Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1898-09-17
CHAPTER Ill


not weary, being alone for two hours?''
And Mrs. Marsden, in charming out
door dress, blew eau de cologne about
the ROOM Don't you love scent?"
Where are you going?" asked Mars
den, following her with fond eyes
You told me yesterday. but ] forget
This illness has made me stupider than
ever, think. Wasn't it some charity?'
It's the new society every one is SO
interested in, the Working Wives Gull
ture union What is wanted is happy
homes for the workingmen, quoting
freely from AN elegant woman orator,
land the women must be elevated, so
the East End is to be divided into dis
trlcts. and two young women will be
allotted to each Are you hstening?''
Yes, dear, but it rests me TO lie with
my eyes closed Tell me all about your
society. What are the young ladies to
do?''
"Oh, they're to visit the wives in the
afternoon and read books to them, solid
books, you know, about wages-an
kinds of things worIingmen like. Then
in the evening the wives will be able to
] talk with their husbands ON eqnal
terms and the men will not want to go
to the public houses Isn't it capital
idea?''
A sad little smile touched Marsden's
lips for an instant "And where do you
meet today? It's a long way for you to
so to Whitechapel +"
Didn't tell you? The Marchioness
of Gloucester is giving a drawing room
at her town house, and Lady Helen
wrote an urgent note, insisting that i
should come even though it were only
for an hour, as her mother depended
upon my advice so much.
LOT course know that's just way
of putting it. but have taken lots Of
trouble about founding the union, so
think it would hardly do for me to be
absent. You're feeling much better,
too, aren't you, today, Thomas?''
Yes much better. The pain has al
most ceased Perhaps it will be quite
gone when you return Can you spare
just ten minutes to sit beside meP There
IL something 1 have been wanting to
say, and perhaps this is my only chance.
When am well again. maybe
afraid
Mrs Marsden sat down, wondering,
and her husband waited a minute
lone understands many things that
puzzled him before when he lies in
Quictness for weeks and takes an after
look Yes, suspected it At times but
1 YVES . coward and put the Thought
sway. II seemed curious that no one
came to spend an hour with me, as men
do with friends, and noticed that they
appeared to avoid me. / thought it was
fancy, and thai had grown self con-
eciona
Everything is quite plain now, and
lam not hurt, dear, and don't blame
any person That would be very wrong.
People might have been far more impa-
tient with me and might have made my
life miserable.
"God gave me dull mind and a
slow tongue, it took me long time to
grasp anything. and no one cared about
the subject that interested me. Beatrice,
wish now you had told me how /
bored our friends Itwould have been a
kindness But never mind that now.
You did not like to give me pain.
What troubles me most is that all
these years you should have been tied
TO a very tiresome fellow" And Mars
den made some poor attempt to smile
Had thought of what was before you
1 would never have asked you to marry
me-
|. Don't cry. dearl did not wish to
hurt you wanted to ask your pardon
for all that martyrdom, and-to thank
you for-being my wife, and there q
something else.
, "You see, when / get well and am
not lying in bed maybe / could not tell
You, so let me explain everything now,
and then we need not speak about such
things again.
Perhaps you thought me too eco
nomical, but / was saving for a pur-
pose Your portion has not brought
quite so much as it did, and 1 wished
to make it up to you, and now you can
have 5000 year, as before. If this ILL.,
ness had gone against me, you would
have been quite comfortable-in money,
mean, dear
mo. insist ON your going to Lady
Gloucester 's-the change will do Won
good-and I'll lie here digesting the Ref.
ormation, you know And he smiled.
better this time, quite creditably, 10
fact Twill you give me kiss just tc
keep till we meet again?''
When the nurse came down at 4 b
take charge, she was Mortified 10 find
her patient alone and In the death ago
ny, but conscious and able to speak
"Don't ring-nor send for my vita.
/ sent-her away, knowing the end was
near-Gnade her go, m fact-against hen
will"
The nurse gave him brandy, and he
became stronger for minute
She has had q great deal TO bear
with me, and Ibid not wish her tc
see death Ny manner has always been
so wearisome-I hoped that-nobody
would be here You arc very kind,
nurse No more, II you please
Would 1t trouble you--to hold mo
hand, nursef It's little lonely--I am
not afraid-a wayfaring maA-thOugk
fool-not err therein''-
He WAS not near 20 tedSoOs with hiI