Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1895-08-17
A WIDOWS LOVE.

the coming of the ship and the distribu-
ton of the mails. The people crowd in
to the tiny postofficc ON tho dock and
watch impatiently for the longed for
/ home letters,
But Toms homo letter was not n
comfort to him. well, she is really
coming" he thought, "a month from
today, if the steamer is ON time. will
| be n married man worse luck. How
can l ever tell Natalia, dear little grill
/ wouldn't willingly hurt her tender
feelings for 81 900. 900, as hard mp as
am " And Tom whistled rucfully.
Tom Douglas was naval officer and
before being stationed at Sitka no had
been on duty winter in Washington,
where he plunged into society with that
gay abandon that only sailor knows,
for after three years at sea young fell
low is quite ready for the rush and
whirl Of the gay capital All houses
were open to the handsome lieutenant,
but there was one where he was espe-
cially welcome. The hostess was n pref
ty widow of some 20 or ~ years of age.
Her husband, who had died soon after
their marriage, seemed not TO have had
very strong hold on her affections, for
after mourning him decoronsly for a
year she blossomed into the gayest Of
the gay, and her house became center
for the young officers who had been the
friends Of her husband
1t was there that Tom spent most OF
his time. He dropped in during the
morning and discussed the newest Cos
SIP OF the lstest magazines and came III
ior cup OF TEA IN the afternoon and re-
NAMED VII her coy parior was empty
save Tor hlmsei1 ana her.
Are you gong to the assembly to-
nlghty" he would ask
VIII you be- there, IomF Mrs Deer
ing lisA such sood fellowship way OF
usil' her frienda hrst names
les, presume SO.
Wel' theh' l am gong. the little
N'luoW wouid reply.
ana thae WIS she way the winter
passed rom running IN nc all hours,
privileged 70 siao,.e or read, to talk or
Hsten' me fiost lndulged OF al her
-
immediate removal TO Alaska, he put
the document IN ms pocket and vent us
usual TO TIC elcery i'eme OF Mrs. Deer
ing lie t9ld her Tie news ana was real
" surprised ana hittered by her reccp
tlon OF ~ slo TOOK poth ms Lands III
ners' ana the Tears gathered III hcr Drighf
eyes.
on, Tom she said, III hate to have
yol 60 "
.ow, It never occurred to Lieutenant
Dons'as before, but at this moment the
idea al come to h'm that he was in
love with t''e widow he drew her to
him ana kissed away her tears. and be
fore he knew 1t he was engaged to Alice
Deering
Ho lett soon after arranging to have
Ahce JOIN him later III the summer, but
owing to the loss OF distant relative.
tho heir OF whose modest estate she was,
her coming had been greatly delayed. 1t
was now more than year since Tom
aud she had parted IN Washington. In
the meantime Tom had whiled away his
leisure honrs IN the somewhat narrow
circle OF sitka society, but IN that mar
row bound he had found fair Russian
Hover that he knew bloomed for him
inough Tom had not made love to Ma
taiia--he was too honorable for that
they had been together constantly. and
each knew instinctiyeiy what was in the
other heart
L believe IN go and tell Natalia
all, Tom continued to muse, right
now, Tor OF course as gentleman and
oificer am bound TO keep my word,
and nay word Is given to marry Alice
hang Ill wish had never been born.
she, too poor girl, may discover that my
yyss Love i revo a,', yva sS tha cone saa,;na
have for dear Iitf1a Nat.lia hlass har
loving heart J,
81 Torn won't IN Natal,a aud to,a no,
month world Gee him rna,r;ed
Her delicate face ,vL;tered INIT con.
troIlin, harsaIf sbe said
ar conorotrlate 10, NJ, ponot.s ,,
Thor brrsti,a INTO ,asra sLa ,,rnoa
a,rs,- tn s;,,,t - - 80 80 -.
,nnch for Ton, Em,,raoina he. . ,'.ad -
IL III sofa lst 1nya H.. g., Na,.,;a
darI;rg Oh that bad met Won ,irss,
NJ, Nv fan,,,ass a. si,.a a..s ~, : a..
IND THING ana nv Love TO- vo,, ,vili
last forever ;,
Pressing xvcrm kissas ON her line
no hold her cloee '
.To.vo me Tom Ms riab, for Won
n Lean vc,,r VOID INIT ron shanId hsvo
,o15 ,ne ~ vonr enoa -e,non+ hasora We
had hos. r,rt ,,o,v Goedlv 1 !"
"Rnt can't coma ~ ...a von Ma.
.al;a az nsral.,,
.swbv co-ta;,,v No, NJ no,o,..
1t would only be painful, for we can
never, from this time forward, be any