The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1894-11-03

/ ltpa rs almost feN9Eeubg peeUeA he
white old head. "And You have beer
all these years trying to End htmF
| The white face against the gateway o
another hospital was now haunting me-
more ominously and desperately thar
this living double Of tho little old taeE
in the inkaIand.
She was pouring the tea into the
cups A cup and saucer stood before
the half turned arm chair. She raised
the kettles as il TO ill this empty cup
| Thought her face grew more pGilid toi
an instant She heSitated IN scared,
startled way aud then said sadly and
plaintively:
flied his cup! Tell me, sir!-te!l IN Q!
would not know it here-here, sir,
as her hand fuliered to her loyal heart,
III he was dead?'
"Ses, yes, yes" .,, al
"And YOU arc suro he Is still liviugH
1t would have been cruel heart that
could have cast the shadow OF q single
doubt upon this almost Infinite patience
and faith; aud l answered her with the
bravest words could.
Then as We sat ut tea, | listened, u.s.
tened, to another life-drama OF waiting,
searching, longing. such as books can
never tell; listened TO hopes and plans
and faiths az fresh and sweet and inno-
cent as ever maiden breathed to other
maiden's eager ears; and listened, dar-
ing not to reveal what l exultantly
hoped and believed, for the ono word,
tho absent husbands name, 10 make
me safe and sure.
Deepest artitice could not secure IL
Wiliest surprise would not reveal IT.
As though il were the last slender
thread that held her to her or7n. che had
buried this most needed thing. per
haps from the very horror oil which
might come from its utterance, IN the
innermost depths Of her irreconclliaoly
tender yet cunning nature amt life.
The gray Of the morning had come
when arose to go. And would come
again 2-for at times the hours were
lonely here. Yes, and yes and yes again,
from me, IL could bring along a'triend.
Then the sooner the better, the sweet
old voice prattled aud prattlcd on. To
breakfast, then, this very morning. at
ten-for this friend might know him.
Yes and yes again and again. as l stroked
her silvered head and turned away.
Then to my inn for n few hours sleep
my story still MISUNDERSTANDING the
face in the inks tand had wholly faded
out with the night; and then felt q
solemn conviction that the sign had
been real and sure and true.
At last, with all speed. to Royal Chel-
sea Hospital, whore l learned that
Uncle Billy had suffered sad turn In
tho night and where his pensioner COM
rades whispered no would follow Mike
To Brompton now.
Snow II love can save himW l
mentally vowed; and IN an hours time
l had him clad in his flaming Prince Al.
bert and the smartest he possessed and
safely beside me in swiftly whirling
hanson, headed for the Strand and
Drury Lane.
With pursuing lips, lowering brows
and wildly bullying eyes, tho old pen.
sioner often essayed to speak, and l as
often increased his dazed wonderment,
but silenced him with, eve found a
friend who knew her, Uncle BillyW
As we alighted in Drury Lane, few
old iruiterers standing at their doors
nodded and whispered together:
"Maybe it's him, at last!"
Inside the hallway IN impulse seized
me to bid him remove his numbering
shoes. He obeyed me unquestioningiy,
and we stole softly through laboriously
up the stairway to Aunt Betty's open
door. When we entered, the little
dwarf was busy in her hospital ward Of
the loft.
/ seated Uncle Billy in the huge arm
chair, drew the waiting slippers upon
his feet, and the old war.dog In an in.
slant, had closed his eyes with mex.
pressible peacefulness and joy.
Then, stepping to Aunt Betty's side,
there was q pleasant morning greeting,
just as though we had known each
other for years.
"Aunt Betty" began with lily sup.
pressed excitement, my friend is over
there, by the fireplace. Won't you see
II he 10 in the right chair2 I'll be back
presently from the street"
Isped down that ancient stairway as
though had committed q capital crime.
But my flight was not swift enough to
prevent my hearing a few quick thump-
iugs Of Aunt Betty's staff upon the floor
of the loft; a hoarse gnrgle Of, "Fore
God Betty Lite you! Purity heyes,
Jump an half" sweet voiced ripple Of,
william Notwithstanding told me
the waitingd soon be done?" and my
knowing that in the blessed silence
which followed, az blissful love as
earth had ever known had found anew
its own.
A murmur OF eager impatience finally
succeeded the almost reverential silence
which had fallen upon the assembled
company as the Student Travellers tale
was done.
"But the story!-the story!" was
chorused. "Was that story ever writ
temp"
"Eh9-Oh, yes; the story. Yes" the
student traveller concluded musingly |;
land quite in time for press. 1t was
thrilling story of grand and impossible
people Of whom grand and impossible
people dearly love to read, while grand
ly and impossibly ignoring such simple
lives and loves as these. But tho story
OF the face in tho inkstand has never