Smyrna times., 1896-07-29
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ment officials, thereby greatly annoy
ing the poor man.
Mr.. Framwell began to dread the
hours of delivery. Twice a day, what
ever the weather, Mrs. Allestree pre-
sented 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, least
perchance he had made some error in
distributing.
The deserted, neglected wife must
blame somebody, and she would not
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 unbridged by
word.
She could not have the consolation
of writing to him, for he had left no
address, 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 no better than the rest of
them. Once out of her sight, he for
got all the love and daily devotion of
AZ years.
By Saturday morning Mrs. Allestree
was ill-ill enough to go to bed.
Jimmy had to fetch both posts, and,
after delivering in person the first one,
which consisted of papers only, he
vowed to Molly that he would not ap-
proach Mrs. Allestree again while Mr..
Allstree was away.
All day Sunday Mrs. Allestree lay
silent in dark chamber. Molly could
not get a word from her, nor would
she eat. 1t was almost restful to be SO
week. True, she was in despair. She
had given up all expectation of seeing
Joseph again; but, compared with the
bewildering tOssings of vain coniect-
ure, her present state was one of quie-
tude and peace.
But by Monday morning she was
suffering torments once more. She
felt that if Jimmy returned without
either Joseph or letter she would
surely die, and, indeed, she nearly
died as it was.
When the wheels sounded again
upon the gravel, Mrs. Allestree sat up
in bed. She was whit her 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. It was the
step of Joseph. As he entered the
room she fell back among the pillows.
MY dear Henrietta, what all this?"
He looked round almost accusinglv
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 anything. He did say YOU
weren't well. But have you been verv
i'll dear?"
The women had withdrawn, and he
seated himself upon the bed.
Joseph, you might have sent me
one little line!''
''Wh-wht? 1 don't quite compre-
hend. A line?"
Eyes; it wouldn't have hurt you to
write line."
Henrietta, wrote to you every
day, and sometimes twice day."
They started at each other.
"But I never got a solitary letter."
she said, presently. ST sent to every
delivery-went myself until became
ill. Mr.. Framewell said there was
nothing from you. 1t nearly killed
me, Joseph"
However" he muttered, ''they
couldn't have all miscarried-I-
riettah I have it! Wait; I'll be back
in 20 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
Erap. In few minutes they ratified
out of the grounds, and within the time
he mentioned they ratified back again.
Mr.. Allestree tore breathlessly up
stairs, bursting, boy fashion, into his
wife's room. He carried package of
letters, which he spread out in a circle
on the bed. There were IA of them,
and every one was addressed to Miss
Henrietta Shower.
For short space nothing was said, |
and then the two aged lovers began to
laugh, and they laughed until they
cried.
Joseph" she said, ''it's very funny,
very; but it was almost the death of
me. How did you come to do it?"
why, Henrietta, love, when l 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
not often quote poetry
And our two-and-forty years
Seemed mist that rolled away"
According to the Populist statesmen
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