The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-06-28
AFTER MANY YEARS.

'risd Ezra Ranks, who was twenty
years older than she, and a sly. ST.
lent man. out Of touch with village
life, everybody said that she made
take that she would soon regret. Yet,
though village eyes kept keenest
watch upon them, village prophecy
was for once at fault. Hester's girl
ish beauty changed into comfortable
middle-aged comeliness, and Ezra
grew stiff and rheumatic, yet their de-
votion to each other was unchanged:
indeed, after Mamie, their only child,
married and left home, It seemed as
II the pages of life had blown back
for them and they were once more
lovers, and the world was for them
alone
That was before Ezra had typhoid
fever. Through his long illness his
wife nursed him tenderly, but he came
from 1t a broken-down old man, with
his ears forever sealed to all the COM
mon sounds to which his life had been
set. He was slow in realizing this,
but one day as he lay watching his
wife and the doctor, the knowledge
broke harshly upon him. He could
see his wife's lips move as she smooth
ed the bed with her soft, wrinkled
hand, but he could hear no word.
Then he turned his dull eyes, with
pitiful look Of pain darkening them,
toward the doctor. He, too, was
speaking, but the deaf ears could
catch no sound. His weak, peevish
voice Jared upon their talk.
why don't We speak SOS can hear
We, std o. mumbling so?"
His wife started, and then cast
quick imploring glance at the doctor.
She leaned down over the bed; her
face was in the shadow and her hus-
band could not see her eyes.
do you hear me now, :dear?"
The words reached him family, and
from distance. He struggled with
the sounds minute or two before
they resolved themselves into words.
"Of course hear ye," he said fret
fully, only why don't you speak up?
amt so sick, be II"
The words were little clearer now
though still far off.
you have been very sick, but are
getting better fast. 1t has to be quiet
for you, you know, dear, but you will
soon Oe up now"
The old man shut his eyes YEARLY;
the effort had been heavy one for
him. His wife turned to the doctor,
her eyes shining through her tears.
Il can make him hear" she cried.
II knew could. l didn't believe Ezra
could get where he couldn't hear me.
And he needn't ever know now"
The doctor looked at her and said
nothing He was young man, and
1t seemed very pitiful to him.
But he had not understood the old
mans strong constitution. In few
weeks he was about again, as well as
ever, apparently, save for the sealed
ears. His wife chartered to him in
her old fashion, and kept out of sight
the medicines she took for her strained
voice; she cautioned the neighbors
who came to see him, and thought
that he did not know. But she was
mistaken; there were other sounds
many of them-that had been woven
into a life of nearly seventy years,
and in place of these there was a great
vacant stiffness; and he knew all.
One afternoon she found him sitting
In the big wooden chair in the kit
chen, studying his old twisted hands,
He gave her a tremulous smile as she
came in.
I'm most broken up, Hester" he
said
DON'T" she cried, don't Ezra-I
can't bear it! We're both getting old
er, but that's all it's"
He shook his head sadly.
"No, faint, Hester-I've been a-see-
ing it for long time. You're young
yet-you can see and hear just as you
ulster, but-I'm an old man, Hester.
You've been a good girl, and we've
had happy life together, but I didn't
calculate for you to be tied up to an
old man. I've got to thinking about
It lately, and sometimes think folks
was right and it hadn't orter BEEN"
The woman listened and a great
pain seemed to beat up in her throat
and choke her voice. She leaned over
and put her trembling hands on his.
Ezra" she cried, and the appeal in
her voice carried it with clear dis.
tinctness to him, Ezra, have l ever
said or done thing to make you feel
so?"
God knows you haven't, Hester" he
said earnestly.
And Ezra, If anything should hap
pen to me-if should be sick or help
less-would you love me less? Would
your"
A change came over the old man; it
seemed for an instant that the face
of his youth looked back at her.
IF it wasn't for your suffering, Hes
ter, l wish you could see," he said
almost passionately.
He rose stiffly and stood with his
arm around her, looking down the
road. 1t was toward nightfall and
the valley was full of shadows, while
above the hills foated soft gray clouds
the dead sunset. And even as they
looked sudden thrill and flush came
across these, and the valley was fill
ed with the glory Of the afterglow,
and the two old figures stood silent in
the midst of the golden light.
1t was a few weeks after this that
Hester caught a severe cold. She was
in bed for several days, and Mamie
had her husband and child to care for,
and her mother would not let her stay
long.
They'll be needing you'll can get
along now" she said.
81 guess they can get along with
out me a little while longer" answered
Mamie.
What say?"
Mamie looked alarmed; she raised