Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1894-02-02
A LESSON IN LOVE.

II was a chilly day IN the late autumn.
The leaves, sometimes one by one, or, as a
light gust swept through the branches, a
score at time, fell upon the damp asphalt
walks OF the park, whittier our steps had
led us.
We had not walked a great while, my
wife and /, but already was fatigued, and
dropped upon a bench. | did not ask my
wife IL she were tired too. Because | was
20 thought she must be. Silently she
hook her seat beside me.
We had scarcely spoken to one another
for half an hour. In that happy summer
of last year we had often walked side by
side for long time without uttering a
word. Then, hand seeking hand eyes
brimming with love, meeting eyes which
said, 81 know" made spoken words need
less because inadequate. Now they would
be meaningless because of the effort re
quired to speak them.
watched my wife as with the point OF
her umbrella she idly traced figures upon
the wet pavement. i remembered that
night when under the glory of an August
moon she had stepped out upon the lawn
to accompany me TO the bend in the walk.
That was the night | first kissed her
Heavens, how beautiful she was In that
gown Of shimmering white, with a soft,
heecy scarf over her brown hairl Her eyes
shone like stars.
Now, in the dull light of this Novemb Der
day, she looked almost plain. Her eyes
were heavy, her expression listless and IN
happy. felt strangely irritated as / look
ed at her. The enchantment, the mystery,
the compelling power Of attraction, were
gone. In their place were disillusion and
the WEAKNESS of the commonplace.
Under my keen gaze she raised her eyes.
81 feel IL, too, F" she said.
The words made me start. She had read
my thoughts then.
"You feel it-whati" asked.
"The cold. Did you not shiver just
nowf"
did not reply, for scarcely knew that
she had questioned me. | returned to my
reverie. Before had thought Of myself;
now thought of her Her romance was
ended too. Her heart no longer swelled at
unexpected sight of me. Her eyes no long
er grew luminous when they met mine.
Her fairy prince had ridden away. Her
radiant summer sun had set. How must
l seem to her nowi Poor Margaret My
heart grew warm toward her.
l drew nearer her
"Yes, it is cold, ;" said, as though she
had just spoken, and laid my hand upon
hers.
"Shall we walk onf" she said, embar-
rassed by this unexpected tenderness.
"Whitherf' asked.
She looked at me in surprise.
"Whithers As we were going before we
stopped"
'Shall we walk in that way forever
Margaret ?" asked.
Her eyes looked helplessly into mine q
moment, then fell downward. Her mouth
trembled slightly.
We were quite alone, with no soul in
sight. In the branches overhead two little
brown sparrows hoped nervously about
A great wave Of tenderness surged ovel
my soul. / encircled my wife with my
arms and laid my lips against her cheek.
~ am cold, Margaret" l whispered
"Warm me at your heart"
A heavenly blush overspread her face
and her eyes filled with tears. had never
seen her look 80 beautiful.
"Did you believe your lover dead, Mar
garrett" asked.
~ knew my love was alive" abe whis
pered thrillingly.
For minute we sat thus, and then my
wife gently disengaged herself, but helt
my hands in hers.
"Listen, dear one, :" said "There Is Q
change that is growth, change that IL
petrifaction and change that Is decay
Those two ecstatic beings Of year ago are
merging into something else. That is be
yond their control, for 1t is the law. Let
us not blame one another--to do that Is
folly and would only bring misery. Let
us rather help one another by molding the
changing form. Help me to crush my
selflshnsss -
"Help me to stifle my exactions," sh,
responded.
"Teach me thoughtfulness and tender
ness"
"Show me the way to cheerfulness ant
courage"
at seems like litany," whispered my
wife.
"No," made answer, at is lesson. ,
"The first Will there be a secondr
she asked smilingly.
"Never while our change is one o.
growth" replied.
"Only," she said, with another beauti
ful blush, "let US never grow away from
one another"
Hand in hand we walked homeward
and still we spoke not. except AZ one full
heart speaks to another. And as we walk
ed the gray pail which covered the sky
lifted to let the setting sun stream through
beneath its edges.
In an instant the changing face Of ma
ture adapted itself to our hearts mood
We looked from the dazzling radiance o
the setting sun into each others eyes and
read there the sweetest promise of the earth
ly life.-Exchange.