Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1894-02-01

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ceased. All trace of Alick had disap-
peared These were dark days to Mary.
Even when she told me OF them fifteen
years later, her voice was tremulous
with deep feeling.
Everything seemed giving way in
those days" she said. "Father pined
and lretted for Aliclz, and then, after
weary time. he died, calling for him till
the last And then sold most of the
things and came here, and opened this
little shop, and l felt happier away
from all that reminded me of the past.
About one year after. ] came here, I
awoke up one night out of sound
sleep, with the sound of my own name.
started and sat up, but all was silent.
Again dozed off, and again, Mary,
Mary thrilled through me. IT was
Bens voice, and he was in troub,a I
rose and dressed, opened the door, and
looked up and down the street; but
there was no sign OF life, except the
crows stalking about in the dawning
light. ! was restless all day, and ere
night wrote to friend in Rocky Point
to tell her that / intended visiting her
next day. When / got there / learned
strange news. Mrs. Rolston had left
her home one week before, and for
some days it was unknown where she
had gone; finally her husband traced
her to distant city, where 1t seemed
she had joined an opera company, the
manager of which had spent his sum-
mer holiday at Rocky Point, and had
been much pleased with Mrs. Rolston's
splendid voice. She had never been
much attached to domestic life, her
whole soul going out after gayety and
admiration, and now she had deliber-
ately given up husband and child for
the life she loved. Poor Benz No Won
der / heard his voice in my dreams, but
never again was l to look on his bright
face in life. The very morning / ar
rived and heard this tale, he went out
in his boat alone, though awarned that
a squall was coming up His boat was
found floating bottom upwards the next
morning, and later in the day his body
was washed up on the beach opposite
his own door. After the funeral Of
fered to take the child with me, Ben's
mother being now dead, and Mrs. Roll
ston's father being removed to distant
English port; and now Ben's child is al
most my own. He is his fathers image,
but inherits his mothers voice"
"Are you not afraid of his mother
claiming him9" said
"ohI she died long ago." said Mary,
with deep sigh.
Somehow, after that evening, Mary
and drew closer together. We had
both suffered, and the linship' sorrow
is perhaps the strongest of any. told
her Of my present position of lonely
wealth and my longing to have Ben
near me.
"ohl l could not live without him."
shesaid.
Yet when went home I took him
with me to educate as my son and heir,
and not long after, as Mary could not
live apart from Ben, she consented to
become my wife, and though for both
of us the glamour of youth had passed
away, leaving a clearer vision to the
great realities of life, yet our married
life has had deep happiness in it far
surprising the dreams Of youth, though
lacking their wild rapture.
Ben has grown up into the splendid
manhood that his youth promised, and
is now an accomplished musician. His
eye has not lost its old straight look,
and his mouth is still sweet, without
trace of cynicism. He is as the apple
of the eye to both of us, though God
has given us little daughter of our
own.
To Mary, Ben is the living link bind
ing her with the past, and to me he
represents the beginning of my new
glad life--my Indian summer; and
often, when hear his full rich voice
ringing through the rooms recall the
first time / heard it calling: "Maclerell
fresh mackerelP'-Susie Troland, in
Leeds Mercury.