The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-04-22


cess. He, Madison Janeway, had begun
with nothing, and at 80 he had won the
things he had longed for ut 90. The
opening aud closing of the door attract
ed his attention. Ho looked up.
A woman walked across the roonl-a
plain woman with an honest, ugly face
and short, thick figure.
"Who are you?' Mr.. Janeway asked,
frowning ut her intrusion.
Don. you know me, Maddy?" she
returned.
He was startled when she called him
Maddy-it was more than 30 years since
he had been called that. "Are-you-
are-you-but you can't be Sarah,' he
stammered. "She has been dead these
many years. -
II am Sarah" she answered "You
have changed, Maddy."
Yes-yes. We are apt to-" no re-
piled uneasily. but you look just the
same" He said this to SEQ if she would
account for her presence.
"The living can only see the dead as
they were in life" she returned. "You
sold the farm, didn't yeh?'
Mr.. Janeway felt as if q reproach lay
in the observation. Eyes, I sold the
farm, :" he said. 81 needed the money
to put in other investments.
II worked hard on that place." she
said, crossing her hands-yery rough,
worn hands. II worked hard there those
years. tried to save all could, Maddy."
You were q good wife, Sarah, " he
replied, land both of us had our bur-
dens, guess. -
"And it was my money that bought
the farm. You had nothing when you
came counting me, did you, Maddy?
And you said that my being 80 years
old and you being just of age mado no
difference. :"
Yes, suppose l said that, and I'm
sure always tried to be good to you,''
he said in answer to that unspoken re-
proach that seemed to lie behind her
unspoken words II tried to treat you
we'll"
The money that came to me just be-
fore died from Uncle John must have
been help. left it and the farm to
you. Maddy." Her dull eyes seemed to
force him to acknowledge his debt.
"Yes-yes, Sarah. know that owe
much to you. Without your help and
money should have had much harder
time getting on my feet Yet I think I
should have succeeded in any case"
Mr.. Janeway could not forbear Offering
this tribute to his self esteem. Glow
ever, l gratefully acknowledge your
aid, Sarah.''
"You have another wife now, Mao.
dy, and children" she said, "but I was
first believed in you, and worked for
you, oh, so willingly. knew that you
were different from me. I knew that
you had hopes that stupid Sarah could
never understand. / knew that I was
your companion in your work, but not
i'll your hopes 1 knew that we were
growing farther apart every year that
we lived together. l knew that while I
was getting to be worked out and mid
die aged you were only coming to
Your prime. I knew that it was best
that died when did-before came
to be drag on you. Yet, Maddy. be-
fore her and your children I think you
ought not to shame me, for was your
faithful wife, the wife Of your youth,
and gave you all had to give-my
money, my love, my toil.'
Before Mr.. Janeway could answer
She was gone, and he sat alone.
The next day, however, he took the
old photograph down town and ordered
for it gorgeous frame When it was
returned, he hung it in his library
where it looked strangely alien between
st. Cecilia and the Arabian Falconer.
bought at the instigation of the archi-
tect.
Elnrrv with ol,i1l %. 81.
ticed the fine gilt frame that surrounded
the ugly, good face. What have you
done to the LADY," she asked. AREN'T
you going to pack her away, like man.
ma saitl?''
No; the picture is to stay here. Do
you remember who said it was?"
Yes; it was your first WIFE
Mr.. Janeway took her ON his knee.
"Florry.' he began soberly, "when
was a little boy, was very poor, as
poor as the Galts'-a family celebrated
in the town for i'll luck and poverty.
II went to school when L could, but
that was mighty little, for 1 had to
work most of the time. Sometimes I'd
| get most discouraged, but 1 had to work
I just the same One year worked for Il
man named Deering. He had daughter,
and when she found how much wanted
to go to school she lent me some money
money she had saved by pinching and
scraping. After awhile her father died,
and she married me. I had nothing.
and she owned q good farm, but she
married me. In six years she died and
left everything to mo. She gave me my
start. She was good woman and be-
lieved i'll me when nobody else did. Tho
other night papa dreamed that he saw
her and talked to her, and it,made him