The Princeton union., 1893-09-28
OVER THE TELEPHONE.

AU&terps over the Stiffening lDS: the
taok of mute, piteous appeal had faded
from the glazed eyes, and rs the head
SWOnn that 40 human skill could bring
taseE tEfck from, Miriam Dale rose up
'GrOm where she had been knceling be-
-sHefe tIie low couch, with her face almost
eeuciiing the pillow on which the dying
wonsan had lain, in her effort to catch
Tehe last faint sounds that came from
fsser Hps, and totterlng from very weak
oaess, CROPPED her way toward Il chair,
audi sinking into it, buried her face in
Ger hands
Size was alone with the dead woman
--aBoae on the top floor of decent but
claim Recommendations rs she had been
OH chat long afternoon that was now
vaeesssning into night She had neigh
u0rs On the floors Observation-Disclosures
sEomeD, who would have responded in
ssantty to call, but, who hesitated
60 intr,lde themselves upon her, lmin-
wEfsd, although one of them had kept
2ser door open all day, to catch any
*ssand that might seem to warrant her
sa volunteering her assistance.
RHt Meither that loneliness, nor her
recenE bereavement, stamped that gray,
.asseR pailor on Miriam's face, OF caused
Che look OF utter woe that shOne in her
sssses when she raised her head after Il
u,nament, with an expression of utter
H3esala1ion and hcartbrcak.
10 her that silent figure on the bed
WAS the emblem of q double bereave
ss1sent-not only the loss Of kind friend,
UssO had surrounded her life with every
.SEamble comfort and privilege and adj
.v7K&age, That the stlictest and, at times,
even painful economy could procure,
Esut also the loss Of the only parent
Ssao had ever known-of one whom,
"sHRzfI within the last hour, she had
i3sioketi upon as her mOther-of whose
modest worth and integrity she had
Eleen SO anectionately proud; the loss
tss her of the good name, which had
keen, rs she had many times declared,
q better Inheritance than wealth or
Ruxury, since it was a possession of
(which nothing could deprive her-cast
'zaspou she world in Il double sense, with
MO Legal right to the name she bore,
with no knowledge or certainty that
~lssse had d right to any name.
For all that her friend and adopted
mother had been able to tell her in
those hast dying moments had been
that she had been brought to her home
,uJne night when il mere infant, in the
:aarn1s of a handsome and we'll dressed
young woman, who had begged her hos
gpafaRty Cor the night, and by morning
hzd disappeared, leaving the child be-
mind her with a note begging Mrs. Dale
to take care of her for the present.
geaving behind a handsome sum OF
Gsseney, and promising more If she did
not return for the child within stated
-csIme
HEaving lost her husband and child a
few months before, Mrs Dale gladly
yeepived the little wnif, and when. as
<aKae antjcipated, neither the remittance
zor the stranger ever appeared. she re-
solved to rear the child as her own.
EssaA OH her dying bed, seized with
ss,zsEden misgiving, she had disclosed to
.Asfyiam all she knew of her history,
ssAd had directed her where to find Il
little bax containing a few trinkets She
s,aa e,n when she first came, and which
1sser foster mother had carefully pre-
served
poN'NN~N'S
2 herself of them: indeed, she scarcely
Thought of them for the time being
Tine refrain throbbed through her heart
with eeaseless persistency.
Tie will not be here yet for three
days. BY that time will have strength
10 tell him."
Ees; for, to all her other pain, humili-
stion and anguish, was added this one
EzaEe pang-it had been her joy and
esEagrua until noW-she had a lover-One
:NgaSnSt whose love her humble station
ssad Tnterposed no barrier either in her
aariusf or his-but from whom this dis
VsEasure, with its possible burden of dis
aH@nor and OblOquy, must forever exile
AsT- Nm the amtegrity OF her good name
?ssae had deemed herself, as he fondly
assured her, fully his equal, aside from
the accident Of wealth; but now, no
:zsz1tter how far his loyal love might
Ea.oDpt him to sacrifice himself, her
Iavse, her pride would never permit her
vess cast shadow Of doubt upon the
Epuefess record of his lineage.
Like one in dream she passed
Ghruuxk those three days before the
fhueral-dry-eyed. tcarless-attending
Tss every little detail with scr1lpulous
:sasienty, but seeing nothing, hearing
nothing but the one dear face she must
EyEE out of her life forever, the words
she must speak that would quench for
ssss.f all life and hope in her heart.
sf HTas ended at last. Margaret Dale
was laid away in her quiet grave, and
Mzr1aM sat alone in the only home she
kta& ever known, which she must leave
sEn a few days to begin amid strange
scenes her battle in the world; that bat
Vie she had deemed so nearly over.
f-senseeforth only to be regarded from the
safe and loving shelter of husbands
arms Absorbed in her painful rcyerle.
She DID mot hear the light step that
Came up the stairs, the noiseless hand
@anas stunned the door-knob. The first
*ssssnE size knew some one bent over her.
ana she was gathered in the tender.
Tgexvent embrace Of two loving arms.
Tehhe a deep, rich voice, attuned to a
'd.adenee OF gentlest sympathy, muir
assured in her ear: - s
Poor little lonely, sorrowful girl.
never to be be lonely or sorrowful any