The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1894-11-16

~ all over. L shall never be
happy again"
Her dark eyes overhoWed with
tears, and her memory went back to
the scenes of her childhood, the great,
rambling country house, with its
spacious rooms and blazing fires and
large-hearted hospitality. She could
see the old garden, with its winding
borders and cool retreats, and catch
the sweet odor of the pinks, and the
drowsy murmur Of the bees, and there
was the woodbine arbOr, beneath
which she and Harry had sat so often
together How we'll she remembered
one evening above all Others-an eve
ming in royal June. The air heavy
with spicy OdorS and a full moon
pouring down its glOrifying light upon
the snowy pillows of orchard bloom,
and the long hedges of crimson roses,
weighed down by their own intense
perfume. On that evening she had
listened to the story that has been so
often repeated, but Which never grows
eld maud, my darling. love you.
Will you be my wifer' She recalled
the very words, she seemed to hear
his dear voice, and see his tender
eyes The betrOthal ring was still
upon her finger just as he had put it
there that night, and beside it an
other, even yet more sacred, her we'd
ding ring.
And this stormy, desolate night was
the anniversary. Six years ago and
the old homestead had rung with mu-
sic and revelry. Every window
blazed with light and every broad
hearthstone glowed with flaming logs.
For on that night, robed in white and
adorned in blossoms as spotless and
sweet as her own virgin heart, Maud,
sole daughter of house and heart and
beauty and belle wherever she went,
became a bride.
Bidding farewell to the old home
and the old friends, Maud went forth
with her husband, thenceforth and
forever to be the light of his home and
the inspiration of his life.
One year-one short, sweet, happy
year, that went by like some rare,
rich melody, without single note
of discord to break it's divine perfec-
tion, and then the trouble came. The
bare remembrance of it blanched the
wifes checks and made her brea tn
come in quick, painful gasps. At the
close of that short, happy year of her
welded life the husband received in
formation concerning the Illness of
eili olAl9 pIotlItl lSSlulHSS
He was dying of a slow but sure dis
ease, and wished to see his brothers
face once mole. Harry Merlin did
not hesitate an instant. The path of
duty was plain-he must go. Maud
entreated to be permitted to accom-
pany him, but he was ineXorable.
The risks and hardshipS were too
great.
Left alone Maud was not the
woman to give way to dependency
1t was her nature to keep her face
to the sun. She kept herself busy
with the duties of her household, and
at last the dreary days went by, and
tidingS from Harry came. He was
safe at his journeys erd, but his
brother was dead, leaving Harry,
however, the inheritor of a considera-
BILE fortune. Just as soon as his bus
mess matters could be arranged,
Harry wrote, he would start for
home. Soon after d second mail
came, bringing intelligence that Har-
ry, in company with quite a party
of brother travellers. had set out,
taking the overland route.
Maud counted the days with throb-
hing irnpatience. the parting had
been so long. She pined to see his
ldNC anu hcdI lis kOlCe OuCc
more. She worked from morn until
night, filling the rooms with little
ornaments and getting up little sur
prises against his return. She cult
waited the flowers he loved, and sang
the ballads he admired. Never did
woman count the passing moments
with such loving expectation. At
last the day came. She had received
10 intelligence, but she felt sure he
would come.
The evening was in spring, genial
and balmy, their little home a wilder
ress of blossoms. She prepared his
supper with her own hands, she
adorned the rooms with the flowers
he loved and even laid out his gown
and slippers and drew his armchair.
beneath the window. Then she went
to her chamber and put on the dress
he liked to see her wear, a mauve
silk, with dainty lace at the throat
and wrists, and jet and gold orna-
ments, her fiossy brown hair held
back BY sprays of hellCtrope and
sweet verbena Surveying herself in
the mirror, she smiled and blushed,
remembering his words when she had
first worn the dress:
''Oh, Maud, you are so beautiful!
Always Wear this dress, darling,
when you wish to please me-
The May sun wheeled lower and
lower and at last went down, leaving
the earth wrapped in the dusky mists
of twilight. Maud began to grow i'm
patient. She lit the lamps in the par
lor and then went out to the porch to
wait. He surely would come; he
would not disappoint her! The gold
en- tints of day faded like the colors
of IL dream. The stars came out one
by one in the hazy luster of the sky,
and then the moon arose, coming up
grandly above the sleeps. Still he
Lad not come, and the poor wife's
Heart began to grow sick with hope
deferred. Another hour, and then,
above the murmurous music of the
night she heard a step upon the
gravel and started to her feet, flushed
and breathless, but the IeXt instant
she fell back, pale with disappoint-
ment, for tie step was not his-she
knew that long before the person ,
came in sight. He had advanced to-
ward the porch where she sat with