The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1898-05-07

was a quiet wedding ut the minister's
house in the village, and then Gym
thia found herself going swiftly tow
ards home, her mind filled with
strange new thoughts and conjecture
as to how Annie should receive the
news that that home would hereafter
own a master-that they two would no
longer be all i'll all to each other.
For some unexplainabler reason Gym
thia had never written Annie regard
ing her coming marriage, and as the
hour drew near for the astounding
disclosure she felt very nervous.
1t was now near at hand. There
remained but one day before Christ
mas; Annie would certaiaAAFy-beh home
for the holidays, and tomorrow would,
in all probability, be the day of her
arrival.
The morning of that day was cloud
less. All the morning Cynthia few
about the house making pleasant prep
arations for the holiday. Everything
was done at last. She had finished
her simple toilet and stood at the
window, watching with loving eyes the
rollicking romp of her husband and
the dogs in the fcuthery snow, when
up the road came team from the
railroad station with Annie waving her
handk erchicf from the depths of the
roomy sleigh, her cheeks SO red that
Cynthia saw the color from her win
dow. Then her heart jumped into
her throat, it seemed to her, for as the
sleigh stopped Annie sprang ont with
a shrek that terminated in the word,
Father and after seconds hesita
ton Henry Lester had taken the few
steps that lay between himself and the
girl and gathered her in his arms.
Cynthia looked upon the scene with
dazed eyes. 1t was evident that the
introduction she had been dreading
was not needed; but what did it
mean? =
While her whirling brain was res
gaining its balance her husband and
Annie had entered the house. Annie
Immediately fastened up to Cynthia y,
room.
"What is it, Mamma Cynthia? My
father tells me to come to you to find
out why lie is here"
Cynthia took the girl in her arms
and held her in silence for a moment,
while many and varied thoughts ran
through her mind. At length she
said:
"The explanation is very simple,
dear; he is here because he is my hus-
band"
Annie raised her head and kissed
Cynthia's flushed face again and
again.
II am very glad" she said. "Some
time you will tell me how it came
about, won't you? 1t seems such a
strange thing TO happen"
"Strange indeedl" thought Cynthia.
81 cannot tell the child that if l had
known who Henry was it would never
have happened"
Then, together, they descended to
the kitchen, where they found Lester
sitting dejectedly by the fire, dog on
either side of him, anxiously awaiting
the appearance of his wife and dauSh-
ter.
Cynthia hardly knew how to meet
him. He did not leave her to face the
difficulty, but rose and held out his
hand to Annie.
"Come here, Annie" he said, "and
plead for me with your mother. Tel
her, dear, from me, that have never
tasted liquor since the day l returned
to our poor home and found you gone
I have been searching for you ever
since. / have worked hard and saved
all l earned, thinking to find You ant
make home for you, but had grown
discouraged and had given up hope O
!, pleasure in life till met her. Assur,
her, dear, that she shall never repent
having taken the step she has, for
loathe the man | once was as much a
, she possibly can, and 1 did not meal
to deceive her i'll any way. 1t wa
not necessary to give her the detail
, of. my degradation, thought, sine,
/, that was all in the past. l cannot be
: lieve that since she has learned IN,
story she can harden her hear
against me-
He held his disengaged hand towar,
/ her, his face full of anxious pleading
/; The gentle brown eyes that had at
tracted her at first spoke well for hir
now, and she felt that she loved himi
spite of all.
y She took his offered hand in both c
! hers and kissed him.
5 eve three will begin life togethe
u as if the world were new and We tn
only people in it," she said. "Sti
u the fire, please, Henry; l must get on
9 little girl some dinner, or she will bt
IL gin to think it a sorry homecoming.
. A long-drawn sigh of contentmer
g from Annie denoted anything bu
II sorrow, and over the face of the ma
II who listened as to a repeal of q sentent
e of Punishment, there crept look
+ peace that confirmed Cynthia i'll he
belief that she had decided wisely an
"a we'll.
:, And the dogs, looking on and lister
y ing to the tones of their beloved mi
lie tress' voice, settled comfortably dow
re at the feet of him whom they had a
al ready learned to love.