Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1894-07-17

mefuuftt%N ~ Wu@ tut kt0Iy w NJ oHsu
married pair overwhelmed by misery
and with only their mutual love for
help and support Monte was . very
soft naturcd man In spite of his love of
hor-efiesh and the unsympathetic air
he could assume at home when at times
he seemed hard ~ nailA lie had ten
der heart. easily moved to compassion
and touched and melted by sad tale
Now. a. the play unfoldesi. Monte felt .
suspicious rising In the throat and mois-
ture about the cyea He tried hard not
20 betray his emotion TO Louise, feeling
u to be unmanly. afraid ~ he was Of
her critical eye N he edged round to-
ward his wife. drew out his pocket
handkerchief and used Il NJ gently ~ he
could Mn White meantime had been
moved 10 sobs and naturally. 20 relieve
her feelings without attracting too much
the notice Of her next ncighbor. had
turned toward her husband. Louise,
fenced In by Monte's broad hack. brush.
cd away the dew that gathcrcd ON her
own lAshc- and began quietly 20 watch
the little Jantomimc that was going ON
between her two friends
As the devotion of the old stage cou.
pie went ON developing In all its simple
beauty. Helen shot . gentle. half ~.
proachful glance at her husband. ~
much A. to say. ''See what the life u
n truly married pair should b.. T" while
Monte In turn looked In her face with q
glance of admiration that recalled the
old spcony days II their first courtship
How Il happncd Louise never exactly
knew. but when abe looked again they
were sitting there hand In hand. like
two children. Ia the prettic-t state of
uncon-ciousns~s ~ to the people about
them and to the fact that cynical old
Dr. Newcomb was sitting only two SEATS
back and hal screwed his face into q
very peculiar smile The doctor was q
confiripcsi old bachelor and had proba.
bly, never known the bliss % quarreling
and then kissing and making up Lou.
i-o was glad to be neglected for the ~.
maindcr ~ the evening. and. In fact.
she fell into revsrie 40 long and alb
sorbing that she only csfHe out of Il
when the curtain fell for the last time.
Both Monte and Helen were pensiye
when they came out of the theaier and
scarccly inclined 90 talk much They
walked home with Louise. and NJ her
own DOR she contrivcd 20 insinuAic =
malicious little whisper into her friend,
EAR.
What q hcautiful time you and
Monte had this evening. Helen' One
would almost have SUPPOSED that you
were oounterparts
"You dear old Louise. " rcturnel lIel.
rn. with furti,e blush. which happily
Oh. darkness conoaled. ''you don't nm.
dcr.tand these things. ~ you have new
,r i.cn married. and now. u oourse.
you never will Be-"
"No." aid Louise mcekly: II don't
suppose I ever shall" and she closed
Oh. door behind her.
The next morning Louise aro~e in q
frame " mind - peculiar and unusual
her two maids could not but remark the
change In her. She seemed more re.t.
les than ever and for the first time In
her life capricious She ate but little
breakfast. and after giving several con.
Trajectory orders she went to her own
rom To- change her morning gown. IL
SEEMED an unusually difficult matter to
decide among her various dre-se~ ~ Ia
which she should put ON. She took \
white wool one out IL Oh. clo~ct and
decided that 10 looked tco young. too
dr~-y. too much ~ IL she wer. expect.
ing some une. and yet when she glanced
In the mirrur the face reflected hack
was not an old one There wa. pretty
hush on the cheek. the eyes were bright.
and the brown hair smoothly brushed
anil banded showed no gray lines. Hut
still the white wool was rcjccted. q gray
elk as we'll. and At last she put ON .
dark blue serge. extremely plain. with
cut AN ornament ~ any kind. yet even
the blue serge did not make her Look
old In its severe tailor simplicity-in
fact, 10 was the mot hcoming ~ all.
She went down stairs and said to
Rosa. the waitrcs,. IF . gentleman
calls. Ro-s. you may show him into the
parlor."
"And IL 10 . strange gentleman ye are
rXpectinsi'" asked Ro-e with round
eyed r,scidity.
"No; I am not expecting anybody.
but he might come Just by accident.
and I should not like Co miss his visit.
have no rcason TO think he will come
Indccd am almost SURE he won't, at
least today. but thought ! would tell
you that II he did will bs MP In my
room writing letter."
Louise left Roe with her mouth gap
ing wide opsn and ran up stairs She
sat down In o low chair and clSped her
hands about her knee and broke into an
idiotic hyxterical laugh. For the frt
time 10 had occurred to her that she had
not the slightest ground for expecting .
visit from any strange gentleman: that
for hours and hours she had been build.
ing q ridiculous castle In Spain, with
no other foundation than air and moon
shine And then her mood changed. and
she buried her face In her handkerchief
and began % soh There she sat, motion.
less, hour after hour. listening 10 the
great hall clock - II struck . and 10.
IL ~ chAnced that 10 was Just on the
strike Of II when the doorbell tinklcd.
Louise heard II, and with her heart beat
ing loudly crept out and listened over the
baiustrade. Rose was opening the door
10 tall stranger with quite . distin.
guished head. the thick. black locks
crisped with silver about the temples
the dark eyes pleasant and full Of light
He asked for Misa Lancaster. and ~
the first sound Of his voice reached her
ear Louise ran down the stairs with
glad light In her face, and pushed aside
Rose. who was Just shutting the parlor
door.
"Oh. Frank she cried - she came
forward. with hand extended lie grasp.
ed Il. and they stood there Tor moment
silent. looking each into the Others
face
''IIow did you know me- IN old man
nOwl" he murmured at last.
Fourteen years have not made such
q difference. Frank. should have
known you anywhere, even II had not
heard your voice"
Fourteen years, is Il, Louisei Well.
Il seems at moments an eternity TO me.
and then again ~ II we had Just part
ed
"soit seems to me. Frank.
DOCS Il, Louise, ! am delighted to
hear you say 70" He still held her hand.