The Southern herald., 1893-10-06
HIS WIFE'S ALARM.
It Was Caused by the Lies Of a
Rasoany Janitor.

"Nhy don't your asked ION Muir
ply.
"WhyS@ said !. ''Oh, I'm a married
man, and my wife has a horror Of the
races I've promised her 10 keep away
from them A promise Is a promise" "
"And good enough you've made II,
sir" said our old porter. Honest jim
we called him. MANY man has gone
iown 10 ruin and degradation on &C.
count Of them races The lady Is wise
She is wise. I'm telling you what /
name. Obey the lady, and yoa'n never
see yourself in difficulties
Honest Jim was fond of giving adj
vice, and he broke up our chat with
these words, Murphy and Virgins
went away to get glass Of beer before
they parted, and / took the train home.
A brooding storm broke just as I
reached my cottage, and glad enough
was to escape It, We had supper TO-
gether and went into the psrlor as
usual What a night Il ives, to be surel
a wild night a bitter night, night
when there seemed to be strange voices
In the wind, and those within the house
were ESely to fancy knocks upon their
Soors and unbar and unbolt them and
cry: "Who is thereq" when il 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 hreside and tell
ing me that she would return shortly,
left the room.
To leave the room was nothing, but
when heard her leave the house |
could scarcely believe my senses. She,
who was so tlmid-she who Why,
no, It could not be. went about the
house calling her, Igrew alarmed, and,
fearing to iud her lying in a swoon
somewhere, carried the lamp low and
looked in the garret, the cellar, the lit
tie 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 taker
her out? Had she heard our pom!
fidgeting in'hls stall or the peep Of som,
stray chicken2 Was she anxious abou
the day-old calfP We had all thesC
rural belongings in the small boundary
Of our little summer-home.
II so, why did she not mention II Il
me2 1t was, no doubt, that cold o
mine, which l had made too much fus
about. She went herself rather thai
to expose me. tossed on my water
proof coat, pulled an. old hat over m
ears and went out upon the porcl
The lantern was gone.
"FledaI" | cried, lifting my voic'
"Fleda, / sayl Where are you, Fledai
heard no sound, but shortly, fl
along the road, spied yellow bit
waving near the ground, and knev
when had watched it for some tim
that 1t was a lantern carried by SON
one to light her steps along the irrcg1
lar ioot-path. l say "her," becau'
shortly | could see the drapery OF
woman's dress. 1t was my wife, r
turning home. | was certain OF tht
now, and called to her at once:
"Fleda, why on earth are you stral
Cling about in the storm? Why didn
you send me to do what you wantC
done2 The wind is strong enough
carry YOU over the hills. I've been wi
about you"
al did not know the wind was
strong"
And asked no more questions. NJ
anxiety for Fleda swallowed up evel
other thought. However, she was pc
fectly well next day, though curious
depressed and abstracted.
| have not yet introduced myself.
am Henry Darlington. My busine
was that Of cashier with the Dayt'
BYothers. My wife and l lived simp
in Tiny out-of-town cottage in SUI
mer; in a timer fat in winter | HI
never been extravagant apd my on
great folly had been to risk certa
-. sum Of money, left me as a legacy,
" the races. backed the favorite al
\ lost every dollar. Fleda was We
much distressed when ! told her t
= news
Not at the loss Of the mont
Henry" she said, "but that you shot
risk II at the races. My uncle once e
ployed a young man who became d
honest and was finally arrested becar
. Of going to the races and betting a
4 all that. Pray, pray, be careful"
. The week passed quietly. Pay mig
came again. 1t often happens that
same night is stormy for several 81
ceeding weeks. This night, howev
was not as bad as the one on which
story opens. However, 1t was mu
more comfortable indoors than o
And yet, Just as was In the middle
a paragraph was reading to her fir
the evening paper, | looked up and s.
\ that Fleda had vanished. Again
searched the house. Again | fou
that she had left it. Again the yell
light of the lantern told me OF her
turn. She was not out of breath t
time, but she was pale and tremb
a little. She shook her head wher
asked her where she had been, and sa
Nowhere. The house felt close,
wanted little air. That is all"
% "You did not find what was read
y interestingly" said |.
Il II assure you" she began, Il
,s broke off suddenly. Don't talk alb
d. itle she cried. "Don'tl Don'tl l pr
y don't talk about itp'
p did not talk, but ] thought 6
DEAL and had reason to think.
by day noticed that Fleda was gra
ally growing thinner and paler.
spirits were deserting her. And W
- the same day Of the week came arou
she left the house as mysteriousl.
before. The presence of a guest
vented me from following her; bu
- discovered that, in order to keep
3 knowledge OF her absence from
-. - - u. !. 1,.fora1s tho cti