Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1895-11-14
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, expec15u occurring III a restricted, busy
life that captured his imagination. Or
it might be a sense of having stood face
to face with a woman not cut after the
ordinary pattern, as were most of those
he knew. Whoever she was, from what
ever part of the world she had come to
make her home beside him, she was
very different from the other residents Of
Macedon place, and, in some indefna-
BILE way, from any woman he had ever
spoken to.
The light was out in his own hall,
but his dog, waiting for him on the
mat, rose with welcoming whine and
rubbed himself against his masters legs.
"Jack, old man," and Hugh stopped
to stroke him, "I'm late and tired and
hungry. Good dog. Come along"
He hung up his coat and hat and
walked down the hall to the dining
room. The light was lowered to an op-
pressive dimness. The fire was mass
of gray ashes except for some expiring
cinders. The table was set for solitary
supper, and in rocker before the fire,
her slippered feet on the fender, sat q
young woman, her pale hair rumpled,
streaks of tears on her cheeks and
Moths, face downward, on her lap.
Hugh went over, half stopped to kiss
her, then drew back. He saw she was
asleep, and folding his arms he stood
with his grave, gentle eyes fastened up
OIL her face. How like child she was |!
The tossed knot of faxen curls, the
thin, red lips compressed in grieved
expression, the snub nose, the little fold
ed hands and the wrapper-or "tea
gown" as she called it-were all baby
ish.
Yes, and she had fallen asleep from
excess of weeping, he knew it, like a
child that cries in the darkness for toy
that is withheld. Such child-and his
wife! A sudden tenderness crept into
his eyes, and he sighed. He pitied her
as she sat there with her helpless little
hands crossed. He had loved her once
or he had thought so-had loved her as
boy loves, for the gold i'll her hair and
the red in her lips, never questioning
what sort of brain lay under the curls
or whether those little hands would in
stinctively find and hold his in his dark
est hours. And now, after six years Of
marriage, the glamour that had dazzled
him was gone. She attended to his ma
terial needs excellently, but the deeper
want, the finer hunger of his nature,
was never revealed to her. He worked
and thought alone. She was only the
head of his house and the companion of
his playtime.
And yet had he always been as toler-
ant with her as he might have been?
Had he loved her enough?. Poor little
Jenny! Poor little SOUL He had disap-
pointed her tonight and not even re-
membered until few moments ago the
party on which she had set her heart.
He wanted to kiss her, but it would be
better to let her sleep.
/ AS he softly moved to touch the bell
that communicated with the kitchen she
stirred uneasily, rubbed her knuckles
into her eyes and suddenly sprang up
and faced him.
"Oh, you've come at last, Hugh, have
you?" she said, her breath coming
quickly. 'Iwant te thank you for de-
lightful evening-one of the very pleas.
antest I ever spent.
Her attempt at irony was pathetic.
"I'm sorry, DEAR" said Hugh in his
strong, sweet voice, going to her and
endeavoring to pass his arm around hel
shoulder "I'm very sorry, Jenny.
am indeed. -
"Sorry! Oh, yes, you always say
that" and she resentfully pushed away
his arm. "You think I'm like child
don't you? Everything I want is silly
absurd. It's nothing to break a promise
! with me and then come and say you RI
sorry. I'm sick of it. Therel'
She stamped her foot and rang thu
bell with nervous jerk, trembling al
over.
"They wanted me to sing too. And
you knew that had that pi-pink dress
made on purpose.
eyes, knew it, and I meant yol
should co." Hugh said patiently. "Bu
shall tell you the truth? In the labor
of this awful day completely forgot it
Come, Jenny, can't you see how tired
am and how sorry am, my child?"
She bit her lip spitefully and still
drew away from the gentle caress of hi
hand
"You wouldn't have forgotten if i
had been something you cared abou
yourself-the Working Boys club, O
, the new reading room, or any Of you
, !, prosy, ,outlandish fads. Oh, you wouldn'
have forgotten it then" |"
Did she guess how her words hur