Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1903-05-14

ScAS otoOy tuot i Wdo dAAaio Joo |
miss me, and oh, how 1 have missed
you! 1 was SO contented here, /
thought things must go on forever
as they were, and I've wondered and
wondered why it had to be, and why
it couldn't have been different. I've
had nothing to do but just lie and
think ever since 1 went away"
Eyes, my God, in that narrow box,
shut out from sight and sound and
motion, with a mound of earth upon
her breast, what was there left her
but to think!)
"You don't look well, husband"
He started guiltily at the word as
though a liberty had been taken. 1T
hasn't been so long, but you look
older and sadder. Iwould have stayed
if 1 could, but it was so sudden, l had
no time to get ready. / wasn't
asked; I just had to go"
A shrill impatient voice from the
dining room called across the hall:
"Mr. Milligan, whatever We're you
thinking of to order lemon and a
nilla, when I told you to get straw
berry and pistache to match the
decorations! 1t will have to go right
back!"
(Yes, now he remembered, it was TO
have been strawberry and pistache.)
"And I thought of all Il happy
years and wished we could live them
over again. It's hard to lie still when
you've got so much on your mind"
eyes, that was what the new wife
had said. She had so much on her
mind.)
81 seemed so necessary to you and
the children, and there were many
years of usefulness in mi yet"
Standing rigid and immovable in
the gathering gloom, he seemed but
a shade himself. He listened to the
plaintive, monotonous voice in a
passion of expectancy. His young
wife was just across the hall and
might enter the room at any mo-
ment. What could he do? Turn this
woman out into the night and storm
this woman who was the wife of
his youth-the mother of his chill
dren, the helper of his fortunes, the
slave of his very whims! The roof
over his head was built with money
she had inherited. The drip, drip
heart like a scourge, and the pageant
of his recent bridal seemed a fan
tastic pantomime. The Presence
glanced around the room and plant
lively resumed: SIT looks very famil-
lar here, though you've fixed it up
some. There's my bed, and it was
such a good bed. I had many pleas
ant dreams in it.. And my sewing
machine, and the clock that licked
the pleasant hours away! It's all
more familiar than where | have
gone. But | don't see my picture OF
the wall beside yours, Will. | know
the old frame was getting shabby,
and maybe you thought it needed q
new one, but you always said it was
such a good likeness"
Eyes, Mary, lay three forks, one
for the oysters, II for the roast and
one for the salad. You've made the
old silver shine, Mary; it will answer
very well till we get the new"
Not being a woman, Will, you car
not know how | priced my things
There's my china the children gave
us on a marriage anniversary, ant
our silver wedding presents; they
were so bright and pretty, anc
showed such good will and friend
ship! And my nice clothes-l liket
my clothes. L never had on that fine
cloth dress you bought me, and
wondered if it was put away in cam
phor-I was so particular about
moths. Your wedding suit Gone
lay on the bed)-'I took such care O.
it, it was almost like new, though
you had outgrown it."
"Mary, just see, that stupid loris
has left the wrong fowers-thest
=. white and purple things look for al
the world like a funeral. Run quicl
!, and fetch him back. Now, that
much better. Put the reddest ros'
at Mr.. Milligan's place, he )ilSe'
bright things So"
"Where is Fido, Will? He used al
ways to lie at my feet of evenings
, and you were real jealous because
he thought so much more of me thai
he did of you"
= (He had followed her to her grav'
and refused to leave, and had diet
there of grief.
! "And my pretty flower beds tina
: | loved so to tend, are they bloom
: ing? / always liked growing things
: sometimes now / think I feel tn
grass growing. But, oh, it is so still
. out there, and / have longed so t.
' hear your voice and the voices o
the children; and I have listened an
listened in the long, narrow dark
ness, but even my w heart unde
my folded hands was still"
1 The portieres between the hall an
> library swung back with a clash, an
!. the radiant young wife, in all he
! glory of evening dress, flushed wit
!. haste and excitement, stood on tn
\ threshold. He turned with an i'm
patient frown toward the unwelcom
intruder and his mood seemed re
lected in his wife's sharpened tones
mfr. Milligan, l declare, yo
), haven't begun to dress yet! Wha
are you thinking of? It's as dark j
here as a tomb! Why haven't yo
lit the gas? / believe, in my heart
5 you've been dreaming"
e Had he been dreaming? He too
< the lighted match from her fingers
: holding it like an inverted torch
= hesitated an instant, then turned a
agonizing glance in the direction Q
n the seated figure, but the chair wa
Q vacant.-N. o. Times-Democrat.
y Language.