Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1900-07-25

ire. He WAS depressed and silent and
still weak from the wound in his arm.
Let me alone to think now" he said
to the woman. who stood waiting fo,
orders. So she quietly and uncere.
moniously withdrew and left Bentley
alone with his dreams. The collie. toe
little noticed after the long separation
leaped on his knees and whlned pitt
fully and lay her gentle head agains'
the faded. shabby sleeve of his coat
Bentley took her head between biz
hands and as he looked at the quiet
faithful eyes two tears came into hi
own
Little old woman" he said. "you'v,
been lonesome, haven't you? So have
|. I've wanted to be back here mil
lions OF times. Yes. l have. little wo
man. And had hoped when did
come that we might not be alone any
more and that the hearth might not be
SC dreary. Yes. Jess, | actually began
to imagine that some one would sit in
that chair opposite and would answer
me when | spoke and understand me
when ] was silent and love me al
ways.
"Why, little woman, that empty chair
has stood there opposite mine for ten
years now Yes. ten years. You
haven't kept such close watch of the
time as | have" He drew the collie
close into his arms, and she lay there,
complacently, blinking into the fire.
eve used to think that she came
and sat there and made us happy with
her laughter and her bright talk. She
was always kind of airy ideal of ours.
wasn't she, Jess? But she was resi-
for us-ycllow hair, blue eyes. low
voice, slender figure and all, and she
her elbows on her knees and talk nom
sense to us and contemplate the bnrn-
ing embers Just like real woman.
And then she used to jump up sudden
ly In her sweet impulsive way and
come and kiss us. .Iess-you on that
queer white spot and me right on the
top where theihair has grown thin-and
disappear to make tea, Yes, Jess. it
was all so gloriously dear, that dream
and that image.
"Now, little woman" he continued
muslngly, ~ am going t' tell you Sc
cret. Don't get angry and bark, viii
you? / haven't told you before be
cause there wasn't time before ! went
away. But met her NJ Mrs. Man
toms ball three weeks before I sailed
Yes, her, her, Jess; just think Of It: tht
embodiment of our dream--b'ue eyes
womaniiness, grace, all, everything
that you and | had ycarncd for al
these years.
II knew her three weeks, and Just
think of 1t, Jess, she said she loved me
and she promised to come and sit ut tn,
other side of the fire and to tease II,
and kiss us and make tea for us. All
little woman, began 10 believe tia
our dream was coming true" The col
lie lifted herself with a quick spring
and stood upright on her knees ant
prcklng mp her ears 20 listen began t
bark furiorsly III the farther door q
the room
You are nervous, little woman,
Bentley said Nov settle back ant
| let me tell you the rest. have wantet
so much to tell somebody. 1t has been
rather hard TO keep II shut up in ones
heart without even the comfort of ;
friendly, patient ear, | went away
with her kiss burning on my lips.
hated 10 go without her, but ii was
war and that meant duty, and it wa
the one thing for which had workct
and studied and fitted myself for q
! years. She wrote to me, Jess; yes
! grand letters; and, lame minded do!
that am, didn't know how TO an
swor her iu the way she wanted.
couldn't even grasp what she WAS driv
ing at, and | used TO think at times
that she was aiming at sluashup
Well, then fell i'll and couldn't writ,
at all. Put she wrote aud kept on writ
Ing for months, but didn't get the let
ters. don't know what they wer,
thinking of down there TO hold then
back. Here they are, Jess, In m.
blouse, and the last ono is awfully bit
ter: yes, nwfully hlttcr, little woman
and | guess the jig Is UP. Cad. | don
blame her, Six months without
word. and then she wrote and said sh
hated me and loathcd me and deteste,
me and that J was coward and that
| could never see her again."
Again the collie sprang up and bark
ed gtlll more furiously. Then Mrs
Blossom came in and asked him II h
would not so and look at his room am
see whether or not everything was al
right,
Il think there is something whic