Evening star., 1896-07-25

husband. Capt. Este. received a cabIegram
one Friday night announcing the dangerous
Illness of his mother in Milan. He was her
only son. and the thought came into the
minds of US both by a lightning flash of
sympathy. that he ought to go to her A
steamer sailed from New York the next
day at noon. and although the last train
TO the city had gone down that night il
would be easy for him to catch the boat
Saturday morning. We kissed our baby
boy. just year old. as he Law asleep in
his cradle and set about packing my hus-
bands trunk. He thought he would he
back again in a month. surely. and some
how, the dreadful shock of the parting had
not yet come over me.
Weeks passed and l heard 10 more from
hlrn L tried to imagine him overcome by
the death OF his mother. but / could not
understand how he could be forgetf IL of his
wife month passed. and wrote to the
American consul at Milan. asking him to
cable me as soon as he had anything def
mite to communicate. No cable message
came. and one day in my desperation |
turned to my neighbor, Mrs. Bartlett as
she sat on my little viEe-covere,i piazza
comforting me, and cried out: oh Fanny
VIII you keep little Henry if I go to Milan?
If don't do something I shall die, | can't
Sit mere and just wait any longer.' Then
remember i burst into tears and sobbad on
Fanny Bartetts shoulder until she sooth-
ed me with a speedy acquiescenc. in my
prayer. My little boy. she said. should be
as dear to her as though he We're her own.
With no less haste than for my hus-
bands. | prepared for my own departure
He had left me a hundred or two dollars
In ready money. which i also left In the
local bank TO Mrs Bartletts credit NV
diamond earrings. my husbands present to
me a short time before on my birthday T
took straight into New York to the great
Jewel house from which l knew he had
purchaseh them l explained the circum-
stances and received for them in cash s3OO
lie had paid 5000 but was delighted with
the bargain | had made. I male few
hasty purchases. bought a ticket to Genoa
and hurried home to my baby. The next
day but one / was to sail. That night I
slept but little. All the next day-it was
Friday, June 13-Fanny spent with me.
She had children of her own and her
husband was away from home weeks at
time on business. My house was to he
shut up and my baby's nurse was TO 20 to
Fanny's with baby.
SATURDAY morning. the 18th, kissed
my brave little daddy my blue-eyed baby.
goodbye and hurried to the train In an
agony of tears. Fanny petted me and
cheered me all she could. and held n1m up
30 Una .hat l could see him almost all the way
10 the station. He smiled and cooed."
Mrs. Peckham's voice choked and. on
looking up, l perceived that her head was
resting on her husbands shoulder and that
tears We're streaming down his cheeks
There, thought i. is a second marriage
whose happiness may yet make I'D for the
misery of the first.
made quick voyage" Mrs. Peckham
went on. by and by, land reached Milan
without misadventure. drove straight to
20 the American consurs and was most
kindly received. After watching for many
hours at the bedside of his dying mother,
my husband had himself expired suddenly
on the day of the funeral They had been
buried In one tomb. The mother, having
been resident of Milan for so many
years, her friends, in the confusion attend
ant on the double fatality. lest sieht on
Iireiy OF the home and. the loved ones the
son mad left in foreign land Nobody
hnew. 50 nobody thought anything about
my husband was dead 1 tainted The CON
SUI mad not seen or beard of him.
II was long time before / was able tn
talk OF my troubles. The consul was yery