Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1892-08-05

very, very miserable, but I smiled and
chatted through it ALL LOTUS scarcely
answered me; he ground his teeth now
and then. and once the tears came down
his face.
You know that belong to you, wherever
you are-you believe it--don't you, Dell?'
he said once or twice. And then, "It's hard
to let you CO." But the whistle shrieked
and father called, "Come, Della" and
then poor LOTUS kissed me with a smile
and whispered, God love you. Della, my
wife. my dear, dear wife" These were
the last words heard him say, and then
father leaned across to close the car win
! dow against the cinder showers. and Tom
was putting on his big, loose, linen coat.
4 y
t We went 10 Chicago and stopped at other
cities along the line, and came safe at last
to beautiful Denver, but my heart staid in
Pimley. 1t was a great, big, glorious
world that the train had traversed, vast
stretches of prairie, majestic heights of
mountain land, busy, thriving towns and
active, splendid people. Pimley was a
! little, quiet village among the New Eng
land hills, and in it was the one loved hui
man being who made or unmade the world
for me.
He wrote to ME often, my dear, strange
LOTUS, but he never spoke of coming nor
of my return. His letters were full of
kindness and sweet. everyday affection,
but there was tinge of bitterness in their
tone, a feeling as of one at hopeless vari-
ance with fate. used to cry over them
and reproach myself so bitterly-for what?
Surely need not blame myself when he
had not reproached me- If only once he
| bad fo oil hoo -
l"Dell, l miss you," or made me in any way
conscious Of a nearer duty to him, I am
| sure could never have borne so patiently,
nor at ALL my exile. But as it was, / could
only let the days go on-though the sweet
ness of my life seemed going with them
and wait.
We had a lovely little cottage for our
housekeeping ard Tim and lon
| the outskirts of Denver, and view of
valleys and mountain tops that were
ceaseless wonder and delight. One day
I came in before dinner, rather tired,
very sunburned and dusty, and was about
to disappear for half an hours seclusion
and bath, when I heard mans foot
steps sound quickly on the wide piazza.
knew it was not time for Tom, but never
theless Tom it proved to be. He had come
in from town little early, his hands full
of packages, books, ETC., as usual.
'Della," he called, "can you come back
down the road with me now, this minute?
There's a poor sheep there that's badly
hurt in some way. l don't exactly know
what has happened, but bring some milk,
will you? and We'll see what we can do.
1t isn't far; just off the first turn, by the
wheat field. I'll run up stairs with these
things first"
But I did not wait for Toms escort.
was off down the road with little tin pail
of milk almost before his last word reached
me. The sun was near its setting, and the
low evening light seemed to spread in
hush over the wide beauty of the world.
| crossed to the wheat field and through
the gate in search of my wayside patient,
and there, little in from the road, stand
ing quietly against the hedge and looking
at me as came stood-Loftus.
l didn't know what happened to the
milk, but I knew afterward when he
showed me how badly his clothes were
deluged, for the dear fellow was kneeling
on the grass before me with his face hid
den in my arms.
can't remember what we said at first,
it was so mixed with sobs and tears and
kisses. He looked pale and worn and thin.
| AOlCuS uulA1 <A4u, Ou, ~ was 81 SWctU W
laugh together as we laughed when
stammered out, tom sent me here to find
a-sheep-that was hurt"
"And you've found him, haven't your"
said my dear, dear LOTUS. "And whom
are you, you little brown milkmaid, with
the sunburned face?"
Oh, those wonderful sweet first mo-
ments, when knew he was with me once
againl But I think he must have been
aware that my face was dirty, though he
called it sunburned.
"And why have you come in this way?"
asked him when l began to collect my
thoughts little.
| ooh, the idea of surprise was Toms.
found him at his place of business and we
came out together, and then he told me to
wait for you here and he would make some
| excuse to send you alone"
ooh, LOTUS! but mean how happened
you to come from Pimley SO suddenly and
without telling me?"
Dear" said LOTUS with very grave
face, 81 came because-because Eunice is
dead"
could only look at him with wide eyes
of amazement.
"Eunice Craig is Dead" he repeated still
more softly. II can tell you now why
could not sooner claim my wife. But you
have trusted me as never woman trusted
husband or lover-Dell, Dell, how could
you know that I have loved you all these
long, long, weary years that we have lived
apart?'
But l did not heed his question. sob,
poor Eunice." said, with rush of sor-
rowful remembrance. We had both known
her as beautiful, strong and young, and
the ending of the story seemed pitiful.
"Her life was too sad, Loftusi We can
only be glad of the release''-
"You never knew how sad her life was,
Della" said LOTUS gently, ''nor how
much suffered for her. While she lived
could not ask you to be my wife. She
had made me promise this long, long ago,
though she knew I loved you with every
beat of my heart"
"Eunice made you promise?" I asked
slowly. It seemed could not understand
| his words.
'She had no right to ask this sacrifice"
he said quickly ''but-she had loved me
| all her life. did not dream of her feeling
until once when was ill-yon remember
| the time when / was hurt so badly in
| the house, you know, and Eunice was with
dying and did not hide her heart, poor
child-but was engaged to you-and /
| told her-and after that she never seemed
like herself again. And then her great
illness came, and the doctors gave her no
hope of recovery. That was the time she
made me promise not to marry until she
died, and above all never to tell you she
had asked this promise. No one thought
she could live longer than that summer
and yet for twelve years-twelve years,
Della, she has kept me from your side.
Doesn't it seem inexplicable how such a
thing could happen?"
"Oh, you dear, splendid martyr, you!'
said, gasping. "And all the time thought
you didn't carel"
''Carep' said LOTUS, with an emphasis
that made me feel myself wretched in
CRATE And then he added in determined,
businesslike way: II want you to marry
me tomorrow, Qell-not one day later. I've
been martyr long enough"
felt that he had been indeed, but an
swered lnughingly, "Then you must begin
to be saint" And he really proved himself
worthy of the name by waiting more than
a week with most exemplary patience I'M
til had a pretty white dress made for the
weddine