Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1896-01-02

go speech for her sake, and learn the
lessons Of silence with her-but she
would not listen to the suggestion. And
then began the martyrdom of Allan
| Davis.
Lucia could hear perfectly. so that
her husband and friends we're not con-
strained in their speech but any word
she mad to say. any message or answer
IN their conversation coming from her,
must be written She was always pro-
vlded with the means of communica-
tlon, and writing tablets of the daintiest
sort were scattered around the house,
ike some new bric-a- brac Of Speech.
The devotion Of Allan Davis to his
aiflcted wife was something marvellous
he never wearied of lover-like attentions
ana he never demanded the slightest
recognition OF them. He spent every
hour OF his eXistence-not employed in
ms business-in devisng pleasures for
Lucia, and on those unfortunate days,
when dumb devil of Miniature assert
ed itself, he met her mute reproaches
with establishment that was neither
uhmanly nor servile. but Christ like.
HIS bonny brown locks turned gray, his
laughing bOyish face took on the
SHADOWS OF early age, but his spirit re-
NAMED serene and patient, and the love
ne held In his heart for this woman
grew brighter and more fervent toward
the END. And the end came before the
fire Of youth had quite turned to ashes
the end for Allan Davis.
1t was simple case of influenza at
nrst, with no suggestion of danger, until
one day the doctor looked grave, and
the next he said to Luella: Your hus-
band will die!'
He watched her sharply, but no quiv-
err of an eye-lid told him what he want
ed to know. She wrote a question on
her tablet:
How soon?"
AT any time-to-night, perhaps" an
s"ered the doctor, and again he watched
her narrowly. Did he surprise flash
OF Joy in her cold eyes, strange tense
drawing Of the lines around her severe
mouth? 1t might have been his imag
nation, but at any rate he was glad for
Allan Davis.
The end came at night, when Luella
watched with her husband alone. He
had been sleeping and dreamed some
thing that wakened him with wild
start, and made all things look unreal
all except his wife, who bent over him
with a new solicitude in her face. He
saw 1t, and was grateful.
Il am going to leave you, dear" he
said In the slow, precise tones of those
who are nearly done with human
speech. will you not let me take with
me as my last glad heritage a word Of
forgiveness for the great wrong did,"
Luella looked at him and an unmis-
taxable CLEAN of triumph shone in her
eyes and expressed itself in her move
ments as she seized her tablet, and
wrote something upon it in plain, dis
tinct letters. Allan saw the look and
the hope that had sustained him so
many years, seemed now about to be
realized, and he lifted his head eagerly
to read for the last time that beloved
handwriting.
But God. more merciful than his
creature. had anointed his eyes with a
film, and with the written words he so
longed to see held before him by an
unfaltering hand, he loosed his hold on
earthly love and hate, and despoiled the
last sting of terrible revenge.
For this was what Luella had writ
ten for her dying husband to read:
''Since you are about to die will tell
you that l have never for one moment
been incapable of speech. assumed a
misfortune to punish you as you de.
served. have succeeded"