Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1894-12-14

sensation of being deserted in her hour
of need, and shuddering fear crept
over her as she waited outside the house
that looked darkly inhospitable with it's
fastened shutters and massive door. A
boisterous wind sprang up, making her
SILVER in spite of her warm cloak
Clouds chased each other across the fair,
round moon. She knocked and rang
again impatiently.
No sound of welcome admission to
warmth and light, only the faint echo
of her friends footsteps already in the
distance. With the cratic logic Of
er seen the contrary side of the world
she blamed him for not having waited
even remotely-until he saw her safe
ly indoors, wondering, in helpless anger,
that she had ever turned to him for
sympathy.
A loud rat-a-tat, and then another,
rather timid this time, for the closed
door and retreating figure had grown hid
eous with awful meaning. What if her
husband had discovered the secret meet
ing and shut her out forever! She knew
men did such things Oh the spur Of the
moment, and in this case there had been
long and sullen estrangement to Justify
any conclusion he might pardonably
come to. The thought became more ter
rible every instant as she knocked and
rang frantically without result.
The church clock struck the half
hour, long, melancholy chime.
Trembling from head to foot, she lean
ed against the ratings, her eyes heavy
with despair. Where should she go?
What should she do? The suspicious
questioningo of her friends, the astonished
scrutiny Of the townspeople, were equal
~ difficult to face. Like vision the
awful future flashed through her be-
wildered brain. She saw herself exiled
to the streets, a forlorn, wretched wom-
an, forsaken by the man she despised in
her real trouble, yearning to make
amends for her past blindness and faint
~ imploring an memorable fate at the
steadfast door of the life she should
know no longer.
Barred out! Oh, God! Barred outl
In undreamed of agony she pictured
her husbands stern orders and the Cos
sip in the servants hall. Then, hardly
knowing what she did and choking
with desperate sobs, she turned toward
the home that had become SO dear, beat
ing wildly at the door panels with her
clinched fists and crying aloud like
frightened child:
''Let me in! Oh, do let me in!"
calm, well known voice at her side.
''The maids are on the top floor at the
back of the house, and nothing short Of
an earthquake would rouse James. If
I were not careful to take my latchkey
when go to the club, he would present
me with the key Of the street. And why
didn't you order the carriage to fetch
you, orr
. He broke eff suddenly. The ponderous
door stood open, and he waited for her
to pass in, but with quick glance at her
white face and closed eyes caught her
tenderly in his arms as she fell insensi-
BILE across the threshold. Gently as a
woman he loosened the heavy cloak and
took off the little bonnet, disentangling
it from her soft, golden hair with dex-
ferrous fingers. Then, probably from a
lamentable ignorance of the principles
of first aid, he bent down and kissed the
sweet, tear stained face that rested
peacefully near his heart.
And the wife, coming slowly back to
a new life of perfect love and trust
through the shadow of her former folly,
felt and answered the timid embrace
with clinging arms and tears Of joy and
gratitude. London Today.