Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1895-10-11


sprang up, and was about to begin to |
dress for dinner. when some one sing. |
ing in the adjoining room attracted
his attention. The voice sounded very
familiar. Harry stood spell-bound.
1t was so like Armies, and the song
was one they had learned during those
happy years when they were frequent.
ly in each others company. Soon the
song ended, and then the clear, rich
notes were heard again. This time II
was the soprano part of one of their
old duets.
Fired by some impulse, Harry waited
until the tenor was wanted, and then
began to sing, too. To his delight the
song was continued, and finished by
his mysterious partner and himself.
OF course the next thi ng was to con.
vince himself that 1t was she.
AS he knocked at the door of the
next room tall, handsome man pass
ing him, opened it and went in, wait
ing, holding it open for him also to
pass Harry gave one glance, and then
abruptly turned back and went into
his own room, caughtup his handbag,
and in another hour was on his way
home.
What had he seen? Annie, h is Annie,
seated beside bed, on which lay a
child, whom she was trying to soothe
to slumber by singing. OF course she
was married, this was her child, and
the gentleman, SO politely waiting for
him to pass, her husband.
Mr.. Ashley had died abroad about
two years and half after he parted
Annie from Harry. Led on by one or
two fortunate speculations, he had
periled his whole fortune on real
estate speculation in Kansas City and
beggared himself Inundated, despair.
ing, he had sunk beneath the blow,
leaving Annie in a strange city alone.
Mrs. Evans, lady whom Annie had
met in Kansas City, plying her for
lorn condition, had taken her under
her protection to bring her home, and
it was while they were on their way
east that Annie, being left alone for
few hours With little Master Evans
had sung to beguile the time and at
tracted Harry's attention. Mr.. Evans,
her kind friends husband, was the
husband Harry had SO rassly supposed
to be hers. Had her iml alsive lover
waited but mo ment, he would have
seen her spring to meet him, and fall
senseless to the floor.
Two years more have flown by
Harry was seated in the parlor Of The
hotel at> Babylon, Long Island, when
he heard noise in the hall. and then
loud cry for doctor. Stepping out,
he found crowd in the passage, and
saw two men carrying lady up the
stairs.
whats the matter? am a doctor!'
he cried.
"Oh! go up to her. said a man near
him. ''She's hurt, and SO is her hus-
band It's Mrs Evans companion,
and they've all been thrown out of the
carriage"
Long before this sentence was
finished Harry was in the room where
the sufferers had been carried. The
first object that met his eyes was the
man whom he supposed to be Armies
husband, lying senseless on the sofa,
while on the bed near lay another
figure, the lady he had seen on the
stairs; but her face was turned to the
wall.
''0h, STRIP said the lady, springing tc
meet him, ''are you doctor? Oh! tell
me, is my husband dead?"
Her husband! Was Annie dead, and
this her successor? This was Harry's
first idea. Professional services, how
ever, were imperatively demanded, and
! he soon restored Mr.. Evans to con
sciousness His injuries were not Sc
rious, and he was soon sitting up or
the sofa In the meantime, her wors,
apprehensions relieved, Mrs. Evans
was caring for the mysterious lady OIL
the bed, and now called upon Harry.
: The first glance was enough to bring
forth his skill, for he recognized Annie
Mrs. Evans was wringing her hand.
and weeping, as all her efforts to re
!, store consciousn ess failed. Here the
: injuries were more serious; higl
: fever and delirium succeeded the long
!, fit of insensibility, and Harry heart
' more than once the loved voice calling
him to come back, and crying:
!. Harry! Harry! to leave me after Sc
long separation"
Mrs. Evans told him all of Annie'
!. troubles, and he blessed her again ant
v again as he found how true and kind ;
friend she had been to the orphan. HI
. was standing one day by Armies bed
4 side watching her. She was asleep
o ==== z.==l III