The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1891-12-15

where he had cast himself down for
hours, and dared not speak to him. 1t
was days and weeks before the CHASTITY,
frightened look left his face, months be-
fore ceased to fear that he would die
of sorrow, and l stayed with the chill
dren. And so another year went by.
Then it was spring time, l remember,
and all the orchards were full Of bios
SONS, pink and white. Frank came to
me as | sat at work in the shadow of the
two or three trees in our little village
garden and sat down at my feet.
Faithful little woman" he said. 81
wonder if you know how dear you are
to me?"
Itrembled, and my heart throbbed so
could scarcely breathe.
FYou are rich and l am not" he said;
"but know you will not think that
am fortune hunter. | am a sort of
wreck Of what | was. think some
thing went out Of me when my poor
Evangeline was lost-that is, youths
essence. feel it-and look how gray |
am growing! But "long for a dear
friend-for woman's tenderness-for
WIG w III w III NC w A1ctG SOO Cc1n DO W LIZ
Will you have me, such as am, with
my children and my saddened spirit.
and all my imperfections on my head?"
Would l? | dared not speak; but
put my hand in his. knew he did not
give me the love he had given poor
Gladys; but should have right to live
near him-to receive his caresses-to be
all to him that felt could be.
He shall love me yet as passionately
as man ever loved woman" | said to
myself, ''when, no more repressed, no
more afraid of loving him too well, am
once his wife"
was happy as the angels are for a
little space.
We were to be married very soon, but
as yet had told no one. l had my we'd
ding dress sent down from the city, vii
lage gossips knew nothing of it, and one
evening l went to my room to try it on
1t became me well. 1t was pale
pearl silk with pretty white bonnet,
and in that | was to walk up the church
aisle on the next morning. We were to
have little journey and return.
81 am pretty again." l thought to
myself. "The looks lost long ago
have come back to me in my JOYS" and
went up the glass and kissed my own
reflection.
AS my lips touched the mirror heard
a sound below-a wild cry, a scream Of
fear, Shout of joy. What had hap
| pened!
| rushed to the head of the stairs.
THEW Ior1y Tho hon ba1oxy
| fully lighted. Under the blaze of the
swinging lamp l saw Frank Barron
holding his wife Gladys in his arms. She
wore a travelling dress. His sudden
clasp had caused her cap to fall to the
ground and all her colder hair to escape
from its comb. Living and lovely she
stood there embraced by him.
rushed back to my room, tore off my
dress, hid it, locked it safe from sight,
donned the gown that came first to
hand, cried "God help mer' and went
down the stairs By this time he had
her in the parlor, and was looking at her
through his tear wet eyes.
las beautiful as ever" he cried-"as
beautiful as everl"
THANK God, Gladys!' l cried. And
surely thanked God that she had come
when she did. She kissed me, but not
warmly.
Fancy me all this time on a desert
island" said she. 81 had to go back to
London for clothes and money, and l
| thought it best not to cable"
Her tones were fippant, her looks de-
| FAINT.
Tired of taking care of the babies?"
she asked. How do they look? They
won't know me-"
| Later she came to my room.
81 heard you were going to marry
Frank" she said. Hadn't you better
confess? On the whole, suppose you'd
like to leave u.s."
II have packed my trunk" l said.
GLADYS, you must have suffered; tell
me about your life on the island. How
could you keep so well, so fresh, so
blooming?'
81 can't bear to talk of it," said she.
st was horrid, of course. How old and
ugly Frank has grown"
with grief for you," said l.
She laughed and left me.
was gone next morning without
adieus
A little later met an English friend.
She took my hands.
II thought you would give Mrs. Bar
ron up," she said. "Her husband has
| taken her back after all"
1T is no crime to be cast on desert
island, said l.
Desert island" she laughed. "Did
she tell him that story? She lost the
steamer and went back to her own
house. She found it hard to leave some
one she had come to know, and when
the boat was lost she made capital of il
in. America. We knew she spent a good
many months and good deal of money
in the Isle of Wight, and her temper
was too much even for Lord -. 81
she came from a desert island-and he
believes it. How funny!"
never saw either of them again
Mary Kyle Dallas in Fireside Companion