The morning call., 1891-12-06

almost at an end: life willsd it so, but they
remained good friends-cOmyaaes. rather;
lovers by fits ana starts. Never did sharp
word interrupt the harmony OF their exist
enee; they were looked upon as qulLo
model pair; nevertheless
Nevertheless, Jeanne more than half ac-
knOwledged 10 herself that they, inviting
ly. inSensibly. had taken different roads. and
that, year by year, these roads had been
gently but surely diverging more widely,
Absence was BOl0nger thing to be dreaded !;
they were glad to be together again, but they
could do without each other and feel dis
comfort; the occupations which they had
created for themselves almost completely
filed up their lives. Karl went into society
with his wife when he could manage IL, but
oftener he eft her in the hands of an init
mate friend, an accomplished woman OF
the world who had formed the little pro-
yincial dame. The theater took mp good
many OF his evenings; when tie play prom
iSed to be amusing has wife accompanied
him, but more often he went alone. She did
not see the fun of being bored merely for
the pleasure of being bored 10 his company I;
besides, she had so many engagements he
thought 1t quite natural and did not feel
hurt.
The little " miiler's wife" looking at her
own reflection in the glass. while her maid
altered fold of her skirt, thought about all
these things and suddenly she asked her
self what the fullre had in store for her {;
sttlDH IdI. very lar Oh, not hikuOut htGEbl
terror, old age. the old age of two people
living together, with none OF those mutual
souvenirs which render old age sweet She
would have liked to rush off to her hus band,
to show herself to him, make him perhaps
admire her and caress hera little; she might
force him to forget his eternal papers for a
minute to sag that he thought her pretty,
aud that he loved heTl
But Karl had gone out. he was writing
great novel, on whose success he counted
much. For one chapter of this romance he
required to describe certain details of ma
chinery in a mandatory, and one of his
acquaintance had taken him to large es-
adjustment not far from Paris. Jeanne
was annoyed; she was afraid that he might
be detained, and she had set her heart on
his accompanying her to this pc asant ball.
1t was already . o'clock in the afternoon.
Oh. if he should be detained
Make it up out Of your head; nobody
will know the difference" she had said in
the easy jargon WHICH came to her SO
readily.
Kari had felt somewhat hurt; he prided
himself on getting his scenes as real as
possible; by nature and education he was
romantic, but realism was now fashionable,
and he, also. must veneer his imaginary
surroundings with this realism so much
In vogue. In this frame of mind, then, he
had gone away with his friend. and his BART
ing kiss to his wife hal been bestowed with
the GOODNESS of irritation.
She remembered this; before she had
been too much taken up with her dress to
think about it, and now it took all the
pleasure out of her standardization. Sud
denly she heard a noise below at the hail
door
There he isw she thought.
Relieved and joyful she amused herself
with the idea of presenting herself before
him in this costume, hoping only that he
might have returned alone, and that his
friend had not came with him. She did not
like the friend.
She sprang out on to the staircase and
called him by name. Suddenly she stopped
short, silent, holding on by the baluster
her eyes starting from her head; her face
pale in an instant; for there. at the entrance
OF her house, was mOnrnful group of
Workmen carrying something which looked
like human body; the hand hanging down
was white like death; the head covered
over with linen bandage smeared with
blood-brlght red; and Jeanne cOmpTe-
hended that it was her husband they we're
bringing home in this way.
The morning friend was there, and came
hurlidly to her, taking her hands.
81 terrible explosion! He is not dead
swear to you he is not deadp
She took everything upon her that was to
be done She felt as though she were CIV
ing her orders in some frightful dream.
without cry. without tear, she helped to
undress her husband. Only once when the
handkerchief which covered his face was
removed, she felt on the point of giving
way. He was unacceptable; the hes Il
was plOwed into burrows, with pieces hang
Ing here and there. He had all the appear
ance Of death, but the heart still beat. Sud-
deniy raising her eyes, she saw herself in a
mirror. pale-faced, haggard-eyed, and her
carnival dress. on which were bloody spots
showing here aud there. Shuddering she
ran TO her room, and, tearing off her 1estal
rags, returned to the bedside of her bus-
band.
Tnat was horrible night She listened
TO the doctors in consultation, and gathered
but one idea from them-sli hope was not
lost. Kari had awakened from his long
faint, and seemed to be suffering fright,
fully. She fancied she heard him speak her
own name, and then. for the first time, the
tears came into her eyes, but only for a
minute; she had need Of all her self-control.
A terrible fever set in, and with it came de-
llrium.
AT last after dreadful DAYS and sleepless