The Yale expositor., 1896-07-31

officials. thereby greatly annoying the
poor man.
Mr.. Framwell began to dread the
hours of delivery. Twice a day, what
ever the weather, Mrs. Allestree pre-
scented her handsome anxious face at
the window
When he handed out the post to her
and she found not the letter she
longed for, an angry face it was that
peered in at him, and a stern-albeit
well-bred-voice that demanded of him
to hunt through every box, lest per-
chance he had made some error In dis
tributing.
The deserted, neglected wife must
| blame somebody, and she would not
blame. her husband. She did not at
| first even dream of blaming Joseph.
By the middle of the week her whole
mood changed. She felt hurt, deeply
hurt. There seemed to be no reason,
no excuse for such neglect. To think
that this, their first separation in so
many years. should be unabridged by
word!
She could not have the consolation OF
writing to him, for he had left no adj
dress there being an uncertainty about
the very part OF London in which that
troublesome Perley was living.
1t was the way of men, and he, it
seems, was not better than the rest Of
them. Once out of her sight he forgot
forgot all the love and daily devo-
ton of forty-two years.
BY Saturday morning Mrs. Allestree
was ill-ill enough to go to bed. Jim
my had to fetch both posts, and, after
delivering in person the first one, he
vowed to Molly that he would not ap-
proach Mrs. Allestree again while
Mr.. Allestree was away.
All day Sunday Mrs. Allestree lay
silent in dark chamber. Molly could
not get word from her, nor would
she eat. 1t was almost restful to be
so weak. True, she was in despair
She had given up all expectations Of
seeing Joseph again, but, compared
with the bewilderng tossings of vain
conjecture, her present state was one
of quietude and peace.
But by Monday morning she was
suffering torments once more. She felt
that If Jimmy returned without either
Joseph or a letter she would surely die,
and, indeed, she nearly died as it was.
When the wheels sounded again up
On the gravel, Mrs. Allestree sat up in
bed. She was whittier than her hair
No voices were heard below. She
clutched her heart and gasped. But
presently a door opened and step
came up the stairs. 1t was the step Of
Joseph. AS he entered the room she
fell back among the pillows.
MY dear Henrietta. what's all this?"
He looked around almost accusingly
upon the two frightened women, as if
he had caught them in the act of as
sassinating their mistress.
Didn't Jimmy tell you?" she MUIR
INJURED.
"You know Jimmy never tells any,
thing. He did say you weren't we'll.
But have you been very i'll, dear?"
The women had withdrawn, and he
seated himself upon the bed.
Joseph, you might have sent me
one little line"'
"Wh-what? l don't quite compre
bend. A line?"
Eyes it wouldn't have hurt you 70
write a line"
Henrietta, wrote to you every day
and sometimes twice a day."
They stared at each other.
But l never got solitary letter, -
she said presently. Il sent to every
delivery-went myself until l became
i'll. Mr.. Framwell said there was
nothing from you. 1t nearly killed
me. Joseph"
However" he muttered, "they
couldn't have miscarried-I-H
ia! l have it! Wait; I'll be back in
twenty minutes" and the gentleman
fairly ran out of the room.
He laughed all the way downstairs
and she heard his ha, has between his
shouts for Jimmy to bring back the
trap. In few minutes they ratified
out of the grounds, and within the time
mentioned they ratified back again.
Mr.. Allestree tore breathlessly I'D the
stairs, bursting boy-fashion into his
wifes room. He carried a package Of
letters, which he spread out in a circle
on the bed. There were fourteen OF
them, and every one was addressed t.
Miss Henrietta Shower.
For short space nothing was said
and then the two aged lovers began t.
laugh, and they laughed until they
cried.
Joseph" she said, cts very funny
very, but it was almost the death O.
me. How did you come to do it?"
why, Henrietta, love, when 1 once
got out Of your dear, familiar presence
the old days came back completely
You were little Retta Shower, and
Joseph Allestree blushed; he did no
often quote poetry
"And our two and forty years
Seemed mist that rolled away"
| -o