The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1893-05-03
Reunited by Death.

The baby was dead, and its poor young
mother, worn out by her long watch, lay
in the dead sleep of exhaustion. Every
one else had expected the child's death
long before, but the desolate mother.
heart hoped up to the very last gasp.
ine breath that God would work mira
Gle in answer to her agonized prayers
and it seemed to her that the end of all
things had coma..
Only few squares away the baby's
father aat in his cheerless boarding house
chamber, holding in his trembling hand
the newspaper containing the only notice
he had received of his child's death. His
own little daughter, and yet he had never
seen her.
Manly Pratt snd his wife (of month
only, had been LAYERS ever since their first
term at kindergarten, and until they
married had always been the best of
friends. But il aeemed as if the wedding
ceremony had the key to unlock all the
bad temper they both possessed; they
had quarrelled on their wedding night
differed as to the location of the new
home, and separated because of a disa-
greement concerning the hanging of her
great uncle's portrait. She had gone back
to her mother and he to his bachelor ways,
and after much trying had persuaded
himself that he no longer missed her.
And now this listle obituary notice had
suddenly shown him how mistaken he
was.
Presently he went out and ordered
some flowers SEM to the house. "Wbat
kind 2" asked tho florist, and after mo.
ment's hesitation he answered, "white
crysanths NUNS" with q sad recollection
of how many times he had taken aimilar
blossoms to Jenny in those happy days
before thsy had married and-parted.
"Poor little girl" he muttered, show
lonely she will be-" and then, resolving
to forget her, he went to bed. All night
be dreamed much of the baby, but more
of Jennie, and when, next morning, he
remembered that the funeral services
would take place at noon be decided to
attend them.
He went to the Church the one to
which they had go often gone together,
and in which the unlucky wedding had
been performed) early, and, seating him
self in dark corner, watched her follow
the little white casket in. he could not
see her face through the heavy crepe
veil which covered it, but he remembered
how he had once seen her look over the
death of pet kitten, and he knew how
the sweet Ups would quiver and the soft
eyes fill. de wondered sadly why they
could not have lived happily together.
Whom the service was over he hastily
left the Church and stood on the pave
ment close to the hearse, determined to
see the last of his unknown child. Sud
denly he started, for there close to his
elbow, stood Jennie. As the carriage
door closed she saw him, and with q
heart broken look turned away. There
we're tears in his eyes as he looked after
her and not all of then were for the
baby.
BE seemed to pass the next few days in
q mournful dream, from which he walked
to find himself riding down town in the
same street car with Jennie. In mo-
ment his mind was made up: he would
speak to her, tell her how sorry be was,
and ask her to make up again. He for
got how many times he had sworn never
to make the first advances, he forgot biz
pride and his anger, he only remembered
that the slender, sad looking girl across
the car was his wife. But how to get 6
chance 10 address her? If he took sea-
beside her, she might refuse to listen te
him, even if he could induce either O
the fat old ladies who overaowed upor
her to change places with him. Bu
while he considered this question the
blessed (?) cable broke, and very so0r
the car was deserted by every one sav!
Jennie and himself. He had decided
that if she left the car he would follor
her, and she had somehow OWNED hi'
purpose, and resolved to stay where she
was.
For a while be gazed sadly at her ane
she looked down at the pocketbook 81
firmly ,lasped in her nervous fingers
Then he crossed the car and seated him
self by her side. "Jennie," he whispered
trying to take her hand and, though shs
drew hastily away, and turned her head
from him, he saw that tear gathered
and clung to the long eyelashes neares
him, and he took courage. Jennie" ht
said again softly. There was no answer
but the tear fell with little splash onto
the big pearl button on her coat and thi'
time size did not resist his hand. Their
he boldly put his arm around her, and
drawing her to him murmured: "Jennie
dear, let's be friends again" "I'm will
ing," she answered with great sob.
A little later the conductor entered
and seeing their afectionate attitude
started out of the opposite window, while
he remarked loudly: "Cable's Joined
again sir" call right" was the cheer
full answer $50 are we," and Jennie
blushed while the good-natured conduc'
tor smiled broadly. he had seen severa
such scenes in his nine years on the
street railway. Now, all this happened
some time ago, and the first baby which
followed aud WAS named after the little
dead peacemaker has also taken its de-
parture, but the bereaved parents are
Ilos, ak,,ro