The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1893-12-16
my FRIENDS STORY.

'ia very strange story-one have dared
bill to very few persons, and yet If you
Insist will give it you" I,
had insisted and besought by turns
or half an hour and this concession of
lis was the outcome of a series of stra-
egic movements on my part that would
lave done honor to Partisan detective
well, then" said. II insist. 60 on
With your story. and if any pledge of
secrecy is in order, just say so and I'll
hold up my hands,"
IL don't enjoin secrecy" he answered
klowly THE story is not one you would
care to repeat.
"Oh, very we'll. very we'll, bantered,
with mighty affectation of a flippancy
4 did not feel Il can close my mouth
1hs tight as any one you know. But to
fhe story. Your wife. you said. died a
Y ilr agoT
I, II said nothing of the kind" he re-
..piied emphatically. II told you lost
her year ago." Then he rose and,
crossing the room, emptied the ashes
1erom his pipe into the fireplace and
,lped himself to another round of
Tobacco. As he stood for moment sill
Ihouetted against the faring Goals in the
CRATE. silent. calm, serene, it burst upon
me suddenly that the silence and seren-
lily which in him had long regarded as
most offensive and 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:
4 '"You insist"
By this time realized that l was in
for it whatever it might be. and an
swered promptly, YES"
And then. still leaning on the chimney
piece, he began in hesitating way:
LAS you already know, Gladys and ]
were married trifle over thirteen
\ months ago. | loved her madly, and
4 she, poor girl. was all wife should be
or could be. We were very happy to-
gether: no clouds ever dsrkened the
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
Nleased 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 beer
obtrusion if not sacrilege. At length
raising his head. he turned to me with
apparent effort and as he did so coult
see there were tears in his eyes.
Zone evening" he went on, after
had begged him be seated and he hae
taken the big cushioned chair by tn
hearth, lone evening last February m.
wife and spent with her mother AM
returned at late hour to our apart
AL ments. The night was bad one. an
Gladys. poor little girl, was weary an
exhausted when we reached home. He
bright eyes had dull. leaden look. sh
was pale. complained of headache an
said strange things as il her mind wer
wandering for the moment. and recon
mended that she retire at once and slice
off the i'll effects Of her overexertior
She was very loath to take my advic
for some reason or other, and when
had lighted my pipe and drawn my arm
chair up to the table she came and kne
beside me and took my hand in hers.
".John,' said she-ah, how well n
member her words, spoken in III
piauant, half reproachful way-'Johl
You don't mean to send me away fro1
you, do your
"sYes, my dear replied, rather pc
ulantly. For your own sake do. Ye
mii7eed sleep and rest. am perfectly "a
I lbre with my paper
/ "She rose and turned away, but hi
| taken only few steps when she I
turned and took my hand again.
| ".You want me to leave you, Johny
"sYes, yes, my dear; 60 to sleep 81
| get q nights rest; it will do you mo
good than anything else under the SUI
Her caresses somehow made me e
strangely cold and nervous, and spo
| more harshly than should have done h
! Istopped to think. She rose quickly q
passed into our bed chamber beyond. q
a. the portieres closed behind her fe
ing Of unutterable loneliness overcal
me, my heart beat hard and fast and
breathed with difficulty. It was ell
! surdity, OF course. and when l had ne