The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-06-26
ZONES, MlDOWER.

StIn, q was not the good fortune That
COMBS by luck that was his, but Il was
the fruit Of energy ana Industry. Left
with a considerable patrimony. he had
carefully improved his circumstances.
until now, at tho age OF IS, he was class
ed a. one OF the solid men Of The town In
which he had built up his fortune.
For the last two years Jones had been
q devoted club man-for. Jones was a
WidoTer, and for two yeara home had
been doleful place. full OF the bltterest
OF biltor-SWeet memorIes-every corner
echolng nVOIce that was gone. every room
nun OF q vanished presence.
Tonight he had not gone 20 the club,
but loafed IN his own library and runll-
mated. For, though Jones was 2 Wild
oWoF, Il was his intention 20 remnin
such very little longer The echoes OF
ire voice that was gone were growing
fainter, and he no longer felt 10 sharply
the influence OF the vanished presence.
Just now he was engaged In that ven
cradle occupation, reviewing the past.
He, began with the wedding. He felt
again the hush Of his heart Oe he had
felt when he realized that Elizabeth had
RlVoR herself into his keeping. ITO have
Sna % hold" he whispered, and his pulse
beat strong. Elizabeth looked from the
ah6doW1 with the old sweet look OF con-
ddane0 and invitation
Tho flee faded and Jones settled HIM
aoif 10 his neglected cigar, and, In the
0moke curIs that drifted into the corners
be saw visiona.
Children had come TO them. He lived
afain 'hiB hours Of agony while Eliza
beth. his Elizabeth, entered the valley OF
pain; and his being throbbed once more
with eXultAnt Joy when she had passed
theValley and emerged on the bright NH
fopl beyond, bearing q precious life In
her hand-heF pledge OF her love to him.
',My brave Elizabeth"
Children had come to thenl-one, two.
ana then Q third, and Elizabeth had
found that the valley opened into the
deeper. darker valley of the Shadow OF
Death; and Jones, banned and despair
mr.. had found that the brightest hill
tons beyond that valley were Yelled In q
mist hS could not penetrate.
He lived again In the tirelight here: the
dark, cold days that followed-the days
that were months, tho weeks that were
yeara. the years that were centuries. He
turned reStlSssly as Il flashed to him
that OF these centuries there had been
but two.
a tiny coffin stood IN the corner there,
ana EllERbeth'8 baby had gone TO her
waiting arms. Two little helpless, cling
ang giris remained to him.
HouseseaperB! His soul ghuddered.
There was the fearful one, whose vocal
orFans were paFalyzed in his presence.
% that no conversation could be main
fained. She died. poor thing. and when
che was gone he realized that she had
= n NNfknA SIN
healways thought OF her. not as per-
son, but poor thing
A Jolly rosy face thrust Itself before
him. 'sWell," said q cordial voice, viii
n Be Z permanent poSitionT Stutter-
inE, Jones had been compelled 10 state
that he could give her no assurance OF
permAnoncy.
Next came the widow OF the terrible
headgear, and he had suffered In silence.
But since he had known Sue-oh, Sue
was Jewell She looked 20 naughty
and cold-Stiff, people called her. But
he knew how she could warm and glow,
how h0r eyes could brighten, how her
cheek could burn, and her lips curve dis
tractlnEly. II made his blood chase Just
10 think. here In the smoke. OF Sue. And
IN week Sue would be his. He BWelled
with pride. He thought OF his plans for
tire future. How well II was all ar
ranged He dWelt with complacency on
the fact that hiS friendS were In the
dark as 70 his purpose. Even his brother
did not know. How discreet he and Sue
had been, to be sure, and It was dellc-
ious, he having this sweet secret with
Sue
a Widower is 80 remarked upon II he
chooses TO marry. II Is annoying" Jones
had not confessed TO himself that he
dreaded HE friends, Just now.
Jones loved to zee things done decently
and IA order. He felt that this season
Of reelection was . delicate little Atten-
fion due to his past, and that he had
properly closed a book he meant to lay
aside and look at no more. He threw
his cigar into the crate, stretched him
self luxuriously, and took himself to
bed.
methodically at work.
The business day was nearly over.
when the boy announced q name, ana
Jones rose promptly and advanced to
meet a trim little lady. with q clear,
fresh complexion. and gray-blue, earn.
est eyes, whose color was matched by
the elegant gown she wore.
They proceeded at once to matter
Of business, he had in hand for her.
and when that was attended to she sat
GsIl.4UfA8 LuE - AEW AlAAAAAN9s
Jones liked Mrs. Mason. Aside from
his respect for her good sense. and his
friendship for her husband, she held
other claims upon his regard. He had
known her long and well, and she had
been q neighbor, and very dear friend
OF Elisabeth.
Il hear you are to be marrled7" she
said suddenly. There was question in
her voice. but not question that at all
doubted OF being answered.
Jones chafed. It was none OF her bus
iness; Il was meddlesome curiosity; yet
70 himself acknowledging that she had
always shown unBelfsh interest, and
that now he would, nay, must. answer.
All he could attain to by his inward
rebellion was an attempt TO soar lightly
above her. He crossed one knee over
the other. then crossed the other over
that. and said: well, congratulate
me, won't your" and he succeeded in
saying It with a sort OF nervous flip
He could detect nothing but gentle
gravity as she answered: IL cannot
He sat stlfny. thinking that II this
were a man. he'd know pretty well what
10 DO with him.
'T've had experience with step
mother myself" she went on, quietly.
as II thinking aloud, and without
thought OF influencing.
Jones started Really. II was almost
indicate in her to talk on In this way.
Beside, he had not thought Of Sue rs n
Btep-mother. That is surely an ugly
word.
"And / could never wish any little
human being 50 unhappy a childhood as
] had. My step-mother was good
woman. and her ways were right In her
own eyes She was cruel-not physic-
ally, Of course. but In the thousand and
one ways that only a person thoroughly
- ha