Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1893-06-09

dartod from the room and deposited %
in m upper chamber, piled with q
bachelors litter Of old books. boots and
firearms.
Next morning, determined that pro
fanation like that Of the previous night
should not hapren again. he resolved to
turn this lumber room, where he had
temporarily deposited the precious re-
mains, into a mortuary chapel and gave
instant orders for q cathedral window
and q niche ind altar to be placed be
meath it.
There the urn was again enshrined
but the lilies and roses had given place
to immortelles. Some days later, per
ceiving that these had lost color from
lack Of air and light. Durande had them
changed FOR garlands Of Sovres and
bisque q the costliest character. and
thus the urn stood peacefully in this
calm retreat.
Two years Of widowhood lengthened
to three, and Durande took unto himself
a second wife. Why, he couldn't have
told you. Certainly it was not n case Of
desperate love, though the new Nine
D1fande was a charming woman.
No, he mad but n excuse for refIing
the eripty uicho in bis life-Mme. Du-
rande the second was exceedingly like
Mime. Durande the first, with one ex-
ception-she was jealous, A jealousy
that caused her to look with suspicion
on every one, word or gesture, and the
knowledge that he still retained tender
memories of the dead would have caused
her tempestuous anger.
Durande no longer dared to keep the
urn in a conspicuous place. It was
quietly and secretly a third time re-
moved from its quarters and roverently
stored in n spare room in the mansardo.
Matters grew better as time wore on.
Peace and happiness reigned with the
young couple, and more than once DIV
rande, in this atmosphere OF renewed
content, was on the verge of unbosoming
himself and confding to his wife the
mystery Of the urn. Alasl his courage
always failed him.
In due time a son was born to the
house of Durande, and Mime. Durande
found it necessary to clear out and use
the room where the urn lay forgotten.
AS for Durande himself, the Joy of a
new made father dissipated all remorse
in his heart, and to celebrate the chris
tening with due pomp and splendor in
vitations were sent far and wide for a
magnificent dinner.
"But, my dear" said his wife as he
came in from the barracks the day of
the great event, "don't go to your dress-
ing room till you have seen the table,
the flowers arranged with my own
hands,"
Arranged A great heaping cluster Of
blood red roses-in an antique, strangely
familiar Roman urn, which held the
place of honor IN the sumptuous boardl
Durande bent closer. His wife saw
him start.
eyes," said she complacently, "'tis
yours, you dear old stupid, to throw
away as you have done the handsomest
thing collected in your trip to Italyl 1t
was up in the garnet filed with dust.
Heaven knows how long it has been
thereI"
"Wi-with dustr stammered Durande,
white as death, "and-and what did you
do with it, the-the dusty'
"Threw it on the rose pots, dearest
that is, what the wind didn't scatter.
But the effect-isn't it lovely?"
every, very lovelyl" murmured the
soldier, with a strangled sigh. And in
the fresh, fragrant flowers, whose petals
parted softly, like the lips of a young
girl to the first kiss of love, Durande
believed that he saw the tender smiles
and bushes of his dear, dead wife,
Short Stories.