Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1903-04-10

with hushed steps and haggard. eyes from
that other chamber where half his hopes
lay dead-from the little waxen figure
that it would have broken June's heart to
see. This anguish at least she was spar
ed.
When the funeral was over poor Tom
used to creep up to the nursery and sit
with his face in his hands. Sometimes he
would take up one of little Toms toys,
and then, poor fellow, he would burst
into terrible passion Of dry sobs. When
he came down he would go on tiptoe into
his wife's room and look at her in dumb
despair.
After the twenty-first day June took a
turn for the better. For the first time she
looked at Mrs. Trevanion' with recogni-
ton IN her eyes, and put out a wasted
waxen hand to her.
"Have l been ill?' she asked, in Ian
guild voice.
you will soon be well now, dear child"
answered Mrs. Trevanion, in her cheeriest
tones.
"Where is Tom?" she asked, presently.
"Would you like to see him."
June made a gesture Of assent, and Mrs.
Trevanion went to fetch him.
But" she said, as he was preparing
with alacrity to obey the summons, mot
in these Clothes" looking at the mourn
ing garments he was wearing for his lost
heir. "And it," he voice falterng, 'if
she asks for the poor darling, you must
try to command yourself, and say that he
has gone away to stay"
Tom arrayed himself in an old shooting
s,1if Qpd wont tintna fn hic yyifa'c
room. What an eager light there was in
his honest face as he approached the bed
and once more saw recognition in the eyes
of his beloved! She smiled family and
held out her hand to him, and he took it in
his as tenderly as though it might melt
away at touch.
"Where is little TomY' asked June,
family. 81 want to see all the family"
Mrs. Trevanion saw the convulsive
! working of Toms face, and fastened to
interpose.
"He is with his grandmother, darling"
she said, thinking sadly of Junes dead
mother; but June understood, as it was
meant she should, that he was with Mrs.
EllesInere.
Fancy Tom letting him out Of his
sightw she murmured, and then sank back
tired, and said no more. "A
"Oh," said Tom, in melancholy voice,
as they sat together after dinner on the
last evening, "what shall | do without
you? l don't believe my poor little girl
would ever have pulled through but for
you"
"When she is stronger, you must tell
her." answered Mrs. Trevamon, with
tears in her eyes. "And when you talk
! about your dreadful loss, it will be heart
breaking ut first, but it will draw you
closer together afterward. And now,"
locking very kindly at his grieved face,
do you feel sufficiently friendly to allow
me to take libertyT"
AT this Tom jumped up, and, coming
round to her, seized her hand and held it
fast.
What in the world might you not say
or do?" And he tookJthe chair beside
her.
| "You know" said Mrs. Trevanion, af-
ter slight pause, when our poor darling
was so Ill and we did not know which way
it might turn, l would not allow you to
reproach yourself in any way on her ac-
count; but, now that she is going to get
quite well and strong again, you must
be all in all to each other, just as you
were when first you married"
Mrs. Trevanion paused moment; then,
looking at him very kindly and speaking
in low but resoiute voice, she proceeded: /:
mo third person ought ever to be al
lowed to come between a husband and
wife. The cause of most of the misunder-
standing between you and dear June has
been the interference Of Miss Ellesmere."
'Yes, yes" said Tom, heartily. 'I am
sure you are right. But think, with poor
Agnes. it was what you would call want
of tact more than anything else. How
ever" seeing the expression of dissent on
his friends face, ''it shall never happen
again. No one-nothing-shall ever come
between my wife and me. Please God
she gets well, she shall have 1t all her
own way"
Mrs. Trevanion smiled. "T think Won
will fnd," she said, that June is less like
ly to be spoiled by too much kindness than
by the other method. And l am quite
sure that q man as good and kind as you
are ought to make any reasonable woman
happy, and will do so when left to your
SELF"
"Oh," cried Tom, deprecatingly, don't
say anything about me! I'm very poor
sort Of chap, I'm afraid!'
"No, you are not" said Mrs. Trevan-
\ ion, smiling and putting out her hand to
him. "But you are none the worse for
being modest, and when come to stay
with you again know shall find you the
happiest couple in the world"
"And we will be, thanks to youp cried