The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1900-09-28
The Rector S wife.

AAeAS 3iOne SnJo' iHE thc i'hihi hSHi W
the coal fire and the warmth and rnz:n"ss
Of the room, entirely ut val lance with the
scene without.
Just opposite him on low fo"Istool
Jessica sat with the bright ! eight flash.
ing in her lovely fice. the ..'arlet dewy
lips curved in an unniistak" ID" poui and
her eyelashes sparkling VIII suspicious
moisture.
"Jessica, my love" plead Il the rector,
with a countenance Of .sore ;.rwiidr mpnt,
II thought you would look at the matter
reasonably"
$50 do" said Jessica. raj, ing the love-
ly hazel eyes with a sparkle Of indisna-
ton to her husbands face. I'm not Q
statue of ice nor a dried up old fossil,
never to want any change or rclixat ON,
and I've made up my mind to 10 10 ilis
ball. Everybody In AshconlIr is going,
and don't see why ! should he pen1Ird
up at home. I'm only IL a!d haven't
worn the pink and silver dress since we
were married.
But, Jessica," gravcly interrupted her
husband, "a masquerade ball j. nal cx-
actly the place for clergyman. w!ir."
Il don't see where the harm is" per-
sisted Jessica.
Jessica burst into tears.
Its too bad!" she sobbcd. Il might
as well be a prisoner in a StO;r cell ut
once. | wish / were single again. | wish
l hadn't married q minister
"Jessica," he began sadly. III YOU
But a knock at the door interrupt ed
his sentence.
IF We please, sir" said the rond eyed
and staring Irish girl, otis John Mnnney
from the mountain, and his fath',- Just
goin intirely wild the fever, and lr s..ys
would the minister please to cour aurk,
or it'll be dead he'll be. tould him the
masther likely couldn't come, bciu: 'twa"
three miles off and the river all swollen
wild the freshet, and the night rs dark rs
a VOLTS mouth. and
''Tell him to wait one instant, 81, ah,"
said Mr.. Byington, rising at on,r and
putting his papers hurriedly into their
portfolio. "Of course shall go with
him. Poor Mooney! did nat think he
would have lasted so long as this"
And as Sarah closed the door he lent
caressingly over his wife.
"Goodby, Jessica," he said. "Ir will
probably be some hours before shat re-
turn. Try and not be lonesome, my
dear"
But Jessica only turned her head away.
twill you not tell me goodby, my love?"
he pleaded, trying to look into her avert.
ed eyes, but she never looked up moi an
swered his appealing words.
He waited an instant as IL for her to
speak and then left the room. As Inc
door closed behind him Jessicn half In>a
from her seat, as if to call him back, hut
she checked herself before the action had
become defined.
As time passed Jessica became up
pressed with loneliness. Sine opened The
door and crept softly into the Kitchen.
Even the companionship Of the rough.
untutored Irish girl was better than none
at all. But here again she was disap-
pointed. Sarah had gone to bed and to
sleep, and Jessica stole back again,
shrinking from the sound Of her own
footsteps, and sat down by the fire. From
a brief reverie she was reused by the
sound of the little bronze mantel clock
striking IL. r 81.
Twelve o'clock! Surely he should have
been home long ere this. 1t was barely
when he went away. A new terror took
possession of Jessica's mind. Suppose
anything should have happened to Her.
bert. The river, she knew, was swollen
to its utmost height by the spring rains.
the road was intricate, the night dark.
the bridges were none the best. As she
remembered these things feeling came
over her as il she had been grasped by q
hand Of ice.
Wearied and worn out by the conflict
ing emotions that racked her mind, Jcssi-
ca dropped off into a sort Of doze, half
slumber, half fevered unrest, through
which the sharp, bell-like tone Of the
clock striking / sounded like the telling
of knell. i-
She was reused by the sound Of hoarse
voices and the tramp Of feet, and, spring
ing wildly up, she rushed to the door and
threw it open.
Herbert! Merciful heaven! Whs 10
there?" -
Don't be skeered, ma'am," answered
the rough voice Of Farmer Althorpe, sof-
tened as mich as its raspy nature would
admit. Maybe he amt so badly hurt
arter all, and
But Jessica had rushed past him out
into the night and tempest. for the keen
eyes of the wife had discerned the mo
tionless burden carried by two or three
men in the background.
Herbert, my husband! Is he dead?"
she gasped, with face whittier than the
white snow on the mountain sides be-
yond.
1--WE hope not. Mrs. Byington," said Q
soothing voice, that Of DR.. Daleson, but
the fall was a serious one"
"How? Wherew
The choked voice refused to give utter.
ance to the incoherent words, but the
kind hearted physician comprehended her
meaning.
1--WE were crossing the bridge near the
old hoe factory on our return from John
MONEYS when the timbers at the upper
end gave way. I always thought they
were insufficiently staid to resist our
heavy spring freshets. caught at the
rail where it ran up on the bank and
saved myself, but poor Byington was not
quick enough"
That half hour by the side Of the in
jured man when death stood opposite
claiming its prey and the fame of life
fickered as if every second must see its
total extinction-the young wife never
forgot it. And when at last DR.. Daleson
whispered to her that their efforts had
prevailed and that the sweet sleep into
which he had fallen would be the pre-
cursor Of eventual recovery she wept like
q child. Heaven had indeed given him
back to her, through trial and terror, and
the rush Of happiness to her heart was
almost OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Plain
Dealer. -,