The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-04-06
PART OF A LIFE.

The speaker, from n glance Mt his
snowy hair and mustache and sorrowful
dark eyes, ono would suppose to have
been man we'll along in years, but on
looking more closely ut the we'll knit.
supple form reclining at ease in tho
study chair it was discovered to BIO an
"old head on young shoulders. -
His deep, musical voice was half sad,
half tender as he continued to address
tho young man, who, standing before
him, was nervously toying with n book
that lay OH tho table at his right
Perhaps I'm not quite rs surprised
as you thought l would be- You have
played together rs little children, as
boy and girl you were companions, and
HOW that you are man and Maud is a
woman your hearts naturally turn to
each other, and l will see my dearest
wish realized. The friendship that has
existed between your father and myself
for rs years will he augmented by the
union of our only children You are a
good, manly fellow, Hugh, but trihc
hot headed and impulsive. Learn to CON
troll yourself, boy; learn to control your
self
You have much of my disposition,
and l would save you from the rocks
on which my happiness was wrecked
You and my little girl.
''Sit down, Hugh, here, near me, and
l will tell You Il story-an answer to
the question you have so often had on
the tip of your tongue to ask me- What
was it that turned the hair of such a
comparatively young man whitc?' Tush,
boy don't look confuscd-you couldn t
help wondering.
"Well, to begin with, 90 years ago
married one of the faircst, sweetest lit
tie women that ever won tho love of
man. WAS reporter on an evening
paper, ambitious and struggling to rise
i'll my profession. We rented n little
house i'll the suburbs, and although we
had not much of this worlds goods our
home was very happy one for the first
six or eight months. Then little bickcr-
ings and fault finding began Bitter
quarrcls finally grew out of tho most
trivial things, and scarcely day passed
that there had not been angry words
spoken by one or the other
1--WE loved each other dearly, and we
u iN't Aloit W bNOltl All tuiS. w q llsttl re-
solved again and again in our moments
of repentance that we would treat each
other with more consideration, be more
fOrbearing, but it seemed usclcss-our
troubles increased.
So it went on for several months.
had become morose and gloomy, and
Nora's poor little face had grown so
pale and sad that the sight of il made
my heart ache.
One lovely morning in early sum
MGR, when the roses that clambcrcd over
our cottage walls were in bloom and
nodding their pretty heads ut us through
tie windows, when the birds, newly
mated, We're singing their JOY and the
air was heavy with the perfume of flow
crs and brcathed only love and peace,
the crisis came.
"Whilo was hurricdly getting ready
to go to the Office something occurred to
detain me. | was annoyed and spoke
sharply to Nora. She answered me in
an lnsolent, taunting manner that al
ways cnragcd me. Our words grew hot
ter and hotter and more extravaganza In
my anger applied IA shameful cpithet
to her.
Coward she almost shrickcd as
she sprang toward me, her face distort-
cd with rage and defiance
"What devil possessed me l do not
know, but quick as flash raised my
hand and struck her i'll the face with all
tho force could summon
She was such Il slender little woman
that she had not the strength to with
stand my powerful blow With low,
hcartrcnding cry she sank to the floor
Almost before she fell my senses re-
turned. realized what had DONE and
falling on my knees beside her took her
i'll my arms, kissed the poor bleeding
lips had so brutally lacerated, and with
my tears dropping on her face implorcd
her forgiveness Sho seemed completely
broken. Her anger was all gone, and
there was startled, grieved look in
her eyes that cut mo to the heart
"She lay motionless in my arms while
begged her to forgive me. Then she
said softly:
1t doesn't matter, dear. 1t was my
fault as much as yours We will never
let it happen again. Now go to work
you arc late already.
"Sho said it so strangely, with such
queer look in her eyes, that 1 would
not consent to leave her. But she in
sisted, and when she babe me goodby
she said, taking my face between her
hands and drawing it toward her: i
love You with all my heart, my darling
husband / will love You for ever and
ever Now goodby.
"What long, long day that was 1t
seemed as if my work never would be
finished. My hcart was SO full of love