The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1892-01-29

| Snouiuub WOuuSr, Stiiu bil6 OiO
doctor, dryly. ats the nervous system
Dymond."
"Oh, pshawl" eiacuated Hugh
"Nerves? l don't believe in such 4
thing"
you'll have occasion to before long, y
said Doctor Meynell.
Il haven't any nerves. y
"But other people may have, ncvc,the-
less. 1"
"Lolly never told me she had such a
thing the matter with her." said Hugh,
speaking with an injured air, "But il
there's any particular kind of medicine
would do her good, and it isn't too cx.
pensive-"
she must have entire change of air
total change of scene," said the doctor.
| Dymond's countenance fell.
And what am to do, all by myself
at home? Very selfish and inconsiderato
Of Lolly To-"
The old physicians benign counte-
nance darlsened; his brows contracted Of
q sudden.
| Man, man, " he said, hold your rash
tongue! You've no idea what you are
talking about! Suppose God, in His inf
mite mercy, sees fit to take her from you
altogether"
Hugh Dymond sat staring as if levin
bolt had stricken him to earth.
"You don't mean. She-she's not
going to die, doctor? My little Lolly: it
isn't so bad as that"
How can we tell? She has been
worked down to q mere shadow of her.
self; you have treated her as you would
q dumb beast; and it isn't the kind of
life she had been used to, poor little bios
som!"
MY God!" groaned the husband, drop
ping his face in his hands, Il never
dreamed of this!"
Doctor Meynell's heart softened as he
watched the strong shudder thrill through
the repentant mans iron frame. He did
love her, then, after all; he was not so
utterly heartless as he seemed; it was
only thoughtlessness, not deliberate tyr
amy.
Tell me what to do, doctor" groaned
Hugh Dymond. "If it costs me all /
have in the world, Lolly shall be saved!'
Let her so back to her mother at the
seashore for few weeks. advised the
physician. Change, rest, pleasant So
ciety-these will do much for her. And
when she comes back to you in the fall
let us hope it will be with renewed hope
and courage.
And so Laura Dymond was sen. away
for change of air and scene. The tears
gushed into her eyes when she had part
ed from her husband.
A week afterward Hugh hitched up his
brown nag and drove to the nearest town;
and before night the "best room" floor
was covered with Il cheerful red carpet,
5trewn all over with little green leaflets
and wood brown sprays of moss.
"Lolly will like the pattern, thought
Hugh, because it's like something real.
How pleased she will be! And the
hearth rug is to match the carpet and
the Nottingham curtains will freshen the
windows, and I'll have both the case
ments filled with tea roses and serani-
ums, for winter is coming on, and she
can't get any more of those posy pots in
the woods. I'm sorry now that used to
laugh at them So"
When the first November snowfakes
eddied softly through the air. Hugh took
his last triumphant look at the cheerful
room, where the roses and violets made
June like scent. and the fire cracked
and the new carpet glistened in its cheer
tul colors.
Have tea all ready in your best style,
Maranda," he said to the new "hired
girl, 8" for l shall bring your new mistress
Eome in just an hour"
And Maranda, plump, thriving
daughter of the soil, promised that all
should be right.
He must think deal of her, to be
sure, i" said Maranda to herself II won-
der il she really is so very pretty"
"The train isn't in yet, l suppose,
said Hugh, glancing around, as he tied
old Dobbin to the post, back of the depot
fence.
The station master shook his head
mo; but here's a telegram for you, Mr..
Dymond-came half an hour ago.
With trembling fingers Hugh Dymond
broke open the seal. Perhaps Laura was
uOG SoiiiiIi3 uhtli
"Come to Seaglen at once" it read.
your wife died this morning at 4
o'clock"
The strip of senseless, cruel paper fell
from the bereaved husbands hand he
staggered back against the wainscoted
wall, with low cry, like that of one in
mortal pain. Lolly dead!-Lolly gone
from him forever!-thc little loving,
wistful, dewy eyed creature, whom he
had spoken to SO cruelty many and many
time. And he had resolved to be so
different for the future-to cherish her so
tenderly Lolly dead! Surely, surely
there must be some mistake; he could
not believe it,
And then, like the rush of some damp,
sepuchral wind across his heart came tho
awful conviction that it was but too true.
The bright new carpet, with the leaves
and the moss sprays, had come too late
the flowers would bloom in the easements
| all in vain!