Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1895-11-20
A FAITHLESS WIFE.

Two persons walked along tne
beach-a man, who saw only the
brightness in the face of the woman
by his side, realizing in q vague way
from her features, that held such q
charm for him, the splendor of the
sunset pageantry.
She was looking out to sea. The
sunset fires seemed to glow beneath
the lashes of her eyes; its crimson ra-
dance made her cheek bright and
touched her hair with shifting lights.
Il shall be gone three years." he
said, softly, his eyes still on her face.
"Three years are long time," she
answered, slowly.
IL know that" he said; "but they
cannot be longer to you than they will
to me-"
She did not reply, but kept her eyes
upon the fading brightness in the
west.
"You will write often, I know" he
said, taking her hand. "Your letters
will help to make the time seem short
er."
..But you are not sure of getting
Them" she answered. "YOu are go
ing far away, and into country
where one doesn't enjoy the means of
correspondence with a great deal Of
certainty or reliability"
..But | shall know you have written
if do not get your let ter" he said,
trustinglv.
John Derwent had a vast amount Of
faith i'll Agnes Brent. He loved her;
consequently he trusted her.
"And YOU are going tomorrow"
She asked the question with a little
shadow i'll her face.
"Yes, | start Tomorrow" he
answered. 81 shall not see you again.
have come TO bid you good-by."
She dropped the long lashes of her
eyelids TO hide the tears that gathered
there. Her betrothed husband was
going away for three lonesome years.
She should miss him.
Like most women, sweet words and
tender caresses We're pleasant to her.
No one had ever cared for her before
as John Derwent did. To know that
she was loved by some one-that in
that persons regard she was the one
woman in the world-was a knowledge
frau@ht with pleasant emotions.
They walked up and down the beach,
while the sunset died away into SOM
bre grayness, and till long after-the
yellow moon had started OH her voyage
up the sky.
Then John Derwent kissed her good
by. She hung upon his neck, her
warm tears falling swiftly, and would
have kept him back. But he must go;
and. with his kisses on her lips, he
whispered his words of parting-and
was gone.
wonder if the moon looked down
on other scenes like that that night?
Did it see other lovers kissing good
byes and parting with trust in each
others faithfulness through the days
or months or years of separation?
The DAYS went by.
John Dcrwent reached his destina-
ton safely. The situation offered to
him was lucrative one, and In his
new Australian home he was quite
contented, feeling that love was wait
ing him by and by that would amply
repay him for the long days of lone
some hours that were sometimes his.
Letters came regularly for the first
year; not half as often as he could
have wished them to, but as often as
he could expect them. Pleasant, loving
letters, that were full of tender little
wishes for his comfort and happiness,
and of longing for him to come back
to her. 1t was so lonely after he left.
1t was pleasant for John Derwent to
read such letters-to know that at
home one heart was so true and tender,
that one heart thought always of him,
and ycarned for his return.
"If every man could have a love
like that which life has given to nc
your love, Agnes" John Derwent
wrote home in one of his letters. "there
would be much more happiness than
there is at present-fewer men who
scofl at woman's truth and cOnstancy.
never thought for moment of doubt
ing you, Agnes; should not forgive
myself if | were to do so. You are
my ideal of all that woman should be
true, tender. womanly."
You can see from that how much he
cared for her-what faith he had in
her.
The day was dying again in pomp
Of purple glory. The sky had a gloomy
look about it, despite its lurid bright
ness where the sun had gone down.
The wind moaned across the beach,
and beat against the rock, where tho
waters had lashed themselves into
white foam of fury.
1t had been a terrible day. The
storm had spent its violence now; but
the ship that had struggled SO nobly to
save its crew had fallen a prey at last
to wind and water, and lay a helpless
wreck little way out at sea.
Men and women gathered on the
shOre. They cast anxious glances sea-
ward, and watched the waves to see if
my semblance of humanity was swept
% land by them.
A woman stood a little way off from
he others-a tall, handsome woman in
rich garments. She looks towards the
wrecked vessel with little pallOr Oh
ser face.
Presently wave leaped in shore
ward, and then swept back again,
ieaving a body on the sand. Seaweeds l
angled themselves in his wet hair and
slung to the mans garments.
She cried out 10 some one close to
her, and directly there was little
crowd about the body. They took it
pp revercntly, as though they wcro
bearing the dead; perhaps they were.
They might be, for ali they could tell
then.
The man was taken 20 sorle place
where shelter and care could be afford
ed, if there was any trace of life cling
Ing to him, and medical aid summoned.
He was not quite dead. There were
rreat gashes on his face and bruises ON