Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1896-03-20

III
w own. Fiveyears he had
@N lived there, he and
II IN Dorothy. How happy
SS ~ they had been! But
things seemed to have gone wrong
some way, since-since the baby died
in the spring. A sob came into Jack s
throat, for the little face had haunted
him all day.
Never sound had the baby lips
uttered, and the loudest noises had
not disturbed his rest. 1t had seemed
almost too much to bear, but they had
loved him more, if that were possible,
because he was not as other children
were. Jack had never been recon
ciled, but Dorothy found world Of
consolation in the closing paragraph
of magazine article on the subject.
''And yet we cannot believe these
Children of Silence to be unhappy.
Mrs. Browning says that closed eyes
see more truly than ever open do,
and may there not be another world of
music for those to whom our own is
soundless? In certain sense they are
utterly beyond the pain that life al
ways brings, for never can they hear
the cruel words beside which physical
hurts sink into insigniicance. So
pity them not, but believe that He
knoweth best, and that what seems
wrong and bitter Is often His truest
kindness to His children"
Dorothy read it over and over until
she knew it by heart. There was a
certain comfort in the thought that he
need not suffur-t that he need never
find what wealth of bitterness lies in
that one little word-life. And when
the hard day came she tried to be
thankful, for she knew that he was
safer still /; tried to see the Kindness
that had taken him back into The Un-
known Silence of which he was the
Child.
Jack went up the steps this mild
winter evening, whistling softly to
himself, and opened the door with his
latch key. "Where are you, girlie?"
cup stairs, dear; I'll be down in a
minute" aud even as she spoke Dor.
othy came into the room.
In spite Of her black gown and the
hollows under her eyes she was a
very pretty women. She knew it, and
Jack did. too. That is, he had known,
but he had forgotten.
"Here's the evening paper" He
tossed it into her lap as she sat down
by the window.
"Thank you." She wondered
vaguely why Jack didn't kiss her as he
used to, and then dismissed the
thought. She was growing accus-
toned to that sort of thing.
"How nice of you to come by the
early train! didn't expect you till
later" ,ssss
"There wasn't much going on in
town, SO left the Office early. Any
mail? No? Guess I'll take Jip out
for stroll" The fox terrier at his
feet wagged his tail approvingly.
"Want to go, Jip?"
Jip answered decidedly in the affirm
ative. "All right, come on" and
Dorothy watched the two 60 down
the street with an unde6ned feeling
OF pain.
She lit the prettily- shaded lamp
and tried to read the paper, but the
political news, elopements, murders,
and suicides lacked interest. She won
dered what had come between her
and Jack. Something had there was
no question of that, but-well, il
would come straight some time. Per.
haps she was morbid and unjust. She
couldn't ask him what was the matter
without making him angry, and she
had tried SO hard to make him happy.
Jip announced his arrival at the
front door with series OF SHARP
barks and an unmisSakable scratch
She opened it as Jack sauntered slow
ly up the walk. and passed her with
the remark, "Dinner ready? I'm a'
hungry as bear"
Into the cozy dining room they
went, Jip first, then Jack, and ther
Dorothy. The daintily served mea
satisfied the iuner man, and he die
not notice that she ate but little. Sht
honestly tried to be entertaining, aud
thought she succeeded fairly we'll
After dinner he retired into the depth
OF the evening paper, and Dorothy
stitched away at her embroidery.
Suddenly Jack looked at his watch
"Well, it's half-past seven, and Nv,
| got to go over to Mrs. Browns t.
practice duet with her for to-mor
| row."
Dorothy trembled, but only said
ooh, yes, the duet. What is it thi
| timer"
"'Calvary, I guess. That seems t,
take the multitude better than any
thing we sing. No. Jip, not this time
Good-by-l won't be gone long"
The door siamme~, and Doroth,
was alone.
She put away her embroidery an
walked the floor restlessly. Mrs
Brown was pretty widow, alway
we'll dressed, and she sang divinely
Dorothy could not sing note. thougl
she played fairly wcll, and Jack 90
into habit of taking Mrs. Brown ney
/ music and going over to sing it wit