Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1898-07-12
THIRTY YEARS LOVE

When pretty Hester Warren married
Ezra Banks, who was 20 years older than
she and shy, silent man out of touch
with village life, everybody said that she
made mistake that she would soon re-
greet.
Yet though village eyes kept keonest
watch upon thom, village prophecy was
for once at fault.
Indeed after Mamie, their only child,
married and left homo It seemed as If tho
pages of life had blown back for them and
they were once more lovers and tho world
was for them alone.
That was before Ezra had typhoid fever.
Through his long Illness his wife nursed
him tondorly, but he came from 1t bro
kon down old man, with his ears forever
sealed to all the common sounds to which
his life had been sUt In few weeks he
was about again as we'll as ever apparent.
| ly save for the sealed cars. Ono afternoon
she found him sitting in the big wooden
chair in the kitchen, studying his old,
twisted hands. He gave her q tremulous
smile ms she came in.
"I'm most broken up, Hester" no said.
| "You'ro young yot-you can SEQ and hear
just as VOC ulster, but I'm an old man,
Hester. You've been good girl, and
we've had happy life together, but l
didn't calculate for you to be tied up to an
old man. I've got to thinking about 1t
lately, and sometimes l think folks was
right and 1t hadn't orter beon."
Ezra, she cried, and the appeal in her
voice carried II with clear distinctness to
him. Ezra, have l ever said or done any
thing to make you feel sof"
"God knows you haven't, Hester" he
said earnestly.
"And, Ezra, If anything should happen
to mo-if l should be sick or helpless
would you lovo me loss9 Would your"
A change camo over the old man. 1t
seemed for an instant that tho face of his
youth looked back at her. "If is wasn't
for your suffering, Hester, l wish you
could SEQ, " no said almost passionately.
1t was few weeks after this that Hos
ter caught a severe cold. Sho was in bed
for several days, and Mamie had her hus-
band and child to care for, and her mother
would not let her stay long. They'll be
needing you'll can got along now" she
said.
81 guess they can get along without mo
a little while longer" answered Mamie.
"What did you say?"
Mamie looked alarmed. She raised her
voice and spoke with careful emphasis. II
guess they can get along without me a
little while" she repeated.
Hor mother looked up suddenly, and a
strange expression came into her eyes.
She spoke with curious eagerness.
"Nannie, she said, tell me true-don't
hear as used tor
Nannies face flushed. With a sudden
impulsive gesture she threw her arms
about her mother, sobbing bitterly. But
in her mothers eyes the strange expires
sion grew into glad light.
"Don't feel so, Mamie" she said. "I-
guess I'm almost glad. I'm going tc
tell your father"
Indeed IL seemed as II the bond Of suffer
ing drew them closer together. 1t was
beautiful to see tho old mans care for his
wife and his tenderness in speaking to her.
The neiGhbors who had pitied at first
talked often of it. They said they mover
saw two deaf people take such comfort in
each other.
So tho winter passed and the summer,
and then quite suddenly one night when
the earth was lying hushed and silent un
der a soft fall of snow tho old man passed
from tho silence of his life into tho greater
silence that Is beyond tho reach of human
voice.
The neighbors for miles around came Il
tho funeral, and the house was full o.
grave, decorous whispers, broken strange
ly when any one spoke to tho wife. ShC
was pale and silent. Only once did sht
speak Of anything that she wanted dom
and thon called Mamie hositatingly.
"Tell him l don't want him to speal
SOS / can hear. lit wouldn't seem
proper somehow. 1t won't make any diff
feronco to Ezra now, and p She fal
tered moment and tender light cam,
into the faded blue eyes. 81 guess III
can't say anything about my HUSBAND
that l don't know hundred times BETTE
than him."
Mrs Banks was driven to Nannio's. Sh,
was so quiet that her daughter did no
disturb her. 81 don't feel as II 1 knew
what to say to her, though she is m.
mother" she whispered to her husband.
They helped her tenderly into tho house
and Mamie put her into tine easiest chair
From tho next room q baby voice broke II
upon thom.
mamma, can see dranmas Nanni
wants to SEQ dranma"
Mamie was hurrying to the door whei
a voice stopped her. Let mo havo Nan
ME, please-it's SO long since / hayeP'
Mamie stopped at tho door, n grca
wonder in her eyes. why, mother!" sh
exclaimed.
Her mother looked up at hor with a lit
Ito tremulous smile.
: Eyes, know. / meant to tell you be
fore, but couldn't someways. Two heart
all tho time. was only deaf a day or tw
from cold. 1 thought really was at first
, and thon kept it up because it comfort
ed-him-somehow."
And you kept it up all these months! T
said Mamie in hushed tone.
I 81 guess when you've loved man NOR
, than 80 years that isn't much to do" sh
said .-Paciflc Rural Press.
{ How to Cook spiced Rice.
The evening before using wash thol