Meade County news. [volume] (Meade, Kan.) 1900-1918, 1902-12-25

while ago, but I want you to take
me to him now. l want to kneel at
his feet and sue for pardon But
the doctor shook his head.
DO not tell me he is dead, doctor;
il cannot be. Let me die, too,'' and
she grasped at her bosom, tearing on
ler finery in her desperate clutch at
her throat. With a strong hand the
doctor restrained her and forced
down another soothing mixture.
Madam said he, when she had
become calmer, your husband is
delirious. 1t required strong meas
ures to prevent his killing himself.
He is still violent and may not re-
cover his senses before morning His
constant cry is "Charlottel Char
lottei" mingled with pitiful demands
for baby"
Take me to him. doctor, l can
care him-I am the only one-do you
not understand? | am his Charlotte
he wants me and must go to him."
She arose and went out, the doctor
following. He placed her in the cab,
and together they drove to the hos
pital.
1t was pitiful sight The doctor
Folding lady with strong, restrain
ing hand to prevent her throwing
herself upon the form of a man who
lay grasping at his throat and crying,
Charlotte! Charlottei Come back
to me, Charlotte; you have killed me.
My heart is broken, and l loved you
so. You did not mean what you
wrote, did you, Charlotte? How cold
everything is. You said l never loved
you, but you were so queenly beauti-
full that l was afraid to let you see
my heart. 1t is bursting with love
for you, Charlotte Come, my wife,
and he opened wide his eyes, into
which the woman, tearing herself
away from all restraint, cast herself,
and, winding her arms around his
neck, laid her cheek close to his
Under the hypnotic influence of her
presence, the rawlings ceased and
finally slumber came. The wife re-
fused to be taken away from her
husbands arms, and so they were left
alone.
In the crisp, early morn, the bells
of an adjoining church rang out their
merry Christmas peals and awoke
the patient, who sat up and looked
around
Where am I?' he asked, rubbing
his dazed eyes. THE bells, the
| Christmas bells! l have had a hide
GUS dream. All, Charlottei" He laid
his hand caressingly upon that bowed
head and whispered: Charlotte, have
you come back to me? Am l dream
| ing?"
mo, husband, not now, Edward,
husband; l am not worthy to call you
So"
Come here to my heart, Charlotte,
my wife," and he clasped her close
to his breast. But where am l? |
hear the Christmas bells. | thought
never to hear them again. What has
happened, Charlotte?"
Edward. my husband. you have
been i'll. and you have been dreaming.
But not now, dear. 1t is real that |
am by your side, and the Christmas
bells are real. Listen, they are tell
ing you how much l love you"
With their arms around each other
they listened to the bells which spoke
to them in a language that could not
be misunderstood. Edward Dalling
recovered finally, but his was a des-
rerate chance and left him feeble for
many months. He never knew posi-
lively whether the letter he found on
his wife's table, announcing that she
did not love him, and that she was
about to depart to a foreign land to
find happiness with Richard Talbot,
Vas a dream or reality. His wife's
constant tenderness and unwavering
devotion finally blotted it from his
mind. On every Christmas morning
they never fail to sit in silence with
clasped hands, listening to the bells