Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-01-05

looking at him in !.reathe5s stiffness, she
turned quickly and left the room.
He found his way about ten minutes
afterward-Mrs. Lancaster took a little
longer
There was soft dewiness about her
eyes as she came and stood beside him.
Husbands and wife's hands met in a
quick, close grip, and a feeling of infinite
love came Nesting around his heart.
Tom" she began wistfully.
ayes, Cecile?" questioningly.
There was no time for another word, the
door handle was slowly moving around.
Its my sheep dog-Miss Meeson," she
whispered, her breath coming and going,
for II sudden puzzlesome question had
arisen in her mind She had forgotten all
about Miss Meeson-to tell the truth she
had not taken her into account at all.
What was she to do and say? Introduce
Tom as this afternoons hanson cab driver,
and nothing else> Goodness! no, it would
not be possible, introduce him as friend
onlyf Yes, but what if there were to come
n recOnciliatiOns How horrid and deceit
ful it would look! But, introduce Tom as
her husband! "a quick throb at her hearty
What if he insisted on their remaining
only friends What if he should reject the
projected forgiveness? What ii he should
exclaim, Pardon me, l was her husband
at one time, but Mrs. Lancaster decided to
dissolve the partnership" What agony
and humiliation,
The door opened and the dear, humble
old sheep dog entered-far too meek of as
pect to COW any ravening wolf, except by
her old fashioned stately sweetness.
Miss Meeson," said Mrs Lancaster, fal.
tering, Miss Meeson, dear, we have
~ al int.
Tommy Tom! The man who was ever,
and ever will be, the dearest and best of
men. There-there was a slight misunder-
standing, almost all my fault; but we have
found, he and l-me-that's to say mean
hc-we''- There was pucker on her
face; she faltered, and then said tremu-
+ lOIsly and with exquisite tenderness, He
i my dear hu>baudr' Then she smiled up
in his face and laid her head on his shout
der, as much ont of the fulness of her love
! as to hide that awful cabman's badge,
which blazed hugely on his breast. Then
she laughed-a queer little laugh, that had
a glimpse of tears in it not so very far off.
Miss Meeson held out her hand with
much puzzled air, but Mr.. Lancaster saw
neither that nor the look. His eyes were
moistened with unshcd tears, and his
wife's head when he glanced down seemed
to be some blurred mass of golden brown
/ on his shoulder, and the lights seemed sud.
denly to have got misty and to flicker up
and down.
Il left my speCtaclcs in the other ROOM"
said Miss Mec~on softly, though she was
p-ering through them aS She spoke
/ | think that there was something very
( like Il look of rapture on both husband and
( wife's faces.
'Iou have forgotten to pay me my fare, 5"
/ he said after bit, 'no You chisel all your
/ cabbies out of their fares, dear2'
| She laughed up in his face with a muir
muir of womanly tenderness. "Wel., your
/ real fare is two shiiliugs, but will give
! you golden CROWN"
| She raised her face as She spoke No
need TO explain the meaning of the words
| To one who loved her rs did this strange
oabman. He took the golden crown be
/ tween both his hands and kissed her fair
! forehead tenderly.
Husband and wife were reunited, never
( to part again. 1t was not until their mu-
| tual tears of joy had ceased that the little
Urchin in the street was remembered. He
and another little imp were found taking
/ it in turns to watch the horse.
! That boys another Casabianca" cried
, Cecile indignant with herself
$50 he is. dear-onIy we won't give him
such Il blowing up" remarked her hus
| band.
Mr.. and Mrs. Lancaster are an absurdly
happy couple. They have just gone on
their second honeymoon.
He has a most exalted opinion of his
wife's virtues a sentiment that is only to
I've balanced by her stupendous blindness
to all his faults.
She WAS rapturizjus over him the other
day, in Brussels, to a newly picked up
friend.
do You know" said her listener, "to
hear you talk, one would almost fancy thai
you had come across your husband in
heaven
Nothing of the kind, my dear" an
swers Mrs. Lancaster Il met Tom in a
far more earthly place. | picked him up
| in hanson cab.'-Belgravia.