The daily morning Alaskan., 1903-12-30
FROM CHILD
 TO WOMAN

as a rock. Nlyra was as unsteady as the sands Of the sea. But love makes us all unsteady. and Blrnie instead of selecting some practical woman near his own age for a wife must needs get t Into his head that he wanted Myra. This was unfortunate. for Myra met a sailor scarcely older than herself and made as stupid a choice as Birnie. Ben Lorton was ft for nothing except to pull ropes when at sea and carouse when ashore. But there was some thing in hls swagger that broke through the thin casing surrounding Myra's heart, and she was in terror lest some other girl should get him.
 Old Abel Leigh. her father was of a different mind He knew Birnie's worth and did not propose if be could belp 1t that his daughter should refuse a good man and one who was able to make her comfortable to tie herself to one with no better ambition than to be foremost in shore sprees." The result was that Birnle led Myra to the altar with all the accompaniments of bride | except her heart. which not even mar riage could take away from the worth less sailor. Birnle since the girl con- sented to become his wife, not only supposed she did SO willingly, but fan cied she loved hlm, though how he could have found favor in her sight was a mystery to him.
 Once married, Birnie's sterling quail ! ties reasserted themselves, and he set tied down to his daily routine i'm ig- norance of the fact that he had made the mistake of his life At least that | Is what everybody else considered it. and what the world pronounces in such cases usually turns out to be the truth But he at last came to notice that his young wife was dragging her life out ! iu melancholy and during one Of Ben Lorton's returns from sea discovered the cause. Going to the well for water one dark night. he heard voices and. | suppOsing that some one was on his l premises who had no right to be there | listened He heard his wife tell LOT ton that she had always loved him and would always love him. but that she 1 would always do her duty by her hus | band
 It seemed to the husband as if his | life had suddenly shriveled and there was nothing left for him except hol. low existence. He did not care to hear any more-indced if he had known ho was to spy on his wife he would have scorned to do sO-but turned and went ! into the house. So self controlled was he that until he was ready that his wife should know of his discovery she | did not even suspect 1t.
 Blrnle kept his knowledge to him self until be had found out an about his having stepped in between the two lovers. then he arranged to step ont from between them. He procured 2 divorce. IT Myra had been his daugh- ter he could not have acted with more | tender care for her. It happened that Lorton was Co sal from his ships port in the city a few days after the grant Ing of the decree of divorce. BirniJ sent Myra from his home In his own carriage Co the church where she was to marry Lorton. whence she was to go with him Co the city. When he said goodby to her at his door and saw her | driving away he watched her till she was out of sight. then went back into the house and. sitting down before e table. let his head fall on his arms The light of his life had gone out. n did not matter that that light was o ! mere chip of a girl who made an idol of a coarse sailor. Nature. which ar ranges such matters, had decreed that the strong man should be blighted by this weak woman. There was not a sound ln the house. and Birnie did not care to hear a sound unless lt could be once more her soft footfall He though. of the future. the long, lonely days ir store for him. and wondered how bp could drag himself through them. But the fullness of his agony came when Inc thought of Myra iu possession of an other.
 When Birnle started up conscious ot | his surroundings lt was night A full moon sbone directly in at his window dlling the room with It's mellow light ! The chamber door was open, and there could he believe his seuses-staudine on the threshold arrayed in the dress In which she had gone to her second | bridal stood Myra. A thrill of joy shot through him. only to be followed by an abyss of disappointment us he re allzed that the vision must be either a hallucinadon or, if it were indeed ! Myra. she could not be in the flesh. Slowly, hsltingly, the figure, its out line softened by the light that revealed | it advanced. Blrnle sat staring at i
 as one in a cream. It was indeed Myra. and yet he was sure it was not Myra. Then when near him the appa
 rluon sank at his feet and clasped his knees.
 "Myrar
 | There was no reply.
 ''Myra, feel your warm hands. Do you really live or is your ghost so like yourselfT'
 "Edgar. have passed out of child
 hood. am a woman. It came to me today. fortunately in time, a realiza- ton of what I was about to do. l turn
 ed from what I have pihed for, but ! pine for no longer. and have come back to you Don't send me away. l will do all can to correct my mistake, though know l can never be worthy of you