The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1900-02-03

me. lie looks 10 me as IL ne were III
decline-may live till spring, though it
don seem at all likely"
Miss Dale clenched her hands under the
table, and Mr. Dale poured himself anoth
er glass of wine.
''Did he speak of me, father, she in
quired, at last.
"Well, yes, he did, was the deliber-
ate answer; ''he asked me to say to you
that, if you felt like it, he wished you
would make him a New Year eall. l
half-promised that you should go-he
looked so dreadfully low and pitiful-but
don suppose you can leave your guests y
The only answer Miss Dale made was
to leave the room, and, when the old gen
tleman went back to the parlor, his daugh
ter was not in the house, and card bask-
ct hung on the bell knob
None but a woman who has loved as
purely. as sincerely, as Miss Dale can un-
derstaud her feelings as she is driven to
the house of the man from whom she has
been so long parted. Why had she re-
manned abroad so long? Why had not
some one written her? She might have
saved him had she known it earlier, but,
but. now, perhaps, it was too late Did
her father not say it was doubtful if he
would live till spring?
She gave her card to the servant, and
ordered the coaehman to wait few mo
ments No human being-heaven be
praised can suffer but once what this
noble woman suffered in this agony of sus-
penSe.
Doctor Leigh says viii you please to
excuse him. He is not able to come to
the parlor, and viii you please come up
to his room? First door at the head of
the stairsI
Miss Dale stammered some words of
thanks-what. she never knew-and
slowly, very slowly, ascended the long
flight of steps. 1t there was a gate to be
opened before entering the Celestial City,
Miss Dale wondered if she should be so
timid about asking admittauee. She
thought not.
An attendant opened the door to her
nervous rap, and then, with a bow, invited
her to enter, and passed down the stairs
Have YOU come at last, Anna? said
the well known voice, but, oh, how al
tered
Not able to sit up, not able to walk
across the room to meet herl and Hiss
Dale 5 heart went down TO low water mark,
but the experience Of the past years had
50 developed the richness Of her woman
hood that she composed herself to quiet
answer. and drove back the tears to their
source, where sometimes, when al was
over, and nobody TO be disturbed By them,
they would have their revenge
She removed her bonnet aud gloves,
aud then seated herself by the sufferer
Il was difficult to keep her lip from quiv-
eTiug and her hand steady, as she noted the
hollow cheeks aud eavernous eyes-the
awful, awful change tha. had taken place!
Bu; she conquered them all!
Il came, my darling she answered,
with a smile, STOPPING and kissing his pale
bps, Just as soon as | heard. | have
known nothing about YOU or your family
for three years,
And now
That was all he could say
And now, John Leigh, if you want
me, | have come to stay
As my wife
~ your wife
But, Anna, ! suppose shall have to
die
For three months Doctor Leigh had been
positive that this was his last sickness,
now be only supposed he should die.
50 much had love instantly accomplished.
You will not die, she said / am
sure you viii get well, now that | have
come. but If this were not 50, John, and
was compelled to live on sixty or seventy
wears longer, as doubtless shall Miss
Dale smiled audibly here, and the doctor
Joined her. though at what it is doubtful
il either of them could have told
should live out my days much more hap
PLY to feel that you had called me wife.
| should be Of more service in the world
much better prepared to meet you.
The tears almost fell here, but the doc
tor gathered her to his breast, and they
were quite hidden From that moment
hidden. From that moment he quickly
began to mend
Folks called it a miracle; but the love
that tears down can always build up again,
and the superstructure thus raised Is al
ways Of better quality than the original
one