The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-12-10
A Woman s Heart.

4 me, and the impossible barrier between
us was complete. Do you apprehend
the sltuaton?" he asked.
Perfectly" said.
! docs all this agree with what my
/ friends say about me in London?"
II confess I heard that you had un-
fortunately married q cold and heart
less woman" I said.
We went on smoking in silence. AT
last he said, abruptly: II have more
to tell"
Hurry yourself no further, dear old
friend. I think I can manage all the
rest"
Can you? I am not so sure that
you can"
We smoked in silence for about a
minute and then he continued:
| Some other time I may tell you of
how my unexpected fortune departed
as suddenly and surprisingly as it ar
| rived. The news of what appeared to
| be total ruin reached me first in a tele-
| gram which found waiting for me one
night when / returned home from a
dinner party alone, my wife having
pleaded headache and retired to her
room early in the evening. ] gathered
| up the letters which had come by the
last post and carried them to my dress
ing room, where ] sat down to read
them. Imagine casting ones eyes on Il
bit of paper as the eyes of the owner Of
million, and raising them with the
knowledge that one does not own a
penny in the world. ] sat long immov-
able, stunned with the suddenness of
the blow.
! "How was I to tell my wife? How
would she bear it-she who had mar
ried me for the splendors which she
must relinGuish: the woman whose
beauty, whose gentle, if cold, compan-
ionshp and perfect conduct toward me
and the world 1 had bought with gold 1?
If she could not love me before. how
bitterly would she turn from me now!
II had sat for two or three hours
motionless as a stone: the first sleam
of dawn crept in at the edges of the
blinds, and I stirred and writhed in my
chair. The door opened, and my wife,
in a white robe, appeared on the
threshold in the gray light.
"'What ails your she said gently
Nothing that can tell you at pres
ent,' I said. Go back to your rest
"'Will you not tell me what is the
matter?
Certainly. I will tell you tomor-
row. 1t is only some bad news
, while I was speaking her keen eyes
caught sight of the open telegram and
of the letters sprawled on the paper
S'hich spelled ruin. The next moment
she was on her knees beside me.
"'Oh, my dear, will you not share
this trouble with me"
ct u-oc % ctI,pirl fro,,, tbo .I,oa,- r
had borne that the sweet words and
, pleading tone came on me like a secord
! blow. The next moment was not sure
had heard them, did not believe in
them. ] answered, cruelty, 'Unfortu-
nately, you will have to share it with
me-
:" No, say fortunately" Oh, my
love, my husband, am I so unworthy +:
Must 1 be counted as thing bought
with gold, living on gold and for gold,
and cast aside when gold fails and love
| might we'll take it's place?'
" is it not absurd l said, that you
should imagine you could love me now
when You could not love me through
all the five years of my devotedness to
you?'
"She crept nearer to me and wound
her arms around my neck.
81 loved you,' she said. L loved you
since the first day I knew you. But
knew there was a plan made by Others
to force me upon you that your possess
sions might be useful to me and those
belonging to me. The knowledge of
this paralyzed my actions, even my
looks. l knew you thought you We're
taking loveless wife, and seeing you
were willing to take me so l was too
nervous, too timid too proud, too un-
happy to have any power within me to
undeceive you. Now for the first time
my heart has found way to speak.
We will work, we will laugh, we will be
happy together
"She tightened her sweet hold on my
neck. My arms closed around her"
He stopped suddenly. He had been
talking as If unaware of my presence.
There was n long silence, and before it
ended my hand found it's way to his
shoulder.
II understand now, old friend" said
softly.
He shook himself up and laughed a
little bright laugh.
Yes" he said. IT thought / should
give you surprise. So much for the
opinion OF the world and mans pene-
tration of a woman's heart and mind.
And here we are, after all, with enough
saved out of the wreck to live on SIM
ply and with content. Hark, / hear
wheels. My wife is arriving home.
Come and be introduced to her."-The
Taller.
Thought It Was Mott.
When .Judpo Warren ISoStcr can,n ho,i-