The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1895-06-19
in THE SWEET BY AND BY.
a Romance of tho Future, with Altcra-
lions to Suit,

tiOns to Suit.
They had been married two months.
For the first time i'll their brief welded
life she had left him without a kiss.
She half regretted it, as, stopping mo-
ment on tho doorstep to light her cigar,
she saw slight, nervous hand pluck
aside the lace curtains mt the drawing
room window.
Should she return? No! Hanged if she
would. He had been too childish. She
had told the truth-she had business
engagement of Importance. He should
not have permitted those mannish
tears. 1t blanked uncomfortable Of
him The electric car came gliding
around the corner. She lifted her hat in
the direction of the drawing room win
dows, boarded the car and was borne
swiftly from his sight.
He stood moment, drearily thrum-
ming on the glass with his thimble fin
ger, the tears gathering thickly in his
large brown eyes and trembling on his
long lashes. Suddenly his air of dejec-
ton vanished His eyes flashed; his
cheeks flushed; his bosom rose and fell
rapidly. Turning from the window, he
flung his embroidery half across the
room. 1t fell against the tea table and
broke his favorite royal dresden tea
cup, but he only smiled bitterly as he
flew up tho stairs, two steps ut time,
to his own room.
Hastily smoothing his hair before the
Psyche glass, he donned his best hat
and his new overcoat, and selecting
pair of evening gloves from the satin
case OH his low dressing table he stole
noiselessly down the stairs and out into
the street without attracting the atten-
ton Of tho housemaid Once on the
pavement, he was seized with fit of
trembling, and putting his hand to his
heart he steadied himself a moment
against tho iron railing of the area
"Oh, sugarn' he murmured, angry at
his own nervousness, what silly
thing I am! There is no real harm in
what I'm doing I'm quite sure," bit
ing his lips angrily, THAT she's having
fun enough. And strengthening him
self proudly he hurried toward the cross
ing where white banded pole an
nounced that the "cars stop here"
Suddenly tall, muscular formed fe-
male advanced rapidly upon him from
the opposite direction He glanced swift
ly up and down the block. No one else
i'll sight. Heavens! what should he do?
Suppose this woman should insult him
He shrank into the doorway of an ada
cent building, but the merciless electric
light revealed his covering form. The
tall figure approached him with long,
swinging strides. Perhaps she would
pass on. But no. She is close upon him.
She is stopping now beside him. She
-merciful heavens! She has laid her
hand upon his arm. He closed his eyes.
Everything was growing dark. Then
voice-a dear, familiar, welcome
voice:
'Archibaldr'
With long. low, shuddering cry he
flung himself into his wife's arms
"Oh, forgive me!' he sobbed hyster-
ically, Il was maddened by your cold
ness 1t is not what you think. was
only going to the theater-some men do
go alone, you know, after they're mar
ried-oh! it was nothing more, believe
me-and 1 was so n-nervous and IF
frightened Oh please forgive me and
t-t-take me home!"
Five minutes later, lying on the
lounge i'll his own dear little room, with
his wife's strong hand clasped in both
his own, he lifted his flushed faco to
hers and Whispered shyly:
You were coming all the way back
to kiss me, dear, weren't you?"
And she thought it would be Just as
we'll not to explain that she had for
gotten her latchkey. San Francisco