Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-05-17
AFTER MANY DAYS.

4 Il "A Il %
Poor little girl! She was tired, so
tired, as she took her way to her work
that crisp winter morning.
The wind blew fresh from off the
lake. the sun shone brilliantly in
cloudless sky, and the shops were gay
with beautiful things to tempt the
money from full purses, and the shop
pers were already beginning to throng
the streets.
Two years ago-two short years to
the happy. but Tagging on leaden feet
to the burdened -heart-Allce Clayton
had been the petted idol Of her father.
Left motherless while yet baby. there
was no desire which wealth could not
crafty left unsatisfied.
The petite, slender form, with deep
violet eyes, and that "woman's crown
OF glory" a wealth OF wonderful golden
hair, at 10 she was one Of the reigning
bellies in the city OF her birth, and
more than one man had laid his heart
at her feet: but not one among them
all had stirred her pulses till John
Archer's dark eyes looked into hers,
the look man gives to but one WON
an on earth. .m...
But John Archer hesitated to ask her
to pledge herself to him till fortune
should smile on him more sweetly: SO
there had been no word spoken of love
between them. when young Archer was
called to South America on long
business trip which promised great
pecuniary returns.
month after his departure the sad
old story, SO often told, was again re-
peated. One day there was panic in
the stock market, and Richard Clayton
went at night to his magnificent home
ruined man.
The next morning a servant knocked
at his room in vain, and when at last.
the frightened mdn opened the door,
the form lying across the bed was life
less, The physician pronounced it
apoplexy, but pain and grief are swift
destroyers.
Alice bent like lily beneath the
blow. but flowerlike, rose again, and
after little, bravely took her way to
the big city. where amid new scenes
she might forget the averted glances
and cold words of her former friends.
AS speedily as she could fit herself for
1t. she obtained employment as a type
writer with a firm OF attorneys and
counsellors-at-law, and her new life
had gone monotonously on from
month to month.
The confinement was irksome to the
girl. who had never In her previous
life known a more laborious task than
answering half-dozen notes of a
morning, and. though her employees
gave her as much kindness and con
sideration as could be expected, of pre-
occupied business men, her grief over
the loss of her father and her home.
added to the wretched sense Of loneli-
ness in the great city, was fast paling
her cheeks and drawing dark circles
under the sad blue eyes.
And to-day was the second anniver-
sary OF that fathers death. All the
crowded sorrow OF the interval be-
tween rose before the girls mental
vision. and she pulled the veil, down
over her face to conceal the traces Of
her tears.
At last she reached the tall building.
the scene or her daily work, and enter
ed the elevator with her usual pleas
ant morning greeting to the attendant.
On the third floor they stopped to adj
NIT tall. dark, distinguished looking
man.
A little sound, half sob, half gasp.
drew his attention to the slight, girlish
figure OF the other occupant.
The next door reached she rose to
leave, but staggered, and must have
fallen had not the stranger caught her
sWaying form In his arms.
"She is Miss Clayton" said the
frightened elevator boy she works on
this floor in No. g."
Pushing up the sitting veil, John
Archibald. for it was he, looked into
the face of the girl Of whom for months
he had vainly endeavored to obtain
some trace.
He bore her quickly into the law Of
nee, few explanatory words to her
surprised and sympathetic EMPLOYERS.
and doctor was telephoned for. BE-
fore the physician reached his patient
the Dlue eyes opened, and the white
lips murmured:
On, John, have been so lonely. so
lonely" and the strong man, bending
low, whispered: you shall never be
alone again."
AS the reunited lovers passed down
to the carriage which was summoned
to carry Alice to her humble room
which had been to her for so MANY
months all she could call home. the
senior partner Of the law firm dryly
remarked to his associate: II suspeci
we have lost our typewriter, and that
young man has CARED & wife."-Bos-
ton Post.