Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1894-04-05

Perhaps Nora has cried herself sick, I
said to reassure myself. went to the
bedroom-everything in order there, but
the room was empty. Nervously hur-
ried through every room, looked into
every closet, went down cellar, out to
the coal shed, up to the attic. I didn't
expect to find her in any Of these places
I was suue she had gone away, but /
must look for her somewhere.
''I went back to the bedroom again
and there found the note she had left
for me pinned to my pillow.
"Poor little tear stained letterl Here
it is, worn in the folds and yellow with
age-this is what she wrote:
Don't think 1t is because l am angry at
what youdid this morning that go. I cannot
stay, because cannot make you happy. You
will at least live in peace without me. l love
you, my husband, and always will. Think Of
But, nc; II 1t makes you sad to think of me, for
get me. God bless you. l love you. NORA.
''That was all. It gave no cle'w. Was
she living or dead?
EFF living, I was determined to find
her. i searched for her everywhere, ad-
vertised, traveled-all in vain. Nearly
three years passed, and not word had /
heard from her. had almost come to
the conclusion that she was dead. Dur
ing that time it was that my hair turned
white.
IT was working as reporter on a
New York morning paper, gathering
news and searching for my wife.
''One bitter cold night the last week
in January / was sent to report fire
that had broken out in a large tenement
house in one Of the poorest quarters Of
the city. The greater part Of the build
ing was in flames when I arrived. The
hremen saw that it would be useless to
try to save it and were directing their
efforts to getting out the frightened in
mates. did what could to assist them
in rescning the poor wretches.
"At last, when we thought they were
all out the smoke cleared away from a
part of the building, and by the light of
the flames that leaped up wo saw the
| nguresOr two women IN window. One
Of them had bundle in her arms and
was preparing to leap to the ground /
motioned her back In moment q fire.
man moved a ladder to the place ascend
ed and returned with one of the women,
q little hunchback. The other, the ono
with the bundle, clasped it convulsive-
ly, tottered and would have fallen to the
ground but for the fireman who had
inst reached her. Quickly he descended,
bearing her unconscious form.
""Gness she's about gene. Get q
place ready for her, quickl Let me lay
her DOWN. he shouted
"Off came my overcoat, and the fire.
man laid her on it.
81 stopped to see If she was badly
burned, and also to see what was in the
bundle. A little child about years old,
round eyed and frightened, looked at me
from the wet, steaming blanket that
was wrapped around it. A pretty little
thing, 1 thought as I disengaged it from
the blistered arms that clasped it. The
woman was badly burned about the
body. / drew away the towel that she
had around her head and saw-my wifel
pale and worn, but still the same fea-
lures, the same clustering brown curls on
her forehead My wife, given back to
me like this! Frantically called for
help, for a doctor. There happened to be
one in the crowd.
"He hooked at Nora s burns and shook
his head There was no hope. She
would probably never open her eyes
again, but she did. The great dark eyes
looked up at me, and the lips murmured:
'Maudie-baby.
II held the baby over her She smiled
family and said:
'Maudie- perhaps will
Tell him--I always s-loved-I'-
''But her eyes closed, and her head
fell against my breast. She was dead
''Did she recognize me in those few
moments? GodoRly knows Icould not
tell
''The crippled girl who was with her
in the window. and whom she insisted