Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1896-01-15
A REMNANT OF SENTIMENTRLITY

Ill HLifiittiNl vi OLfl iiilLtfl Hill .
The electric light from burner, shad-
ed with wrinkled silk, streamed through
the wide open windows into the dark
blueness Of the sultry autumn dusk. Pale
lowered damaSk was stretched tent-like
over the walls and ceiling of the room
from which all other drapery had been
stripped and most of the furniture re-
moved. Straw laid down in the street
below muffied the immediate clatter of
traffic; the atmosphere was acrid with
the smell of some powerful disinfectant
On a narrow bed of carved cedar wood,
pulled we'll into the middle of the room
lay a woman, and beside her, both her
pale hands in his, and his head bowed
upon them, knelt a man.
How long will the nurse leave us
alone together, | wonder? | want you
-' Her faint voice trailed off into
silence
What, sweetheart"
He looked up, his handsome, ordinarily
debonair face almost grotesquely con-
yulsed.
But when she spoke again it was in
tone of one who makes an entirely inn
personal observation.
How stranger she said, weakly. In
4 few days, perhaps III Il few hours, L
shall be q lonely, useless Thing, only Il
Dead Body, which was once your wife. "
My poor little girl he muttered
filled with an immense an intolerable
pity, my poor, dear, little girl.
You are sorry for me as we'll as your
self, aren't youT' she said, WiStfully.
He made no attempt at any answer
beyond that implied in his action, as be
gathered her into his arms.
Are these your tears | teel:-so hot
and bitter! Mine seem all dried up; but
it is hard to have to go away from
the people and places l know, out OF the
warmth and Ight-where? Ah-h! love
isn't as strong as death, or you would
hold me fast always, wouldn't your
He began rocking her to and fro, gent
ly, mechanically, as one rocks sleepy
child
With an effort she clasped her frail
arms round his neck. and ali the bright
rain of her hair fell over her and hid her
face.
Comfortable, sweetheart?" he asked
after a short silence.
Quite, thanks. Do l tire you?''
His laugh of negation broke into huski-
"Oh, I forgot, I'm only a bag of bones
now. And l used to be SO pretty! You
remember? You were very fond of me,
weren't you? 'Rose-leaf nights and rose
ZEAL days we We uAU, haven l we: CE-
haps it is 4 lucky thing for me to die
while we are both young. before we
could tire and sicken each other. /
wonder how long it will take you to get
over my death-a year? six months?
Six months! Phuh. l give you three
months in which to console yourself.
He flushed with pain as physical as
though she had actually struck him.
For Gods sake don't talk like that,
/ can't stand itp'
For your sake, then, I won't Dear,
kind, good fellow, after teasing you for
three whole years, the least | can do is
to humor you during what time is left
to US
''Three years." he repeated, straining
her poor, shrunken little body closer to
him.
Three happy years. They have been
happy, haven't they? | have been a
good wife, haven't [? Yes, kiss me.
Cleaye to me, love me, kiss mine eyes,
Satiate my lips with loving me.
That's by Swinburne You never cared
for poetry. Oh-h! put me down, please"
You are tired" he said, hastily obey
ing her.
nirthlessly. ''The nurse will be here
soon and before she comes [ want you
Il told you at first [ want you"
What, sweetheartT he asked
She looked almost humbly at him,
with dimmed eyes sunken deep in Eer
white. sharpened face
Will you do me a favor?' her voice
failed her for a moment.
Anything everything" he said.
you'll tell me later on"
Dear boy, there won't be any later
on for me. | want you to go 70 my
escritOire and take out 4 small sealed
packet from the left hand top drawer.
There is letter inside. When T am
dead, will you see that it is delivered
into the hands of the person to whom
it is addressed"
is that all?
That is all. | ask this favor of you
because | prefer to trust you rather
than my maid or a solicitor The cues
ton is, will you trust me?"
And she watched him with strained at
tention.
Trust you?" he echoed.
Yes. Open the packet and read the
address on the letter."
She rolled over and hid her face in the
bed clothes. There was a short silence.
and the writing on the envelope was not
palmer than the CONSERVATION on his
face.
Perhaps you have a right to know
what | have written to him. she said
at length in a stifed voice Certainly
you nave right to know why l have
written to him. But l can't explain,
and | won't excuse myself. As I said
before, the question is, will you trust
me?"
She turned toward him at that, and
her voice was the voice and the eyes the
eyes of dying woman. SO it came to
pass that he went back to the bed and
awSwardly, but with much tender inten-
ton, smoothed the bright rain Of her
hair on the pillows.
will IE' be said. huskily eyes. 7
think of those three years, and of your
part in them, and l am quite satisfied to
know nothing"
For the first time during the interview
tears welled up into her eyes and over
flowed.
"How good you are, how very good
she murmured, as he gathered her again
into his arms.
MY poor little girl! My poor, dear
little girlp' he muttered.
With a supreme effort she clasped her
fraii arms round his neck.
S-s-sh. She is asleep" he warned the