Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1893-01-27

AI<# long persuasion she yielded. Very
sadly our little party turned back to our
holne, and poor Mary moved as in q
ra&iug dream.
time passed by she faded into a
u,eIe shadow of her once bright, cheer
ful telf. Patient and subdued, she seemed
aImast to forget her own identity, and to
llvtonly IN her sorrow and her child
W<{pould not allow her-she did not
seen 30 think Of doing so to go back
70 <Int home now so sadly desolate So
tor 1early two years she lived with us,
i l0{ing sister to the elders. tender
i teac6er to the little ones.
\ lnustamed as | was TO her calm de-
sfn0a1pr | was surprised one morning to
l sss .srf enter the breakfast room with
! kpfs 81 on her cheek, aud in her. eyes
q rSstless glitter that told o. troubled
mind and a wakeful night asked no
question however, but waited until the
children left the room, when suddenly
she came hurrying toward me, threw
herself upon my footstool, and buried
her tears in the folds of my dress.
"NIary, darling Mary, what is it ?"
said | tenderly smoothing her hair.
"0h, Mrs. Gray, do not think me
wild, she cried, 'do not reprovc me for
my folly-but know that Frank is still
alive. All night heard his voice, call
ing, wife, wife, He is not dead !. |
have never believed that he could die
and leave me What will become of me
it | don't find my poor Frank, who
needs me so much, and calls for me with
so much longing p
She seemed so excited, and 50 unlike
her usual quiet pelf, that ! was half
afraid to dispute her, although | pitied
her for the sad deusion,
my dear little sister, said sooth-
ingly, "you are broken down with care
and grief, aud dreams have troubled
your poor tired brain Strange fancies
come to us all when we are out of sorts,
you know. Will you not rest to-day, and
try to overcome this restless fancy p
She raised her face toward mine and
YEARLY sighed.
at was no fancy dear friend, eau
not prove it, but know it is true. -
Frank is alive and called for me last
night
Then, with look of patient grief, she
arose aud left me All day she seemed
to be thinking deeply, aud to avoid the
presence of the family, even of her baby
boy.
Next morning | was shocked to SEQ
the drawn lines about her mouth, and
the haggard eyes that told Of another
sleepless night She came down to
breakfast with that strange air of ex
citement about her, and all through the
day she moved about as one who hears n
far-off voice, unheard by other ears
AT sunset we sat together, after the
little onos had gone to sleep, when sud
denly the peal of the door bell rang
through the silent house
Mary sprang to her feet, her slender
figure drawn to its full height, her face
set and intense 10 the rays Of the fading
sun, indeed, she seemed to me as the
embodiment of m expectant hoarer. 1t
was but moment before the door of
our room was opened and rough but
kindly voice spoke to us:
"Does Mrs. Frank Hunter. live here ?
Can ! speak to herr
She sprang past me, with a cry, to
meet the man who stood there, all travel
stained aud dusty.
"Oh, sir, do you come from my hus-
bandl Oh, have you come to take me
to him y
"Woll upon my word, that is the
truth !" said the man, drawing long
breath of surprise
No doubt he had come expecting to
be met with disbelief. or at least that he
would have to prove hIs words With a
look of great relief he said:
eyes, have come from a man who
calls himself Frank Hunter. He is in
our camp, up in the Pineries, very sick
with brain fever. lie hired out with us
mighty nigh two years ago. When he
came TO our place he was lonesome
looking sort Of chap; the boys used to
pity him, for he never talked like he had
any kin above ground. or any friends,
either. All alsng he has boon kind OF
dull aud slow In his ways, and two weeks
ago he suddenly took down sick with a
fever. Ito lay 10 his bunk, moaning
sortcr stupid-like, not speaking word
for several days. But two nights ago,
as was sitting by him a.watching to
see if he wanted drink or any such
thing all of sudden he raised up in
bed, and called out
"'WiRe, wife +" two or three times Al
natural as you please.
"Who are you calling, Frank 7
said /.
why, I'm calling Mary, my wife
Of course isn't Mary hcrev and h'
looked around and called again severn
times.
i hardly knew what to do or say fol
fear Of making him restless, 80 | said -
Never mind, she'll come before
long
IIe lay there and looked at nc, anc
then clapped his hands to his head, anC
was still for very long time. Pres
emily he glanced up aud his eyes seem
ed more quiet and natural than | bac
ever seen them He said,
"Joe am too weak 10 tell you abou
it, but have wife She must be a
= Greenfield Won't you go and briui
her TO me p
Now didn't know what 10 think o
do, for thought that surely a man VIII
had given his wife the bounce for nigl
unto two years must be queer sort 0
Teller, or else she must be queer SCR
Of wife, so tried 10 put him of, bu
bless you, il was no use. The more
begged of the more excited he was, an
/ was afraid he would go into its, An
G maybe die, aud then I'd be to blame
! Finally | says
81 don't believe your wife will com
with such looking oodger as me N a.
D..