The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1893-12-08
MY FRIENDS STORY.


| had insisted and besought by turns
for half an hour and this concession of
his was the outcome OF u series of stra-
tegic movements on my part that would
have done honor to u Partisan detective.
well, then | said, II insist. Coon
with your story, and II any pledge Of
secrecy is in order, just say so and I'll
hold up my hands,
Il don't enjoin secrecy" he answered
slowly "The story is not one you would
care to repeat"
"Oh, very we'll, very well, !" | bantered,
with mighty affectation Of a flippancy
| did not feel Il can close my mouth
as tight as any one you know, But to
the story, Your wife, you said, died
year ago2"
Il said nothing of the kind" he re-
piled emphatically, 81 told you lost
her 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 ind objectionable were
nothing other than the dignity of sor-
row, 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
pipeful, he turned and said simply
"You insist"
BY this time realized that | 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;
"As you already know, Gladys and
were married trife over thirteen
months ago | loved her madly, and
she, poor girl, was all a wife should be
or could be- We were very happy to-
gether; no clouds ever darkened the
clear heaven Of our mutual love, nor
troubles for moment disturbed our
peace and happiness, Previous to de-
parting on our wedding trip had
leased suite of rooms in a large up
town flat-yon know the place--and
when we returned after 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
then, and to speak would have been
obtrusion ii 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
"One evening" he went on, after |
had begged him be seated and he had
taken the big cushioned chair by the
hearth, zone evening last February my
wife and | spent with her mother and
returned at late hour to our apart
ments. 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 II her mind were
wandering for the moment, and recon-
mended that she retire at once and sleep
oil 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
char up to the table she came and knelt
beside me and took my hand in hers,
John, said she-ah, how well re-
member her words, spoken in her