Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1902-09-25

ing on my breast this bruised spray Of
your favorIte lemon-plant, Thinking
you had left 1t there, ! have guarded
| It as my greatest treasure ever since;
| and now | send it to you. If kindly
| thoughts of me did rise in your heart
on that day It will recall them; If not
If indeed 1t was all a dream a fancy
burn it. Never mind the kisses and
the tears that have covered it.
"Goodby, my sweet wife-my lost.
dear love. have told them to write to
you when am dead"
Here the letter ended abruptly as
| though the writer's strength had sud
denly failed him. How he loved her,
She had Weakened to a sense Of 1t at
last sense of his worth, of his love-
Of his loss Her tears fell fast over
the letter, over the faded lemon.spray
Oh If it had but pleased Heaven to let
her see him once more-to let her lay
her head on his breast and say
7 love you, my husband love you
at astr
That could never be now; and as she
sat there, with her husbands letter in
her hand, there came to Lady Ianthe
the knowledge that without him she
would never be happy.
But no letter came announcing his
death, They did not hear again They
did not know whether he was still i'll
or recovering. They knew nothing
and suspense became intolerabIe. 1t
told upon Lady Ianthe. She grew thin
and palc--she was always thinking Of
him. The faded lemon-spray had been
placed in n gold locket and lay on her
breast, The time had come when
every thought was his-when every
wish, every desire was to see him
again
Summer and autumn pagscd-nO
news came from him, The birds took
flight to summer climes, the flowers
witherod, the leaves fell from the
trees. the face Of nature changed from
gay 70 winter came, and stiIl
no letter from him,
Wyndham Care was to return to
India In February
you nrc anxious, know, for news
from America" he said to his rela-
tiyCs, "but II Is long since | have seen
an English Christmas; let me have one
here at CroOmbc abbey before I 60"
And, though the earl was unhappy,
though his daughters heart was al
most breaking. they yielded to his
wish
The bells chimcd merrily. 1t was
Christmas eve, There had not been
such fall of snow for years It lay
SO thick and so white that the world
seemed half buried in It.
Croombe abbey was more resplcnd-
ont than 1t had ever been before the
Interior showed naught but luxury
M Il magnlnconCc The house was full
OF happy faces Lord Care had
spared nothing to crafty his lius-
mans wish for happy Christmas.
He had invited numerous guests and
the old abbey walls rcsounded with
merrimont
The only sad face there was that OF
his daughter. Lady Ianthe. The weeks
Of cruel suspense had worn on, yet no
news had come from her husband. He
was not dead--oG that every one
seemed sure; but why did he not
write? Once horrible idea came to
| her She found herself wondering
whether he fancied that she would be
sorry to hear that he still lived
On this snowy Christmas eve this
! idea haunted her, she was haunted,
| toe, by the memory of the Christmas
eve, a few short years ago, when she
was so happily unconscious of all
care, Tho music distressed her, the
Chrlstmas greeting irritated her, the
happy smiling faces grieyod her
| Whcrc was he who ought TO have been
master there She went out away
from the laughter and the song, away
from the happy hearts that knew no
care, they were not suitable com.
panions for her she who had sent a
nobel soul into exile She went away
and throwing thick shaw round her
wandered to the conservatory near
the morntng-room--thc place where
her husband had kissed her hand, and
had hiddou her farewell
She stood there gazing Mt the snow
watching the stars In the sky, think
HE of him with unutterablc longing
and uuuttorahle love, when Lord Care
suddenly entered His manner was
hurried and ahrupt-hc looked CON
fused and unlilie himself.
"Ianthc," he said-'hcre alone or
this beautiful Christmas eye,"
"Nos, 1t wants Herman. papa. tc
enable me To enjoy It." she confessed
"Ay, we want Hcrmau;" and Their
he laughed a pcrploxed little laugh
"lontho.' ho added suddenly. "I
should like to know II YOU are strong
enough to bear great surprise
Someone Is waiting to see you"
Herman had entered. and was there
standing by her Side. looking nj hor
! with a passion of love in his eyes
with light in his worn face. holdiue
i out his hands to her,
"Ianthe my wife, Iauthe, my love,'