Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1893-02-02


swept, everything was placed in its
usual orderly fashion, and her dress
hung upon the wall near hirn-the old
brown calico she had worn the last time
he had seen Eer.
"Gone, be said dazedly; gone"
sJGst then one of the boys, who had felt
strange mss sg;vings and had followed him,
entered.
what did you say; Charlie? Is she
gomez Why, that couldn't be; she'd
never be such fool as to venture out in
that storm. If she did-poor fellow, he's
faintedr
1t was some time before Charlie Dean
revived. He was very weary, and the
awfulness of what had been through his
neglect quite overpowcred him.
There, you're better now" said his
friend What do you think could have
caused her to leave the house. and where
did she go?''
II don't know, unless to the stable. l
had left little corn there"
Charlie" said his friend sternly, ''you
never left your. wife in such condition.
Dub Oudr1o Only lOQOeu.
"Iexpected to be home, you know-but
don't look at me like thatl Pm punished
enoughl She's dead somewhere under
the snow, my poor little Clarer'
They failed to find her. No corn was
missing, it is true, but they found moth
ing to SO much as to point the way
whittier she had gone
\ Charlie Dean was changed man once
more To his boon companions he said
goodby, and many Of them never forgot
the silent pain in his eye, the anguish
that his whole face expressed.
Its not going to kill him. said the
friend who had been watching him to
see that he did nothing rash. mo, it's
going to make such man out of him as
we never dreamed Of. The one thing
now that has possession Of him is work,
in order that he may forget. It's 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 faraway city where he had
first met and won his wife.
A strange longing had come 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.
s'There's a man drunk leaning on the
fence" he heard q strange voice exclaim.
Then the playing ceased, and voice
that almost caused him to faint second
time responded:
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 Ideclare feel nerv-
ous.n
Charlie stood up squarely now, pushed
his hat back slightly and looked full and
straight into the eyes of his wife.
She fell back with 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 a fearful voice was saying: ''Charlie,
oh, Charlie! You've come at lastr
II want to know" he said when in
the cozy parlor still clinging to her hand,
81 want to know how you got away from
the ranch during that awful storm"
Clare flushed. but answered unhesitat-
ingly:
II was a good walker | felt no fear
Of the storm. You had left me almost
nothing to eat, and 1 really thought l
should lose my mind if l remained there
many more days all alone.
81 took the little money | still pos
sessed and started soon after you did,
only went in an opposite direction. I
had scarcely reached the main trail when
two horse wagon came dashing up, the
mana stranger, but God bless him, for
he saved my life jumped out and
snatched me up before l could say by
your leave and away we tore like mad.
The horses were very strong and swift,
and we seemed to be outriding the storm.
We reached shelter at last, just before
its fury broke, and l thanked him as
best could. Then, when the roads were
clear, started for my old home, but l
had to stop and work awhile before l got
here. Aunt has never heard all the
story; couldn't talk of some things"
81 thought you dead" said Charlie.
sI-if you could know how have suf-
fered Oh, Clare. don't suppose you
could forgiven
.I forgave you long ago. was some
to blame. 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, Clare-for when
you were gone found out how loved
your
''Oh, yes, and wherever you go I'll try
to make that home happy"
"And I'll see that it is a home in which
to be happy" answered Charlie, with a
tremble in his voice.-Abbie G. Nc
KeereT in Yankee Blade