The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1896-05-01

taken of that morning. Somehow, hi
eyes filled as he looked at them. The
reminded him, as he took one caress
ingly In his hand, of their gentle wear
er, and he whispered to himself, POO
Margaret
Perhaps the ghost of those long neg
lected years of married life rose to con
front him in that silent room. HI
wondered, as he sat there, how h
would feel IL this absence was foreve
If she were really dead! He remem
Dered her patient forbearance, he
sweet nature, her affectionate heart
that he had so often set aside. Yes
she had always loved him, he knew
that. AS he sat and pondered in tn,
loneliness of that room the scales fel
from his eyes. He saw clearly his neg
lect, his selfishness, his blindness. II,
had an abundance of time to be sorr,
In, for six months is quite a period t.
live through when one is miserable.
One day, in BRUSSELS, Margare
handed Aunt Elizabeth most lover
like letter.
Read 1t, Aunt Elizabeth" said she
with shining eyes. "I believe Robert
really begins to miss me at last"
But she stayed the six months, and IL
the sightseeing in the Old World for.
got, in a measure, the long years o.
pain that lay behind. Her eyes tooh
on a brighter, happier expression, the
face filled out into its old roundness
and in the bracing atmosphere of Aunt
Eliz ibeth's presence, new scenes and
new people, Margaret, at thirty, be-
gan to look more like the old Margaret
of twelve years ago.
And Robert Allison? AS the months
rolled by and 1t became nearly time tc
expect her, he could scarcely under
stand the Impotence with which he
waited. He longed inexpressibly to
see her again, to tell her how much he
had missed her, and that he had never
ceased to love her. After all, she was
his wife, the one creature in the world
nearest him. He treated her with cold
ness and Indifference, but he knew now
that he had always loved her. He
would never let her go again, he thought
dear Margaret!
Among the anxious watchers for the
great steamer that was expected one
morning stood a tall, handsome man.
He walked back and forth with eager
Impotence, as the great ship came
nearer and nearer.
All, now she was nearly at her pier;
now she had reached it,, What scene
that was. What q torrent Of kisses and
embraces were given and exchanged.
What O gathering OF voices. What
laughs and what tears. A few uninter-
ested spectators who stood by noticed
particularly the figure of tall, beau
tiful woman, clad in a dark blue dress.
She was closely followed by little old
lady, in black, and she seemed to be
looking for some one; t.It not long, for,
with little cry of Joy, she saw her
husband and as Robert Allison felt the
fresh, sweet lips press his own so low
ingly, and beheld, after six long, weary
months of waiting, that beloved face,
he vowed that henceforth and forever
the first care of his life would be to
make her happy, and he realized as he
had never before, as he held her close
close to his heart, the tender forbear.
ance of woman's love. He had found
out what life was without her, and he
told her himself, as he looked into the
radiant face, that without her it was not
worth living.
Aunt Elizabeth smiled a shrewd lit
tie smile when Margaret told her,
few days afterward.
"My DEAR" said she; in that wise way
Of hers, "men need % be handled with
he incest of tact and judgment. Mar
ried life is apt to blunt the keen edge
If affection, and prove monctonous, but,
in spite Of carelessness and indiffer-
ence, the love is there. 1t only needs
careful training to bring it to the sur
ACE. Don't merge your individuality
INTO that of your husband, and when
you find yourself running into a rIt,
'un away and see the world and its
ways. Weakness is one of the finest of
yirtues, but we can have too much of it.
There, my dear, have preached long
enough. Any one can see that Robert
S changed man. l am glad he profited
~ the lesson we gave him. But, then,
knew he would" and Aunt Elizabeth
bestowed an affectionate pat on Mar
,aret's shoulder, as she left the room.
Eyes, Aunt Elizabeth" said Marga-
ct looking after her with grateful
yes, eff it had not been for you life
would have been very different mat
err" And as she heard her husbands
tep, and looked into a face that was
lot cold or indifferent any longer, site
cit inexpressibly thankful to wise,
Worldly, good, shrewd Aunt Elizabeth.
Susan Hubbard Martin.