The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1892-02-20
MY FRIENDS STORY.

>44 - IL 1O1xI4VO ~ Nj On l. .
ITS very strange story" he said,
- very strange story-one have dared
tall to very few persons, and yet If you
insist ! will give it you"
had insisted and besought by turns
for half an hour and this concession Of
his was the outcome Of series Of stra-
tegic movements on my part that would
have done honor to Partisan detective.
well, them" I said, 81 insist. Go on
with your story, and If any pledge of
secrecy is in order, just say SO and I'll
hold up my hands,"
II don't enjoin secrecy" he answered
slowly. "The story Is not one you would
care to repeat"
-'Oh, very well, very well, i" bantered,
with mighty affectation Of fippancy
1 did not feel. 81 can close my mouth
Is tight as any one you know. But to
the story. Your wife, you said, died
year ago9"
II said nothing Of the kind, he re-
pied emphatically. "I told you I lost
her o year ago" Then he rose and,
crossing the room, emptied the ashes
from his pipe into the fireplace and
helped himself to another round Of
tobacco. AS he stood for moment sill
houetted against the faring Goals in the
CRATE, silent, calm, serene, it burst upon
me suddenly that the silence and seren-
ity which in him had long regarded as
most offensive and objectionable were
nothing other than the dignity Of sor-
TOW, and felt ashamed of myself; not
the first time, perhaps, that have had
the same feeling, but never mind that
now. At last, having lighted the new
pipefu1, he turned and said simply:
''You insist"
By this time realized that l was in
for it whatever it might be, and an
swered promptly, eyes"
And then, still leaning on the chimney
piece, he began in hesitating way:
LAS you already know, Gladys and !
were married a trife over thirteen
months ago. I loved her madly, and
she. poor girl, was all a wife should be
or could be. We were very happy to-
clear heaven of our mutual love, nor
troubles for a moment disturbed our
peace and happiness. Previous to de-
parting on our wedding trip / had
Leased q suite of rooms in a large up
town fat-you know the place-and
when we returned after q short tour
those rooms became our home and our
paradise. So things ran on for nearly
two months, and then-then came the
end-the end"
Here he paused, and turning away
from me looked into the kissing, splut-
tering little fire moment. Somehow !
did not feel like breaking the silence
realized that he was not thinking of me
them, and to speak would have been
obtrusion If not sacrilege. At length.
raising his head, he turned to me with
apparent effort and as he did so could
see there were tears in his eyes.
Zone evening" he went on, after
had begged him be seated and he had
taken the big cushioned chair by the
hearth, lone evening last February my
wife and l spent with her mother and
returned at late hour to our apart
lnents. The night was bad one, and
Gladys, poor little girl, was weary and
exhausted when we reached home. Her
bright eyes had dull. leaden look, she
was pale. complained of headache and
said strange things as If her mind were
wandering for the moment, and recon-
tnended that she retire at once and sleep
off the Ill effects Of her overexertion.
She was very loath to take my advice
for some reason or other, and when
had lighted my pipe and drawn my arm
chair up to the table she came and knet
beside me and took my hand in hers.
John said she-ah, how well l re-
member her words, spoken in her
piquent, half reproachful way-'John.
you don't mean to send me away from
you, do your
"'Yes. my dear replied. rather pet
ulsutly. For your own sake do. You
need sleep and rest. am perfectly safe
here with my paper
A'Shs rose and turned away, bpt had
taken only a few steps when she re-
turned and took my hand again.
"'You want me to leave you, JohnT
~'Yes, yes, my dear; go to sleep and
get . nights rest; it viii do you more
good than anything else under the sun.
Her caresses somehow made me feel
strangely cold and nervous, and spoke
moro harshly than should have done had
stopped to think. She rose quickly and
passed into our bed chamber beyond, and
a.: the portieres closed behind her a feel
ing Of unutterable loneliness overcame
me, my heart beat hard and fast and !
breathed with difficulty. It was all alb
1ssirdity, Of course, and when l had hest
kateds bit and reasoned quickly buried
fnysef in my paper and tried to forget
the occurrence. But every few mo-
fnanfs the same strange unrest oppressed
she, until l finally threw aside the paper,
and rising paced the floor, trying to drive
'xl6 the feeling before / retired for the
sdght. Perhaps had been pacing up