The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1896-09-11
~what is her trortie?" asked, try


cannot possibly recover. 1t is only a
question Of days, perhaps hours"
A little figure propped against
snowy pillows leaned forward ex-
pectantly as entered. A big crimson
rose nodded dangerously at her
breast, as it had SO lately nodded at
bridal altar.
I'm afraid madame does not remem-
her me-" she said, as she smiled and
pressed my hand with feeble warmth.
"Will you forgive me for troubling you
again? | want so much to hear OF
friend whom think you know. DO you
remember Mrs. Loring"
1 Immediately recognized the llttle
patient face, with it's big, searching
ewes and the swift, proud smile.
~ know / cannot live long," she be-
gan. as if apologizing for her very ex-
istence. land it doesn't matter now
They do not know here who | am or
any part of my life, and did not mean
to tell anyone; but | want SO much to
hear of my husband once more before
/ die Won't you tell me OF him? You
cannot know how I have longed to hear
of him. You are not angry that l ask
you?"
mo. oh, no." answered. and clasped
the hand little closer.
$40 YOU ever see him or speak to
him?" she asked, eagerly, the hectic
flush deepening in her wasted cheeks
and her eyes shining like stars.
Eyes, l see him often. People call
him q great genius, and he has every
thing to make him happy"
THANK God! Oh, how glad l am
how glad!" Tears rose in her dark
bright eyes and trickled down in big,
pearly drops into the heart OF the
sumptuous rose. eff you knew how
starved I am for the sight of his face
and one word of love from his lips you
would pity ard forgive me-"
II am sorry from my heart" | an
swered, in absolute truth, that gave her
courage to tell me her pitiful story.
"And you will let me talk to you OF
him, will you not? I have not spoken
of him to living soul since left him
that night now SO long, long ago-only
two years, and to me they seem a life
time. And all that time have been in
this city, almost within stones throw
of his great, happy world. How hard
it has been God only knows"
"But. tell me, why did you leave
him."
"Oh. yes, I will tell you. 1t cannot
matter, now that the end is SO near.
All! 1 must talk" she murmured. in
answer to the nurses look of mild re-
proof. at will kill me to keep silence
longer"
She closed her eyes for few sec
onds, then began to talk in clear un
dertone. too low to reach the ears OF the
idly curious.
II knew the world would say hard
things of me. but there was no other
way, and for his sake nothing mat
tered. 1t seems long, long while since
our marriage. was q poor, simple
country girl. 1 lived with my half
sister way up in the Vermont hills
never dreaming of the great busy worlt
beyond till Herbert came there t.
write one summer, and when met hin
I realized what lonely life mine HAD
been, and how insufferably dull it would
henceforth be without him. He wa
very young. full of the glorious en-
thusiasm of ambitious youth; he use,
to tell me of his successes and all hi
golden dreams of the future, and
knew he would some time be one of tn
! great ones of earth. He used to cal
me 'innocently pretty'-yes, that wa
it-'so innocently pretty, free from tn
poor affectations of society girls an
liked to have me near him while h
wrote, because my simple presenc
helped him to realize his highest ideals
Then my sister died suddenly, an
after the first shock of grief, when b
realize that / was alone Elm tn
world, he told he loved me-that
was the one girl in all the world I
him. the woman to fill his life complete
| ly. His work would take him anon
all classes of people; he would be of tn
gay, tickle world which pleases for
time, but cannot satisfy, and he woul
always return with joy to the hom
nest, where l was to be queen foreve
What dream of happiness to me
How could / know that it was but
dream!
1.-THE confusion and noise of the cit
disturbed me at first, but had Herber
and nothing mattered when he WI
near. We had long, happy evening
together in which to talk of and pla
for the promising future. Then
grew very busy and began to go out
; great deal, and, to satisfy the deman'
of society, had people at our home oftt
: people whom l did not understand
'Bohemians,' lie called them, and e
planned that they were necessary to B