Middletown transcript., 1897-03-13


fore me, pucker of anger upon my
forehead; but all The time I felt the
great eyes of 1t full upon me-and her
too. The rays from those four eyes
seemed to burn my forehead. Suddenly
the silence was broken. "Pa-pal" And
again, louder and more confidently,
t'Pa-pap'
l started. 1t was sitting there gaz-
ing at me in terror of the storm its
word would call down. She had turned
scarlet and her lips trembled. No one
but herself could have taught him that
'tpapa" My heart was warm within
newly did not spring up, and with
a word, touch. cancel forever those
dreary six yearsP The right word at
that moment would have done it, but
| was under spell. l did not say it.
There was no doubt that with the
young curly head new spirit had
taken possession, spirit which made
me a stranger in my own house. The
rooms were illuminated even when the
sun without was hidden by clouds.
The faces of servants, even inanimate
objects, seemed to reflect il; only l
as left un' 'oucheG.
| became mtre and more Wretched
in my solitude. biy jealousy grew
apace and filled me with mad thoughts.
| would oppose the little tyrant-ab-
surd ideal would set before her tie
choice between him and me-ah, but
which way would her heart have gonef
AL one time l thought of stepsto trace
the unhappy mother, and to enable
her by gift of moDy 10 take back her
child. Yet, behind my wife's back,
that was too mean.i
could not work. looked troubled
and confused, and when people asked
what allied me 1 pleaded indisposition.
But The sunlight would be wiped out,
and the spirit of love was stronger than
1, and drove me forth.
81 must go on long journey, Mar
tina. " My voice trembled as / said the
words, and my wife observed it, some
thing like tear of pity made her eyes
bright.
She held the little one towards me as
was going. "Won't you say good
bye to our child too2" she asked, in a
gentle, persuasive tone.
1 suppose took him up too roughly,
for be began to cry, and fought agaisnt
my embrace. 1 put him down and hur-
ried away. I wandered hither and
'thither about the world, and to my
first companion-ill-humor-another
soon Joined himself, who informed me
straight that I was fool. I heard it
first as whisper, but the words grew
louder and more mocking; what fool
| wasl At last began to read it in the
newspapers. saw it written on the
blue mountains; it was borne to me in
the shrek of the engine. Yes, yes. 1
quite believed it-enoughl But why
did not turn round at once and go
homeP All, the fool had to work out
his folly before alIcould be set straight.
At last full of tumultuous feelings,
1 returned home. A solemn stiffness
reigned in the house; every sound
seemed subdued and mysterious. My
wife came towards me, her eyes red
with weeping. sit is very ill-dyingp
she sobbed. I tried to calm her. but
her fears were only too we'll founded.
Only short respite of hopeless an
xietyI Through the last night we both
sat by his cot, one on either side, and
each Of us held one Of the little hands.
How the pulses beat and throbbedl
Quick, sharp, fever beats; and every
beat was an admonitioD: 'Love-loye
be good" Together we felt the
measure and understood the exhorta-
tion. Our eyes met through tears, and
the look was as sacred VOW. Words
would have been sacrilege. Then we
laid it to rest in the warm Spring
earth.
Afterward. when we sat again at Ia
BILE for for the first time there was si-
lence between US. But it was another
sort of silence to that which the poor
stranger had interrupted with his lisp
ing "pa- pa" His high elbow chair still
stood against the wall, and on the
board in front of it lay the spoon scep-
tre.
My wife held out her white hands to
ne across the table. "Did you love 1t
little, tooPn she said, and her voice
shook.
"My wife, my own dear wifeP' I
was at her feet, held her hands.
Ard then I pointed to the high chair.
.'It came to teach US love-" l whis-
pered.
"And when It had done its work Il
went back to the angels" she said cry
ing.
Catarrh Cannot be Cured
with Local Applications, as they cannot
reach the seat of the disease. Catarrh is a
blood or constitutional disease, and in or
der to cure it you must take internal rame.
dies. Halls Catarrh Cure is taken inter
nally, and acts directly on the blood and
mucous surfaces. Halls Catarrh Cure is pot
quack medicine. IfWas prescribed BY one
of the best physicians in this country fol