The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1892-12-01

bling fingers he fAised the latch Of his /
door md entered.
Blinded by the snow, he could see
nothing It first. but ~ md b. he be-.
came conscious Of. the cold hearth, the
awful silence and that the little house
was empty. II did not even hold
corpse.
The wcaricd man sank down upon
chair and gazel shout him blankly,
despairingly. 49,
The bed was neatly made, the floor
swept, everything was placed in It's usual
orderly fashion. and her dress hung
upon the wall near him-the old brown
calico she had worn the last time ho
had seen her. 81.
''Gone,' he said, dazedly, ''gone."
just then one Of the boys, who hail
felt strange misglvings and had fol-
lowed him. entered.
''WI,at did you soy, Charlie? il sho
gone? Why, that couldn't be, she'll
never DO such fool rs to venture out
In that storm. II she did-poor fellow,
he's fainted!' %
TWAS some time before Charlie Dean
revived; he was very weary. and the
awfulness of what had been, through
his neglect, quite overpowered him.
''There. you're better, now,' said his
friend. ''Whnt do you think could
have caused her to leave the house,
and where did she go?'' -.
II don't know, unless to tho stable.
had left little corn there"
''Charlie!" said his friend, sternly,
''you never left your wife in such .
condition?"
But Charlie only nodded.
IL expected to be home, you know
but don't look ut me like that. I'm
punished enough. She's dead some.
where under the snow, my poor little
Clarew
They failed to find her; no corn was
missing, it is true. but they found
nothing to SO much as point the way
whittier she had gone.
Charlie Dean was q changed man
once more. To his boon com panions he
said good BY. and many Of them never
forgot the silent pain In his eye, tho
anguish that his whole face expressed.
Its not going to kill him." said tho
friend who had been watching him to
see that lie did nothing rash. mo, it's
going to make such man out of him
as we never dreamed of; the one thing
that now has possession of him is
work, in order that he may forget. It's
a good medicine. ] think I'll try some
| myself"
Three years later, well-to do. with
money to spare, for none of it was ever
squandered now, Charlie Dean once
more sought the far away city where
| he had first met and won his wife.
A strange longing came over him to
once more see that place, and travel
| stained and bronzed, he walked by the
house, almost expecting to hear her
touch upon the piano. and the sound Of
her sweet voice.
Bewildered, amazed, half believing
himself out Of his head, he did hear
her voice once more.
There's q man drunk leaning on the
fence" he heard q strange voice ex.
claim.
Then the playing ceased, and voice
that almost caused him to faint sec.
ond time replied:
Drunken men are only too common.
Let him alone; some policeman will be
along presently"
Then the music struck up again, this
time into wild galop as if the players
thoughts were running away with her.
But he's still there" continued the
strange voice. Hes peculiar looking;
do look out, Clare. I declare l feel
nervous"
Charlie stood up squarely now.
pushed his hat back slight y aud looked
full and straight into the eyes of his
wife. =.
She fell back with q cry, the place
was empty. and scarcely knowing what
he did Charlie was turning away when
some one came flying down those steps
and-and, yes, had her hand in his. and
in fearful voice was saying: ''Char-
lie, oh! Charlie! You've come at last!'
II want to know" he said. when in
the cozy parlor, still clinging to her
hand, IL want to know how you got
away from the ranch during that awful
storm"
Clare flushed but answered uuhesi-
tatingly:
Il was good walker Ifclt no fear
of the storm. You had left me almost
nothing to eat, and really thought I
many more days al alone.
IL took the little money still pos
sessed, and started soon after You did,
only l went in an opposite direction.
had scarcely reached the main trail
when q two-borse wagon came dashing
up, the mana stranger, but God bless
him, for he saved my life Jumped out
and snatched me up before could say
by your leave and away we tore like
mad. The horses were very strong
and swift. and we seemed to outride
the storm. We reached shelter at last,
just before its fury broke. and !
thanked him as best could; then,
when the roads were clear, started
for my old home, but had to stop and
work awhile before got here. Aunt
has never heard all the story; lcouldn't
talk of some things"
II thought you dead" said Charlie.
elf you could know how have sui.
fered. Oh, Clare, don't suppose you
could forgive"
II forgave you long ago. was some
to blame. l ought to have tried TO have
been happier; wrote to your old home.
but they told me you had gone away"
''Shall we begin over, Clara-for
when you were gone found out how l
loved YOU"
''Oh, yes, and wherever you go Ill
try to make that home happy"
''And Ill see that it is a homo In
which to bc happy" answered Charlie,
with tre,nble in his voice.-A. c. Mo.
Keever, in Yankee Blade.
Poisoned by Tropical Fish.
When the British steamer Yorker
| arrival Mt MnrSoillaa from Rannooa,