The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-01-14

hung upon the wall near him-the old
brown calico she had worn the last time
he had seen her.
Gone" he said dazedly; "gone."
just then one of the boys, who had felt
strange misgivings and had followed him,
entered.
"What did you say, Charlie? Is she
gone? Why, that couldn't be; she'd
never be such fool as to venture out in
that storm. If she did-poor fellow, he's
/ faintedr'
1t was some time before Charlie Dean
revived. He was very weary, and the
awfulness of what had been through his
neglect quite overpowered him.
"There, you're better now" said his
friend. "What do you think could have
caused her TO leave the house, and where
did she go?"
Il don't know, unless to the stable. I
had left little corn there"
Charlie" said his friend sternly, "you
never left your wife in sucha condition.
But Charlie only nodded
"Iexpected to be home, you know-but
don't look at me like that I'm punished
enough. She's dead somewhere under
the snow. my poor little Clare,'
They failed to find her No corn was
missing, it is true, but they found moth
ing to so much as to point the way
whittier she had gone
| Charlie Dean was changed man once
more. To his boon companions he said
goodby, and many of them never forgot
the silent pain in his eye, tho anguish
| that his whole face EXPRESSED
Its not going to kill him." said the
friend who had been watching him to
see that he did nothing rash. No, it's
i going to make such man ont Of him as
we never dreamed Of The one thing
now that has possession Of him is work,
in order that he may forget. It's good
medicine. think I'll try some myself.
| Three years later, well to do, with
money to srare, for none of it was ever
/ a4i,andered now, Charlie Dean once more
! sought the faraway city where he had
first mot and won his wife.
1 A strange longing had come over him
to once more see that place, and travel
stained and bron2ed he walked by the
I house almost expecting TO hear her touch
upon the piano and the sound of her
! sweet voice.
Bewildered, amazed, half believing
himself ont of his head, he did hear her
voice once more.
There's IL man drunk leaning on the
fence" he heard strange voice cxclaim.
Then the playing ceased, and voice
that almost caused him to faint second
| ting Responded:
Drunken men are only too common.
Let him alone. Some policeman will be
along presently
Then the music struck up again, this
time into a wild galop, as if the players
thoughts We're runnng away with her.
But he's still there" continued the
strange voice. Hes peculiar looking.
Do lool. ont. Glare. Ideclare feel nery-
GUS"
Charlie stood mp squarely now, pushed
his hat back Slightly and looked full and
straight into tho eyes of his wife.
She tell back with a cry, the place was
empty. and scarcely knowing what he
did Charlie wes turning away when
some one came flying down those steps
ali-Gnd. yes, had her hand in his. and
in Il te,.ful Voice was saying: Charlie,
oh. ChaIliel You've come at lastr'
II want to know" he said when in
the coy parlor still clinging TO her hand,
Il want to know how you got away from
the ranch during that awful storm"
Clre flushed. but answered unhesitat-
j inRly;
II was n good wallior. felt no fear
of tic storm. You had left me almost
nothing TO cat. and | really thought |
should lesa my mind II | remained there
many more days all alone.
Il took the little money | still nos
sessed and started soon after y5u did,
only | went i'll IN opposite direction. |
had scarcely reached the main trail when
two horse wagon came dashing up, the
mana stranger. hut God bless him, for
he saved my life jumped ont and
snafei' II me mp before | could say by
Your leave, and AWAY we tore like mad
The horses were very strong and swift,
and we seemed to be outriding the storm.
w reached shelter at last. just before
it, fury broke. and thanked him rs
best could. Tlrn, when the roads were
clear, | started for my old home, bnt
had TO stop aud work awhile before got
here, Aunt has never heard all the
story; Couldn't talk of some things"
i thought you dead" said Charlie
"I--if you could know how | have suf-
ferel Oh, Glare. | don't suppose you
could forgive.'
Il forgave you long ago. was some
b blame. | onght to have tried to have
been happier. | wrote 10 your old home,
but they told me yon had gone away"
''Shtll we begin over, Ciare-for when
yS1 were gone | found out how | loved