Smyrna times., 1903-08-19
A WIDOWER'S ROMANCE
1I 5 lz z # Is Is 7 7@7311 72

The doctor pronounced the case very
serious, and sent nurse to take care
OF the girl during the night. In the
morning she must be sent to the hos
pital!
''The hospital" thought Marius, who
had horror of hospitals.
Hasn't the poor child suffered |
enough already?"
He lay awake all night, thinking, and !
when the ambulance came in the
morning he curtly sent it away.
Months elapsed before Cecile was
pronounced out of danger. Marius
LOurnier found himself intensely in
terested in the battle of life and death,
and was Overjoyed when the physician
informed him that the crisis was
passed.
Soon youth and health resumed their
sway. Cecile wrought wonderful
transformation in the lonely cottage
Thoroughly feminine in taste, she
loved everything that Is pretty and
delicate, and Marlus, enchanted by
the simple elegance which had sue
ceeded to the former disorder of his
home, smiled gratefully upon the
fairy who had brought about the
change.
He took his meals at home and long
conversations with his Chateline re-
placed the nightly sessions at the card
table. He was so happy, basking in
this mild and wholesome physical and
moral atmosphere, that he took no
account of the flight of time. After
some months of this idyllic existence,
she suddenly became very serious and
sad. Marius, greatly surprised, ques-
toned her, and finally she said:
81 think that l ought not to live any
longer at your"
But Marius frowned so fercely that
she checked herself.
"Oh, do not doubt my affection,
she exclaimed. Il am not migrate
full, believe me- But l must earn my
own living. My self-respect demands
that"
"Well, well!' said Marius, i'm
patiently. "We will speak of that to-
} morrow"
But that very day friendly neigh.
Dor, an old lady, said to him:
''My dear M. Lournier, L feel it my
. duty to tell you that people are be-
, ginning to talk. know that you are
the soul of honor and that Cecile is al
r angel, but evil tongues will wag. Why
q don't you stop them?"
4 "How Can II"
q "By marrying Cecile."
"What! Do you imagine that She
] 81 imagine nothing. 1 know she il
. IN love with you. Trust a woman's in
n tuition"
v And the old lady added with a smile
>. "What if you're fifty, so long as yoU
, don't look it?''
Marry Cecile? He? What an absurd
le idea!
+. But the more he thought about 1t tn
"a less absurd it appeared. And, lookin
AZ squarely into his heart, he saw that h
# loued the girl passionately. The littl
fairy had given him back his yout
n and awakened the heart that he ha
70 thought dead forever.
a All! If the old lady's intuition wer
correct!
ts Then he began to pay great after
a tion to his dress and manners. d
n even gave up his pipe Cecile nc
= ticed his reiuvenation and complimen
~ ed him upon it frankly, and then b
ed felt inspired to tell his love and as
,r. her to be his wife.
90 She listened in smiling silence and
in a burst of grateful affection, p1
To- her hand in that of her benefactOr an
or said: eyes"
The wedding was arranged to tai
he place in the autumn.
,or Meanwhile, Marius lived at hote
but came every day to see his o
or house. to see his young sweethear
70. who always welcomed him with sml
a of tender affection.
-4,s The summer wore on, and there car
tbo a time when the smile gave place
a5 grief and tears as. soon as the unco
- scious lovers back was turned.
vas Then, one evening, he came a
'"' C,a;Io,s voica and another
ov coming from the unlighted parlor.
"n recognized the other voice as that
-