Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1893-09-21
HIS WIFE'S ALARM.
IL Was Caused by tho Los OF a
Rascally Janitor.

nv.a married man, | should 90 to tho
races on Monday and put all I'm worth
on Razzlc Dazzle" -
Why don't your asked Tom Mur.
ply 80" NUT
Why?" said |. "Oh, I'm a married
man. and my wife has n horror of the
races. I've promised her to keep away
IRON Them. A promise is q promise"
ana good enough you've, made It,
pr said our old porter. Honest Jim
we called him. Manga man has gone
aown to ruin and degradation on nc
count OF them races The lady is wise.
ohe Is wise. I'm telling you what
name Obey the lady, and you'll never
sec yourself in difiiculties.n
Honest jim was fond of riving adj
wee, and he broke up our chat with
'nese words. Murphy and Virgins
went away tc get glass of beer before
they parted, and took the train home.
a orooding storm broke Just as
reached my cottage, and glad enough
was to escape it. We had supper to-
gether and went into the parlor as
usual. What night it was, to be sure!
wild night, bitter night, night
when there seemed to be strange voices
In the wind, and those within the house
were likely to fancy knociss upon their
doors and unbar and unbolt them and
cry: who is therc?" when 1t was only
the blast that had caused them to rat
tie. Yet it was on this night that my
wife, my little, delicate, beautiful wife
Fleda arose from the iireside and tell
ing me that she would return shortly,
left the room.
10 leave the room was nothing, but
wncn ] heard her leave the house
could scarcely believe my senses. She,
who was SO timid--she who Why,
no, 1t could not be- went about the
house calling her. Igrew alarmed, and,
fearing to find her lying in swoon
somewhere, carried the lamp low and
looked in the garnet, the cellar, the lit
tic kitchen where cooking was done in
summer-everywhere. in fact.
She was gone, and so was the cloak,
that usually hung in certain place,
and hood she wore about the grounds
on cold days. What could have taken
her out? Had she heard our pony
fidgeting in'his stall or the peep of some
stray chicken? Was she anxious about
tho day-old calf? We had all these
rural belongings in the small boundary
~ o..,. 1,4@ln e,,,,,
If SO, why did she not mention it to
me? 1t was, no doubt, that cold OF
mine, which had made too much fuss
about. She went herself rather than
to expose me. / tossed on my water
proof coat, pulled an old hat over my
ears and went out upon the porch.
The lantern was gone.
"Fledal" l cried, lifting my voice,
"Fleda. say Where are you, FiedaY'
heard no sound, but shortly, far
along the road, spied q yellow blur
waving near the ground, and knew,
when I had watched it for some time,
that it was lantern carried by some
one to light her steps along the irregu-
lar foot-path. | say her. because
shortly / could see the drapery of q
woman's dress. 1t was my wife, re-
turning home. was certain of that
now, and called to her at once:
.sFleda, why on earth are you stray
Cling about in the storm? Why didn't
YOU send me to do what you wanted
done? The wind is strong enough to
carry Won over the hills. I've been wild
about you."
II did not know the wind was SO
strong"
And | asked no more questions. My
anx,ety for Fleda swallowed up every
other thought. However, she was per-
fectly well next day, though curiously
depressed and distracted.
have not yet introduced myself. |
am Henry Darlington. My business
was that of cashier with the Dayton
Brothers. My wife and / lived simply
in a tiny out-of-town cottage in sum-
mer; in a timer fat in winter. | had
never been extravagant, and my only
great folly had been to risk certain
sum Of money, left me as legacy, at
the races. backed the favorite and
lost every dollar. Fleda was very
much distressed when ! told her the
news
.Not ut the loss of the money,
Henry" she said, "but thatyou should
risk it at the races My uncle once en-
ployed young man who became dis
honest and was finally arrested because
of going to the races and betting and
all that. Pray, pray, be careful"
The week passed quietly Pay night
came again. 1t often happens that the
same night is stormy for several sue
ceedinr weeks. This night, however,
was not as bad as the one on which my
story opens. However, it was much
more comfortable indoors than out.
And vet, Just as was in the middle OF
paragraph was reading to her from
the evening paper, looked up and saw
sbot Fleda had vanished. Again
searched the house. Again ! found
that she had left it. Again the yellow
,;ght Of the lantern told me of her re-
tnrn. She was not out of breath this
time. but she was pale and trembled
a little. She shook her head when
asked her where she had been, and said:
nowhere. The house felt close.
xyanted a little air. That is all. !"
.You did not find what l was reading
interestingly" said l.
II assure YOU" she began, then
broke off suddenly. Don't talk about
ri. she cried. "Don'tl Don't pray,
don't talk about itl''
did not talk, but ! thought good
deal and had reason to think. Day
NV day noticed that Fleda was gradu'
ailv growing thinner and paler HeI
snirits were deserving her. And when
the same day of the week came around
she left the house as mysteriousiy as
before. The presence of guest pre-.
vented me from following her; but
discovered that, in order to keep the
Knowledge of her absence from the
house from me, she entered the store
7. m a