Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-12-20
WHEN LOVE, Was YOUNG
AND GREW NOT OLD

replied. eyes, we can write. Do you
know, Joseph, the thought of 1T already
consoles me q little. 1t will be such a
delightful novelty
1t was a good thing for Mrs. Allestree
that she expected visitors. But after the
guests had departed her condition was
pltible. Especially as no letter had
come.
MIR. Allestree had gone away early on
Saturday. Now it was Tuesday. She
had managed to be patient over the Sab
bath, but ON Monday morning, when
Jimmy came up from StonetOn empty
handed she had refused to believe that
he had not dropped the letter or that
the postmaster had not overlooked it,
There were only two deliveries in the
twenty-four hours, and at the evening
the same performance was repeated.
On Tuesday Mrs. Allestree went her.
self to Stoneton and delivered q severe
lecture to the postmaster upon the gem
eTal indifference Of government officials,
thereby greatly annoying the poor man.
Mr.. Fra mwell began to dread the hours
of delivery. Twice day, whatever the
weather, Mrs. Allestree presented 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-albet wellIhred
voice that demanded OF him to hunt
through every box, disappearance he had
made some error in distributing.
The deserted, neglected wife must
blame somebody, and she would not
blame 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 a
word!
She could not have the consolation of
writing to him, for he had left no adj
dress, 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, II
seems, was not better than the rest of
them. Once out of her sight he forgot
forgot all the love and daily devotion
of forty two years.
BY Saturday morning Mrs. Allestree
was Hill enough to go to bed. Jimmy
had TO fetch both posts, and, after deliv-
ering in person the first one, he vowed to
Motley that he would not approach Mrs.
Allestree again while Mr.. Allestree was
away.
All day Sunday Mrs. Allestree lay ST.
lent in dark chamber. Molly could not
get a word from her nor would she eat.
1t was almost restful to be so weak.
True, she was in despair. She had given
up all expectation of seeing Joseph again,
but, compared with the bewildering toss
ings Of vain conjecture, her present state
was one of quietude and peace.
But on Monday morning she was suf-
fering torments once more. She felt that
If Jimmy returned without either Joseph
or letter she would surely die, and, in
deed she nearly died as 1t was.
When the wheels sounded again upon
the gravel Mrs. Allestree sat up in bed.
She was whittier than her hair. No voices
were heard below. She clutched her heart
and gasped. But presently door opened
and step came up the stairs. 1t was
the step Of Joseph. AS he entered the
room she fell back among the pillows.
MY dear Henrietta, what's all this %
He looked around almost aceusngly upon
the two frightened women, aSif he had
caught them in the act of assassinati ting
their mistress.
"Didn't Jimmy tell your" she muir
INJURED.
"You know Jimmy never tells any,