she
| should find her husband at some hospita |,
| frightfully MANNED; now hoping he had es-
| capped injury; but always haunted with a
| dread that he was among the killed.
And they had parted in anger! She
should never be able to express her peni-
| tence and receive his pardon. How should
| she endure life if he was taken from her, or
| how forgive herself if he were among those
| who would linger out i miserable existence
| crushed, crippled?
But the cab was at the door of the office
and junior clerk, catching sight of pale,
| pretty face at the window OF the vehicle,
| ofhclously rushed out to Interview its owner
Mr.. Dasson? He hadn't been at the office
all day. Believed the governor had received
Leila fell back almost FRUSTRATED by this
confirmation Of her fears. She contriyed to
| give the now compassionate clerk her adj
dress, and he bade the cabman take her to
1t as quickly as possible.
1he door flew open as she tottered toward
| IL, and Mary appeared, her apron at her
! eyes.
"Oh, ma'am, I'm so thankful you've
GOMEZ the girl sobbed. "My poor master !"
She threw open the dning-room door,
ana there, MS arms flung out on the table,
| his head resting on them, sat Alfred Das-
son, his hair disheveled, his boots muddy,
his clothes drenched with the rain that for
the last two or three hours had been falling
| steadily.
The opening of the door aroused him: he
sprang up. beheld Leila, who flew toward
him, and they were rapturously clasped in
| each others arms, and Mary closed the
door upon them.
Then lie was safe-unhurti Oh, heaven
be thanked! But where had ne been ?
Looking Tor her? Why, what was she to
understand from that ?"
when | left here" he explained, ''ths
| hrst thing L heard of was the accident that
had happened to the train l missed, and
some one told me that poor Tompkins-you
have often heard Inc speak of him-was one
OF the sufferers by it. So / helped 10 carry
him TO the nearest hospital, and then
hastened to his wlfe-she was staying with
friends at Riehmond-broke the news as
well as could, and took her to him. While
thus employed, 1t struck me that my own
wife might hear an exaggerated account of
the affair; so wired To the city, excusing
myself there, and came home to find Mary
in great distress. You had gone out, she
said, looking like ghost, and accusing her
OF having ruined your happiness. You had
gone away as II you never meant to return,
and have been rushing from place to place
ever since heard this to find ny darling
and eDtreat her to return to me. have but
just come home, SO worn out with fatigue