San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-09-25

ne ulu at us profession, he 0a0 little
time for company. She wanted him to
change his nature, it seemed to me.
Now no one bothered him. | kept the
children in their little nursery, and in
the evening when he sat down with us,
if he were not called away, | let him
lead the talk, as men like to do
| knew, too, what callers he would
like to see, and which to entertain my
self, and. of course, being only his wife's
cousin. did not expect him to spend
any time entertaining ne.
However, he often drove me out
with the children, of course-and we
enjoyed the ride. And the poorer pa
tients fell to asking to see me and tell
ing me their troubles. and when | could
help them did.
You'd make far better doctors
wife than the real one does" an old
woman said to me once. She turns up
her nose at us poor folks. and seems to
think my ailments always something
catching. God send We doctor of your
own, miss!
laughed, but was glad Frank Bar
ron did not hear her.
We got a letter from Gladys as soon
as she reached London Her grandfather
was dying of cancer, she said, and might
live Il long while, and indeed he did.
She wrote. but not very often, and the
months went by and a year was gone
Then the poor old gentleman died, and
still there We're things to be done about
the will Five months more went, and
then indeed she wrote that she was COM
heard of its sailing
Then nothing more. What happened
no one knew-nO one will ever know. A
piece of her hulk was all that was ever
found, and there was woe in England
and woe in America. Husbands and
fathers, sons and daughters, and many
wOman's true love had gone down in
midoCean with no power to send a fare
well word to any one
And Gladys Barron was among them
our Gladys-Frank's wife.
He lay upon the floor in his study,
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 stayed with the chill
dren And so another year went by.
Then it was spring time, | remember,
and all the orchards were full of bios
,,i,ly ,nl yN-hitn RroYly 70
ne as sat at work i'll the shadow of the
two or three trees in our little village
garden and sat down at my feet.
Faithful little woman" he said. II
wonder if you know how dear you are
to me?"
trembled, and my heart throbbed so
could scarcely breathe.
"YOu are rich and 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 ont Of me when my poor
Evangelme was lost-that is, youths
essence feel it-and look how gray !
am growing, But long for dear
friend-for wOmans tenderness-fOr a
wife who will be what you can be to me.
Will you have me, such as am, with
my children and my saddened spirit,
and all my imperfections on my head?"
Would /: | dared not speak; but |
put my hand in his. l:rew he did not
give me the love he had given poor
Gladys but should have a 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. | had my wed
ding dress sent down from the city, vii
laga go5sips i;uew nothing of it, and one
evening went to my room to try it on.
1t bac1!ne me well 1t was pale
pearl silk with y 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.
q am pretty again" thought to
myself. The looks lost long ago
have come back to me in my JOY" and
went up the glass and kissed my own
reflection.
As my lips Touched the mirror heard
sound below wild cry, Il scream of
fear, shout Of joy What had hap
pened!
| rushed to the head of the stairs.
They were dark The hall below was
fully lighted. Under the blaze of the
swinging lamp | saw Frank Barron
holding his wife Gladys in his arms. She