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

his chamber, I found him very glad to see
me. He looks to me as if he were in
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; che asked me to say to you
that, if you felt like it, he wished you
would make him New Years call 7
half-promised that you should go--he
looked SO dreadfully low and pitiful-but
| don suppose you can leave your guests. 2
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 woman who has loved as
purely, as sincerely, as Miss Dale can un-
derstand her feelings as she is driven to
the house of the man from whom she has
been so long parted Why had she re-
matued abrvstl -se-- l,r,s;5 - Why t-.l-
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 coachman 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.
s'Doctor Leigh says will you please to
excuse him? He is not able to come to
the parlor, and will you please come up
to his room? First door at the head Of
the stairsl'
Miss Dale stammered some words of
thanks-what, she never knew-and
slowly, very slowly, assembled the long
flight of steps, If there was gate to be
opened before entering the Celestial City,
Miss Dale wondered if she should be so
timid about asking admittance. She
thought not.
An attendant opened the door to her
nervous rap, and then, with 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
teredl
Not able to sit up, not able to walk
across the room to meet herl and Miss
Dale's heart went down to low water mark,
but the experience of the past years had
so developed the richness of her woman
hood that she composed herself to a quiet
answer, and drove back the tears to their
source, where sometimes, when all was
over, and nobody to be disturbed by them,
they would have their revengel
She removed her bonnet and gloves,
and then seated herself by the sufferer.
1t was difficult to keep her lip from quiv-
ering and her hand steady, as she noted the
hollow cheeks aud cavernous eyes-the
awful, awful change that had taken place
But she conquered them all
81 came, my darling she answered,
with smile, STOPPING and kissing his pale
lips, s'just as soon as | heard. | have
known pothing 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. y
GAS my wife p
'sAs your wife. -
s'But, Anna, l suppose | shall have to
die.
For three months Doctor Leigh had been
positive that this was his last sickness,
now he only supposed he should die.
So much had love instantly accomplished.
ssYou will not die, she said 81 am
sure you will get well, now that | have
come; but if this were not SO, John, and
| was compelled to live on sixty or seventy
years longer, as doubtless l shall Miss
Dale smiled audibly here, and the doctor
joined her, though at what it is doubtful
if either of them could have told-'I
should live out my days much more hap
PLY to feel that you had called me wife.
I 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 70 his breast, and they
were quite hidden From that moment
hidden. From that moment he quickly
began to mend.
Folks called it 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.