The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1899-09-19
REUNITED.

now the change to east of the wind had
brought sleet, and the moisture was
freezing in thin, dangerous ice on the
pavements.
George Witherspoon swung the cor
ner into Pine street. His usually erect
body was bent against the strength of
the wind.
''Such weather for the last Of April, :"
he muttered as be went up the steps Of
his house, and as he put the key into
his door a vision came to him Of the
April two years before-a vision Of long
lanes, with blossoming lilacs and horse
chestnuts and daffodils and of tall and
radiant woman always at his side. He
entered the house and went slowly up
stairs. How CLEARLY it all streamed out,
enveloped his mind, his senses! He had
first seen her at table d hote in Paris.
He had followed her over half of Eu-
rope and had finally met her at Baden
Baden. She had a doting old father, but
ultimately the two had gained his re-
luctant surrender of his only adored
daughter, and they had married.
For just year they had enjoyed su-
preme, overflowing happiness Then AL
ice became jealous. A batch of old let
tiers had come to her from an unscrupu-
lous woman her husband had been fasci-
mated by in his extreme youth at college,
and she resented with all her intense
passionate nature anything which could
come between them and their exclusive
love for one another. She had spent one
long night alone lashing her bitter envy
to madness. and the next morning she
had gone to him with marvellous calm
ness and told him of her irrevocable de.
termination to leave him forever. He
was proud. He had met her with dis,
dainful Indifference, had considered self
justification unnecessary. and they had
separated.
They both had lived quietly. They
went nowhere, for their friends were
common ones, and they avoided all pos
sible annoying meetings. He spent his
time ON the board of trade, at his club:
or in his home, which he could moi
bring himself to give up, and she hat
so restricted her life that he scarcely
caught glimpse OF her. Only at the
| theater or at some concert did her pure
proud profile suddenly start out from
the crowd, and then emotion would 81
| powerfully sweep over him that h'
| would have to leave the building.
Only one bond still existed between
| them. Alice's father was old and al
invalid. His time was spent at water
ing places, mostly ON the other side
and it had seemed simple and dutifu
| kind of falsehood to weave around hin
veil of ignorance as to the real stat
of affairs and leave him with the happ,
| feeling of Alice's joy and completet
love. So they wrote to him regularly
| filling tLeir letters with sweet plan
and ambitions, ,unconsciously embodyini
in them their fondest wishes and mos
heartfelt desires.
George Witherspoon was dressin
himself carefully. Three cravats wer
thrown aside before he had tied one
his taste. He never looked SO well as il
Tuxedo, Alice had always said. II
could hear her voice now, her low
thrilling voice, saying as she came to
ward him across the hall, my big
stunning sweetheart, and just befor
she put her arms closely around hi
neck, Dear, dear, how l love you"'
He shivered with desire for bel
Would he never recover? Would b
never forget? He thought he could a
most feel her face pressed softly again'
his-his nostrils were filed with til
sweet, subtle smell of the sandalwoo
her laces were put away in.
Hush--a knock at the door! I'll
mans heart swelled with feeling. Z
forget everything, the intervening yea
the awful bitterness, the loneliness, an
S he softly opened the door, drunk wit
0 one dominant idea. His man Chambe
stood without.
"a lady to see you, sir, be said.
"Her name?" Witherspoon asked.
''She says it's not necessary to te
it, SIR" answered the man, "but it
on important business she wants yo
= sir, and she will keep you only mi
ute."
Witherspoon whole being was Y
brating What was this strange prem
milton? Was it sorrow coming or did
feel dawning joy?
"I'll be down in moment" he sal
He walked up and down the room ra
idly several times 1t was their am
] versary. He had remembered and Ike
it SO rigidly. 1t was barely possible
had come over her as strongly-the ha
piness they were missing from the
lives, the incompleteness of their vap
present-and perhaps She had come
him. He was almost running down t.
stairs in his eagerness. He held ba
tho .norti oroo Snd ihara sha Stnnd hafO