The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1897-06-19

A~AAci > luncIdi, lndJ A WIS ulOnc IN
the world; that no longer my first i'm
pulse on entering the house must be to
hy with quick steps to the library 10 see
the handsome head raised from his
work of writing with some word OF love
on his lips. when now only an empty
chair and soundless space hereafter
would prove my greeting. His illness
had been so short. so sudden, that IL
almost seemed as though / should
awaken from the frightful nightmare
of the past few weeks and find il all
dream. vivid but unreal. Only fort
night before he had been stricken down,
and had sent in hot haste for my old
practitioner, 20 find him absent and
stranger in his place. At first | felt
regret. but when i saw DR.. Phillips and
witnessed his earnest, skillful care, that
feeling gave way TO congratulation and
the assurance that If human slsll could
avail, he would be saved. 1t was he
who told me finally there was no long
err hope; he whom turned upon with
quick fury that he should dare assert
thatmy fathcr'slifewas in absolute dam
ger, when in all the wide world we two
were alone together; he who stood be-
side him at the last, then, with firm,
gentle hand drew me from the chamber
of death and himself prepared the
sleeping draught which sent restful
sleep 20 quiet my strained nerves. In
my new sadness, my utter despair, he
came and went as OF old, until IL
seemed as though a brothers protec-
ton had been offered me, and began
TO wait and watch for the hour when
I should see him, 10 feel keen disap-
pointment il il passed without him,
until one evening, sitting alone by the
low, smoldering fire in the first day of
spring, was reused by his familiar
step.
Helen" he said, drawing n chair
close beside me, "Dr. Edwards, you
know, has returned. and my own pa
tients in Philadelphia are demanding
my presence among them. have
stayed already longer than intended"
"And you now are going?" j ques-
toned. while a black cloud swept be-
fore my eyes.
Eyes" he answered, "but il you will
let me, / am coming back. i did not
mean to tell you OF my love just yet.
can hardly hope that in all the drear
desolation which has oversprcad your
life. love had found time TO plant
single germ, but with me il has been
different. / have loved you from the
first moment saw you, and my fondest
ambition is TO see you my wife. Do
not answer me now; only when the
birds sing and the flowers bloom try
20 think they breathe n message from
me, and when / return in the fall, re-
member my home will have been made
ready for you, and il You can come 10
my arms, they will open, oh, so gladly!
TO receive you"
So he left me, and let him go with
no answer, for did not know my own
heart. That IL was love beating at its
portals for admission-loye which had
made his coming so welcome, his going
so sad, could not realize until he had
gone; and then came only the long.
brotherly letters, so full of earnest solic-
itude for my comfort, SO unseliish in the
careful guard ever shown in his own
feeling for me, till the time drew nigh
when he was TO come again. Then
doubt, uncertainty, all fled, and i knew
my heart had passed from out OF my
keeping. So / went 10 meet him, stand
ing in the open door of my home as he
came up the pathway, and in answer TO
his question as for moment he held me
of while he looked straight into my
eyes; "IIelen, is this my wife?" /
could only falter: "Yours forever
more"
The succeeding week few swiftly by.
He suddenly grew impatient of delay,
and declared he could not 60 back to his
work until i went with him. The
thought OF my loneliness without him
urged me TO consent, and so the days
were filed with busy preparation. while
in the evenings sat by his side, content
and blssful. while he told me OF his
home. of his widowed mother who
shared 1t. and of the new, sweet daugh-
ter lie was to bring her. But when all
was over, when had stood in my we'd
ding robes before the gray-haired min
ister and lSnclt 20 receive for the last
timehis blessing, when my husbands
first rapturous kiss had been pressed
upon my lips, fervent congratulations
OfTer,d by the few friends present ut
our quiet wedding, my wedding dress
exchanged for travelling garb, the long
Journey at last over, ii was with feel
ing o. tired relief that the carriage in
the disk OF the evening drew up before
handsome house, and my husband
welcomed me to my home. But where
was lis mother? All day visions had
danced before my eyes of two loving
arms waiting TO enfold me, of sweet.
mothdly face bending over me TO inn
print he kiss of greeting on my check,
of the0hispered words: welcome, my
daughter" sounding in my eur; but no;
the dor was thrown wide open by n
servan in livery, but the handsome hail
in its png vista presented to sight no
,fhcr ocunnntS and. 10 my amaZement