Alpena argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1893-1909, 1893-10-04
The Mothers Dream.

very unreasonable you are! The
children are all right, l don't doubt
Janet is with them"
II must 90 to them myself!' re-
iterated Agnes Fordham. "Oh,
John! l have had such dreadful
dream! How could l ever go away
and leave them to Janet's care
Dear husband. if you have ever
loved me, don't deny me this once. u
John Fordham rubbed his eyes
sleepily, and rose up without any
further remonstrance. He had al
ways indulged Agnes, and it was
rather late to break off the habit
now.
"Well, if you insist upon it; but.
my word for it, you'll find 'em all
safe and sound in bed. And what
will Mrs. Revere sayp"
"She need not know it, John. |
have sent a servant to order the
carriage, and she need not be dis
turbed."
"A pretty ideal" grumbled honest
John Fordham, ITO come visiting,
and drive away at twelve o'clock at
night without even a good-by!"
Agnes tried to laugh, but some
how the merry, musical sound died
away into sob. She buried her
face in her hands, while her fair
curls drifted over Johns shoulder,
like fleecy shower of gold.
why, little one, what's the mat
terP" he asked, wonderingly.
My children! my children" SOB
bed Agnes. "Oh, it was such a
dreadful dream!'
"Tell me what it WASP" he ques-
toned stroking her head with ten
der caresslng touch.
II don't know; l can't describe
it; only it was all terror and con-
fusion, with their voices calling
Mamma! mamma! and their little
hands clinging to my dress"
my pet, it was only a dream!"
But, oh, John! it was like reali-
ty! There is the carriage now!
Oh, hasten! hasten! my husband!
Every moments delay seems like
an age to mel"
"All right! I'm ready now,"
said John Fordham, all unconscious
that his coat was on wrong side out,
and that his cravart was tied some
where under the left ear, in his
anxiety to obey his wife's behests
about haste. "Come puss!'
And he patiently resigned HIM
self to the long ten miles drive over
wintry roads, at a witching hour of
midnight without a word of COM
plant, for John Fordham loved his
beautiful wife very sincerely, and
would have done much more than
that to make her happy.
I'VE will never leave our dar-
lings again, John, will wep" whis-
pered Agnes, nesting close to her
husbands side, as he puffed dream
lily away at his fragrant Havana.
mo, DEAR" responded John.
sleepily. as he though within him.
self what very whimsical things
mothers were.
"Five miles further to co. sigh
ed Agnes, as they drove away from
the little country tavern where they
had stopped to change horses.
John, it seems as if we never
should be there!'
Agnes" said her husband,
abruptly, "there was a ball going
on at that tavern"
"Was therep" she asked indiffer-
emily.
"And | am quite sure that saw
our Janet's face among the dancers,
as we drove away, past the lighted
windows"
"Janet'sp Impossible! You
must have been mistaken, John"
81 was not mistaken, Agnes.
Shall we we drive backP"
"No-oh, no! Let us hasten
home, as fast as the horses can take
US. IL Janet had indeed left my
little ones, there is all the more rea-
son that their mother should be at
their side"
She said no more during the
drive, but John could feel that her
hand, lying on his, was colder than
any ice.
The instant the foaming horses
drew up in front Of the steps, Ag-
mes had pushed the door open, and
sprung out. Fordham followed
her, with his heart full Of strange
nameless terror that he would
scarcely acknowledge even to him