The Jennings daily record. [volume] (Jennings, La.) 1900-1903, 1901-12-24
reason for fixing the time 30 far

0OC0lu8 Oh SOnu. SOMEHOW Sue COuAO
not gather courage to frame the
words. And John had forgotten her.
He would never know. It was better
that he should not. Love is ever
jealous, and he might upbraid her, or
think even while he had won her that
she might prove inconstant to him as
to her first lover. Some day when
she was his wife, his very own, she
would whisper the story into his ear.
and then they would bury poor John
together.
Somebody has said it was bad luck
for bride to don her wedding dress
before the wedding day. 1t was all
nonsense, Alice thought, as later, she
stood before her mirror and saw re-
fected there her own form clad in It's
white silken robes.
Poor John! She wished she had not
thought of him, as she stood in her
wedding dress. The air was very
heavy tonight. 1t was this which OPP
pressed her so.
Come in,'' she called to the knock
at her door.
The little maid entered
"Oh, Miss Alice. law. Miss. how
beautiful you do look. The gentle
man is downstairs and wants to see
you Immediate, Miss
The gentleman! OF course she
meant Dent. She had a great mind
to run down just as she was. to hear
if he would echo the little maids YER
dict, and say that he, too, thought her
beautiful. The impulse of vanity was
not to be resisted and gathering up
her silken sk1ts she ran lightly down
the stairs. The room was in shadow.
the large, old-fashioned lamp on the
table burning dimly; but sitting in a
corner on the sofa she saw mans
form, a man who rose impetuously to
his feet as she entered.
With a smile upon her lips and IN
her eyes, and bright spot of scarlet
in her cheeks, she tripped across the
floor and turned the lamp SO that Its
light streamed full upon her. then
looked up into Dents face to see the
look OF love and admiration gathering
there-looked to find it not Dent, but
some one who. for moment, seemed
a stranger-some one whose face was
bronzed and bearded, but with
strange pallor gathering on 1t as he
looked in vain for the words of love
and recognition which did not come
looked from her own paling face, from
the dying spots OF scarlet in her
cheek. to the silken train which
swept the floor in It's purity, and the
orange flowers she had fastened in her
breast. Yes, she knew him now. 1t
was John, come home to claim her
for his very own. His voice was very
hoarse when he spoke
hr.i1a ha
she here? Is this dress for me
Have pity" she walled, in answer.
1.-TWO years were such long while.
For six months / had not heard. I
thought you were dead, or had forgot
ten me-
Men do not forget" he answered.
1--WE leave that to the women who I'M
do us. Six months! And it seemed
to you a long time to wait Child, do
you know what I have endured for
the reward of this moment? What
was hunger, toll, privation, homesick-
ness to me? l almost welcomed them,
for ever behind them all was the
thought that all were for you, for the
day which was slowly, slowly creeping
on, when / might stand before you
and say: Alice, ! have proved my
love with price. You may accept it,.
darling, without fear. 1t has been
purified through fire. And when, six
months ago, my browning success
came, / started in search of you; but
the long hardships had done their
work. For months l was at Death s
door, unable to write, or to let others
write. Then, when l grew stronger.
l said: L will wait until I can go to
her. You were sheltered; cared for,
happy-aye, ! was SO mad as to think
praying for mel even thanked God
that your prayers had restored my life
and reason. l am as the man who
toiled all his life in search of gilt
tering diamond, and when at length
he picked it up triumphant, he discov-
cred it to be piece of shining glass. -
John, John. Forgive me-" she
pleaded, clingins with both hands to
his arm, her face upturned in it's pale
beauty to his. loved you then. Be
lieve me, loved you then"
Through the open window stole her
words, paralyzing the form Of an I'M
seen listener, who had at that moment
appeared upon the scene. What did it
mean?
He heard not the mans answering
words-"Forgive you? Never!"-but
saw only his last, mad, passionate en-
brace as he snatched her unresisting
form in his arms and covered her face
with kisses which seemed half hatred
and half love, then released her and
4y,fD i~t,