New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-11-29

n' stow and spread his hands over it. The
!" had been brought from the station
80 him. for there no office under his
s.rce All such documents came TO him sealed
as, ali SUCH but since his installation in his
ssr, place he had only had two 10 deliver
p..vious 10 this one. He had remained until he
"a discovered what were the contents of EACH
y. ,old his wife, privately. that he hadn't any
ton hof cartiug round them messages without
srding out what was in EN-"
Sow as he stood over the stove. he said he
shoned il want death, 1t had been death in
she other two
.,.,rad Even Rowena shared their alarm. al
.houeb since her marriage she had found that
any pcople sent kilograms almost as they would
Ind letters Keats had a way of sending her
word in that manner during any short absence.
She tore op'n the enclosure aud ran her eve
aovn The lines Her face was so calm that the
80, of the family ventured TO breathe.
is there anything to pay for your trouble ?"
she asked Of Mr.. jerks
But Mr. jerks was so absorbed in wondering
how he should find out what was written on
,hs; bit of paper. so that he could tell his wife,
,hat instead of replying he said:
i guess it can't he death"
No, SalO hONeIld, III ISL I u ueatn
She took her purse from her pocket Even the
s,atian agent saw that she was not going TO tell
aim more Perceving this he mentally raised
his price for his trouble half dollar
He rubbed his hands together.
Il was ruther busy this mornin'." he said. and
II rendered me a good deal havin' TO tackle up
N come over here 1t was paid up to the other
cation. Nv bill IL be bout 81 So
He was prepared TO he haggled with. His
charges for everything were always so preposter-
ans that people fought them. But Rowena
silently extended the money.
i hone YOU will bring over the trunks to
day." she said
-WelT-he straightened out his leg that he
night pull his pocketbooll from its resting place
i d. know bout that. Itll depend some on the
vather. 1t ID be kind of er pull if the snow
t,.ps Cetherin; n d ne ruther expensive for
wa-I-"
Good morning." said Mrs Bradford. When
she had been ROwena Tuttle she could never have
,DOken in that way Her face had look of
Indifferent scorn too which made her sister, Sarah
Kimball, who was watching the interview, almost
breathlesS with envious admiration
What? said Mr.. jerks as if he could not be-
lieye his ears.
Good morning." repeated Rowena.
in his place Then be walked out of the room.
I'm glad you done it," cried Sarah Kimball.
That old jerks has the name of bein' the mean
est old skunk in Middle Village"
Mis- futile shook her head. "'Tain't well to
offend folks" she remarked. She had a whole
some dread of what she would have called the
speech Of people" She had suffered a good deal
from it when her daughter left home to go 10
Boston. She did not feel if she could bear
much more Of il. And vet she also was proud, as
she saw the attitude Rowena had assumed. She
supposed that Z" bein' out in the world made
one like that"
She also was curious about the telegram.
She glanced silently at her daughter, who was
now Slanurng " The window, with the scrap of
paper held closely in the hand that had fallen TO
her side She could see the profile of her face.
The shut mouth and droop of eyelid had sad
ness that was tender The look somehow pierced
the mothers heart. Was it bad news that had
come? She longed TO ask, but she kept silent.
She made sign of repression 70 Sarah Kimball,
who had been noiSily washing dishes on the
arrival of Mr.. jerks, and who had resumed her
occupation.
Suddenly Rowena left the window and walked
to her mother. She held out the paper in her
hand.
"You needn't worry for fea= it's anything
bad" she said in very low voice.
Mrs. Tuttle drew the spectacleS from the top
Of her forehead down to the bridge of her nose.
She saw that the message was dated in London.
There were very few words to it.
You must he in your old home now. Ny love
to you always-always" 1t was signed Keats
Bradford"
Mrs. futile read the lines slowly twice over.
She lifted her eyes to her daughters face.
hot from he SlYp6
Yes"
The old woman was conscious OF softenlng OF
heart toward Mr.. bradford.
1t must have cost a lot of money" she said.
And it sounds somehow as if he kind of missed
you Do YOU s'pose he does? OF course he let
you come without him, or you wouldn't have
tome"
The old bitterness in her estimate of Bradford
was perceptible now in her words and voice.
Mother" cried Rowena why are you so hard
toward Keats? ! always feel like defending him
whenever You speak his name"
Il amt hard 10 him." retOrted Mrs. futile.
You needn't go 10 thinkin' that"
= But you have never liked him." said Rowena.
OTrowfully. Don't you think he knows 1t?
How foolish you TALK" responded Mrs. Tut
We. -But"-n extenuation of the feeling she
could not deny" you know he amt exactly one
o. our kind, and will own ! don't never feel
really 70 home with him. But. mercy sake /
nope you don't think l've got nothing against
him"
should hope not" proudly said Rowena.
10 The bottom Of her heart she felt sort of
nhef and pleasure in defending her husband
one had faint idea that in this defence she was
making an stonement
She flung up her head and said in louder
hill etrI- r1
distinctly
You think ought not TO have come home with
on him. You blame him for that. Blame me. then
IL was ! who insisted upon coming Besides y
VITA laugh which had sound Of bitterness in il,
husbands and wives ont in the great world are
no' so devoted to each other that one cannot
conc 10 l1nnrinn anil tic nthnr sfau hehind -