The Monitor., 1891-09-04

hours, and dared not speak to him. II
was days and weeks before the ghastly,
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
SONS, pink and white. Frank came te
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. u
wonder II you know how dear you are
to me.n
trembled, and my heart throbbed SC
could scarcely breathe.
.'You are rich and l am not he said
"but know you will not think that ]
am fortune hunter am sort OF
wreck of what | was think some
thing went out of me when my poor
Eyangeline was lost-that is, youths
essence. feel it-and look how gray
am growing! But | long for a dea,
friend-for a woman's tenderness-for q
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 headY
Would /? / 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.
.sHe shall love me yet as passionately
as man ever loved woman" | said to
myself, "when, no more repressed, nc
more afraid of loving him too well, am
once his wife"
was happy as the angels are for
little space.
We were to be married very soon, but
as yet had told no one. had my we'd
ding dress sent down from the city, vii
lage gossips knew nothing of it, and one
evening went to my room to try it on,
1t became me we'll 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 Inc in my joy;' and
went up the glass and kissed my own
reflection.
As my lips touched the mirror heard
sound below-a wild cry, scream of
fear, shout OF Joy What had hap
pened!
sfl | 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
wore 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 me,p and went
down the stairs. By this time he had
her in the parlor, and was looking at her
through his tear wet eyes. s'7 ~ ~
CAS- beautiful as ever he cried-"as
beautiful as everi"
Thank God, Gladys!" l cried. And
surely thanked God that she had come
when she did. She kissed me. but not
warmly. s.5 .a.s.l
Fancy me all this time on desert
island" said she Il had to go back to
London for clothes and money, and l
thought it best not to cable"
Her tones were flippant. her looks de-,
fant.
''Tired of taking care of the babiess"
she asked. "How do they look? They
won't know me. .-a 81! T.
Later she came to my room 3ea1,
u heard you were going to marry
Frank" she said. Hadn't you better
confess? On the whole. suppose you'd
like to leave US" 45-s ,5t7s' ~ t53=''fa s
Il have packed my trunk" said.
Gladys, you must have suffered; tell
me about your life on the island. How
could you keep so well. SO fresh, so
blooming:" st.@i vzaqgi. .-- .e.l
Il can't bear to talk of it," said she.
1T was horrid, of course. How old and
ugly Frank has grown" cssTs' z
with grief for you," said L y
She laughed and left me. .-i3 ,''3 e.
was gone next morning without
adieus. ..,
A little later l met an English friend
She took my hands. g.. g.iysss
II thought you would give Mrs. Bar
ron up" she said. "Her husband has
taken her back after all.ri fr-i. s4 j..
= ut is no crime to be cast on desert
island" said l. p'sfi @ s'f a7''7 s.,f
- Desert islandr she laughed. Ibid
she; tell him that story? She lost the
steamer and went back to. her own
house. She found it hard to leave some
,ne she had come to know, and when
the boat was lost she made capital of it
. in America. We knew she spent good
many months and good deal OF money
in. the Isle Of Wight, and her temper
was too much even for Lord -. 50
she came from a desert island and he
believes it. How funnyl"