The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1903-06-04
and days of lcng ago, 81 was so

- ''N7 SUM "a DeAA III NJ 81 VIII Will
rain, and wondered if your slippers
and dry socks were warming at the
fire, and if the dressing gown l made
for you Christmas was ready for Won
on the back of the chair, and the five
drops of camphor, too, that | always
had ready to drive out the cold. I've
been so burdened for fear you were
not comfortable. I've cared for YOU
so long, and made your comfort my
sole study, that l was afraid you'd
miss me, and oh, how l 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 l went away"
(Yes, 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 guilty at the word as
though a liberty had been taken. ut
hasn't been so long, but you look
older and sadder. Iwould have stayed
if l could, but it was so sudden, had
no time to get ready. l wasn't
asked; l just had to GO"
A shrill impatient voice from the
dining room called across the hall:
Mr.. Milligan, whatever were you
thinking of to order lemon and va
nilla, when l told you to get straw
berry and pistache to match the
decorations! 1t will have to go right
back"
(Nes, now he remembered, it was to
have been strawberry and pistache.)
And l thought of all our 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.'
(Yes, that was what the new wife
had said. She had so much on her
mind.)
Il seemed so necessary to you and
the children, and there were many
years of usefulness in me yet"
Standing rigid and immovable in
the gathering gloom, he seemed but
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
of the black rain outside smote his
heart like a scourge, and the pageant
of his recent bridal seemed a fam
tastic pantomime. The Presence
glanced around the room and plant
lively resumed: 1T looks very famil-
lar here, though you've fixed it up
some. There's my bed, and it was
such good bed. | 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 l have
gone. But l don't see my picture on
the wall beside yours, Will. | know
the old frame was getting shabby,
and maybe you thought it needed
new one, but you always said it was
such a good likeness"
Yes, Mary, lay three forks, one
for the oysters, one 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, viii, you can
not know how [ priced my things.
There's my china the children gave
US on marriage anniversary, and
our silver wedding presents; they
were so bright and pretty, and
showed such good will and friend
ship! And my nice clothes-I liked
my clothes. | 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 Zone
lay on the bed)-''I took such care of
it, it was almost like new, though
you had outgrown it."
Mary, just see, that stupid florist
has left the wrong fowers-these
white and purple things look for all
the world like a funeral. Run quick
and fetch him back. Now, that's
much better. Put the reddest rose
at Mr.. Milligan's place, he likes
bright things So"
where is Fido, viii? He used al
ways to lie at my feet of evenings,
and you were real jealous because
he thought so much more of me than
he did of you"
Gle had followed her to her grave
and refused to leave, and had die d
there of grief.
"And my pretty flower beds that
l loved so to tend, are they bloom
ing? | always liked growing things;
sometimes now l think | feel the
grass growing. But, oh, it is so still
out there, and l have longed so to
hear your voice and the voices of
the children; and I have listened and
listened in the long, narrow dark
ness, but even my own heart under
my folded hands was still"
The portieres between the hall and
library swung back with a clash, and
the radiant young wife, in all her