Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1891-12-25

looking at him in GREATNESS stiffness, she
turned quickly and left the room.
He found his way about ten minutes
afterward-Mrs. Lancaster took a little
longer.
There was a soft dewiness about her
eyes as she came and stood beside him.
Husbands and wife's hands met in a
quick, close grip, and Il feeling of infinite
love came Nesting around his heart.
"Tom," she began wistfully.
eyes, Cecile?" questioningly.
There was no time for another word, the
door handle was slowly moving around.
"It's my sheep dog-Miss Meeson," she
whispered, her breath coming and going,
for a sudden puzzlesome question had
arisen in her mind. She had forgotten all
about Miss Meeson-to tell the truth she
had not taken her into account at all.
What was she to 10 and say? Introduce
Tom as this afternoons hanson cab driver,
and nothing else? Goodness! no, it would
not be possible, introduce him rs a friend
only? Yes, but what if there were to come
a reconciliation? How horrid and deceit
full it would look! But, introduce Tom as
her husband! "a quick throb at her hearty
What if he insisted on their remaining
only friends? What if he should reject the
projected forgiveness? What if he should
exclaim, Pardon me, I was her husband
at one time, but Mrs. Lancaster decided TO
dissolve the partnership" What agony
and humiliation!
The door opened and the dear, humble
old sheep dog entered-far too meek Of as,
pect to COW m ravening wolf, except by
her old fashioned stately sweetness.
Miss Meeson," said Mrs. Lancaster, fall
tering, "Miss Meeson, dear, we nave a
guest at dinner tonight, let me introduce
Tommy Tom! The man who was ever,
and ever will be, the dearest and best of
men. Thcre-there was a slight misunder-
: standing, almost all my fault; but we have
found, he and I-me-that's to sny-1 mean
he-we'- There was a pucker on her
face; she faltered, and then aid tremll-
loisly and with exquisite tenderness, "He
is my dear husband!' Then she smiled up
in his face and laid her head on his shout
der, rs much out of the fullness' of her love
as to hide that awful claimants badge,
, which blazed hugely on his breast. Then
she laughed-a queer little laugh, that had
a glimpse of tears in it not SO very far off.
! Miss Meeson held out her hand with a
much puzzled air, but Mr.. Lancaster saw
neither that nor the look. His eyes were
moistened with unshed tears, and his
I IL . hSo" IN III Gil
to be some blurred mass of golden brown
on his shoulder, and the lights seemed sud
denly to have got misty and to flicker up
and down..
/ 81 left my spectacles in the other room,'
snid Miss Meeson softly, though she was
peering through them as she spoke.
| think that there was something very
like a look of rapture on both husband and
wife's faces.
You have forgotten to pay me my fare
he said after a bit. "Do you chisel all your
cabbies out of their fares, dear?"
She laughed up in his face with a mur.
muir of womanly tenderness. "Well, YOU
real fare is two shillings, but l will give
you a golden CROWN"
She raised her face as she spoke. Nc
need to explain the meaning of the words
to one who loved her as did this strange
cabman. He took the golden CROWN be
tween both his hands and kissed her fail
forehead tenderly.
Husband and wife were reunited, never
to part again. 1t WAS not until their mu
tual tears of JOY had ceased that the little
urchin in the street was remembered. He
and another little imp were found taking
it in turns to watch the horse.
THAT boys another Casabianca!' criet
Cecile, indignant with herself.
$50 he is, dear-only we won't give hin
such a blowing up" remarked her hus
band.
Mr.. and Mrs. Lancaster are an absurdly
happy couple. They have just gone or
their second honeymoon.
He has a most exalted opinion of hi:
wife's virtues, a sentiment that is only tt
be balanced by her stupendous blindnes:
to all his faults.
She was rapturizing over him the othe1
day, in Brussels, to a newly picked VI
friend.
do you know" said her listener, "tt
hear you talk, one would almost fancy tina,
you had come across our husband il
heaven!'
Nothing of the kind, my DEAR" an
swers Mrs. Lancaster. II met Tom in {
far more earthly place. I picked him NJ
in a hanson cab"'-Belgravia.