The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1892-10-20

pie, for they had not been married
three weeks. They were everywhere
hand-in-hand almost, arm-in-arm, any
way, and delighted with each others
| good taste in matrimonial selections
that was clear enough. But after the
first two or three days of sunshine the
sky seemed to cloud up. Mrs. Gray
appeared one morning looking fright
| fully pale. She had nothing to say
aud she wouldn't eat mouthful of
breakfast. Gray spent all the fore
noon fussing about his banged-tailed
horse and after luncheon went off for
drive alone. | suspected first
quarrel, but | didn't wish to intrude.
However, | must say it made me feel
bad to see the poor little woman walk
up and down the porch with such a
broken-hearted look in her eyes.
"Finally she went up to her room.
But Gray didn't return. He stayed
away until / began to think there
must be something rather serious
about it.
"NIrs. Gray did not come down
again, either. So found one of the
chambermsds who seemed to have
good sense and put her up to go and
see if anything had happened. She
came back and reported that Mrs.
Gray was lying face downward on
her bed, not moving or seeming to
breathe. OF course | sent her up
again at once to see if Mrs. Gray was
dead. She went up and reused her
and the lady said she was only rest
ing; she would come down in the
porch. But before she had had time
to do so Gray drove up, sprang out
and sent his horse and cart to the
stable. He looked around, saw that
his wife was not in sight and hurried
up stairs. | had al idea he was
little frightened. And l felt sorry,
for | had taken sort of liking to him
he was one of those good-natured
fellows, always ready with harm
less Jest, even though he wasn't cs-
pecially brilliant.
CATER good while he came down
gain, looking simply woe-begone.
Il say l said, moved by a sudden i'm
pulse, you'll pardon me if Pm max
inc myself oflicious. But is there
anything the matter? Anything that
| could do to help you to set things
rightY He looked almost relieved.
Why,' he said, Pm in deuce of
fix. | hardly know what to do. It's
an absurd thing. too, and yet it's
growing serious. My wife is the
dearest little thing on earth, and yet
she has some high-fown ideas that
we'll, don't know but they are going
to part us. She wants to leave me
and go home. Not to her mother, for
she hasn't any, but to an old maid
cousin of hers who has filled her up
with ridiculous notions of honor
"'But what have you been doing"
| asked. How have you misbehaVed
Yourself to deserve such punishment:
sWhy, that's the humiliating part OF
it, he said. Its so absurd. The
truth is, | was in the war and L was
wounded. And | never happened to
tell my wife about it until last night
He b!urted this out like Il big school,
bov. but he seemed relieved when he
had done SO.
.s.Oh,' said. Il understand. Weil'
good gracious! OF course yon were
very very young when you were III the
war. A mere child. That's easy
enough. Let's see-'64 to 'o4, twenty
years; 81, seven more, makes twenty
seven. suppose you "cio i'"'
Why that's only forty-one. a man OF
foriy-one is young"
"It isn't the age. it's the wound'
he said, with little groan.
"'And you mean 10 tell me she Is
MT proud of themy
"He tried'to laugh, but only sue
ceeded in sort of grunt. 'Ihey re III
my back, he says.
"Well, of course thore was " iiio-
ment's silence. | wasn't us ready as l
might have been. | didn't want 10
grin either. Then he went on hastiiy'
Il was a mere boy; carried the co'ors
mounted. My horse was shot hfSt anu
reeled sidewise. couldn't turn MN
back quick enough and aNot rlppeo
,.,1 IlrOCnet |