Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-03-15
DESOLATH.

She was so tired. She had left the
office later than usual, and had a long,
wet walk before her. AS she hurried
along the uneven payements she won
dered whether all women felt so old
and. worn on their twenty fifth birth
day, and recalled, with a recurrence
of the pain at her heart which had
troubled her at intervals through the
long, weary day, her birthday the year
before. How she had hurried home ON
just such a rainy night but with a
feeling of such JOY and gladness.,that
the rain nor the wind nor even her
great WEAKNESS seemed to matter
much, for she was thinking, with little
throbS of thankfulneSs, of the greeting
she would have as She opened the
door, and she pitied other women
whose lives were all work. with none
of the blessed heaven which hers had.
The very streetlamps with their
Sickly, uncertain light, had seemed to
make glorious the pools of water be-
Meath them, and she felt she must
each day strive with greater earnest
ness to be worthy of the happiness
which was hers. She recalled, too, the
haste with which she had run up the
steps of the tall, hOmely house which
had been her home for the past two
years now; how she had been struck
with surprise on finding the parlor
deserted, but feeling sure he had only
been detained at the store, she climbed
the steep stairs. Appetizing Odors
came pleasantly to her from below; the
other boarders as they FASTENED down
to the dining-roOm, greeted her in such
a friendly way, and the one child of
the household held up it's little face
for her kiss. She had felt as If she
were indeed blessed beyond her deserts
in having such a pleasant place TO
spend her leisure hours in, where they
all seemed so fond of her Did she
not each night thank heaven for having
placed her there, and, above all, for
having sent him to her? So few wom-
en- were so much to be envied, for so
few men were like him. Her tired
eyes filled with tears of WEAKNESS and
gladness as she entered her little room,
where a bright fire was On the hearth
and q rOSy-Shaded lamp filled the room
with a soft, warm light. A letter was
ON the table, and her love-taught eyes
told her it was from him. She kissed
the envelope which his hands had
touched, and hoped lit would not tell
her he had to work that evening. Then
she sat down on the edge of the bed
and read the short letter through once,
and then again, her eyes getting duller,
her face more set Steps passed the
dOor-they were coming from dinner
She was still sitting on the edge of
the bed, the letter in her hand, her
eyes fixed On the wall opposite, when
the clock In the hall struck ten; she
idly counted its strokes, and wondered
how long she had been sitting there
seven from ten left how many-but she
felt unequal to the exertion Of figuring
it out.
The rain was coming in great 1hirls
now, and her umbrella and wet gar
ments required all her attention. She
shook her head impatiently and told
herself that She had still to be thank
fun that she had been able to drag
through the long, lonely year; that she
could appear happy and laugh at the
jokes Of the two student boarders and
that others had told her she was look
ing well and seemed to be enjoying
life. But she had reached the house
now, and must laugh at more jokes
if they were attempted even though,
the pain about her heart did seem
o4n,, I, ri ,4ol n
and entered the hall. and noted afresh
how dingy the parlor seemed. how dark
the hall. No one met her; the child
had died Of diphtheria during the win
ter. AS she neared the door she met
4 br1ghtfaced girl coming down from
he third floor, in her hand a bunch
If red roses which her lover had sent
1nr. The girl smiled a pretty welcome.
md told her she looked worn out. and
hen added that probably she hadn't
leard the news about that tall young
nan who had boarded at the house the
winter before; perhaps she remembered
lin: they had just received his we'd
ling cards. and wasn't it queer that
10 one had known where he went or
Why he left so suddenly.
She went into the room and closed
he door. and drew off her wet gloves.
Ter breath came quickly. and she felt
Ike suffocating, and she told herself
he should not have walked so rapidly.
Then with quivering. breathless gasp.
he put her hand to her side and sank
Ipon the bed.-A. R. Beardsley In Cur
ent Literature.