The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1893-02-16
drop left me winter.

uIOp lclt LAO WAheSA'
hurried from the room, and seeking
nv wife laid the case before her. "This
is a ghoul," said, "that we harbor; he
is sucking my best blood, and the house
hold is clean bewitched." She laid aside
The book in which she read and laughed
at me. Now my wife was we'll looking,
and her eyes were the light of ny soul.
Consider, then, how | felt as she laugh
ed, taking the strangers part against
me. When left her it was with new
suspicion in my heart. "How shall it
be-" / thought, ''if after stealing my
youth he go ON to take the one thing
that is BETTER"
In my room, day by day, | brooded
upon this-hating my own alteration
and fearing worse. With the stranger
there was no longer any disguise. His
head blossomed in curls; white teeth
filed the hollows Of his mouth; the pits
in his cheeks were heaped full with roses,
glowing under a transparent skin. 1t
was Eson renewed and thankless, and
he sat on, devouring my substance.
Now having probed my weakness, anu
being satisfied that no longer dared to
turn him out, he, who had half imposed
his native tongue upon us, constraining
the household to hideous jargon, the
bastard growth of two languages, con
descended to jerk us back rudely into
our own speech once more, mastering it
with readiness that proved his former
dissimulation and using it henceforward
as the sole vehicle of his wishes. On his
past life he remained silent, but took
occasion to confide in me that he pro-
posed embracing military career as
soon as he should tire of the shelter of
my roof.
And l groaned in my chamber, fol
that which feared had come to pass.
He was making open love to my wife.
And the eyes with which he looked at
her and the lips with which he coaxed
her had been mine, and | was an old
man.. Judge now between me and this
guest.
One morning went to my wife, 70,
the burden was past bearing, and must
satisfy myself found her tending the
plants on her window ledge, and when
she turned saw that years had moi
taken from her comeliness one jot, And
was old.
So | taxed her on the matter of this
stranger, saying this and that, and how
1 had cause to believe he loved her.
"That is beyond doubt" she answered
and smiled.
"By my head, l believe his fancy il
returnedr' blurted out
And her smile grew radiant as, look
ing me in the face, she answered, "B,
my soul, husband, it is"
Then went from her down into m,
garden, where the day grew hot and tn
flowers were beginning to droop.
stared upon them and could find no SC
luton to the problem that worked in m
heart. And then l glanced up, east
ward, to the sun above the privet hedg
and saw him coming across the fiowe
beds, treading them down in wanton
ness. He came with light step and 1
smile, and ! waited for him, leanin
heavily on my stick.
"Give ne your watchl" he called ou
as he drew near.
"Why should give you my watch?'
asked, while something worked In m
throat.
Because wish it; because it is gold
because you are too old and won't wan
it much longer"
"Take it," cried, pulling the watc
out and thrusting it into his hant
! "Take it--you who have taken all this
is better Strip me, spoil me-
A soft laugh sounded above, and
turned. My wife was looking down o
US from the window, and her eyes we,
both moist and glad.
Pardon me-" she said; sit is you wh
, are spelling the child. Arthur T. Qai
ler- Couch in Noughts and Crosses.