The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-07-02


and.
Grant for moment, Mr.. Hume, that this
fortune passes from Mrs. Fielden, would
you be likely to make her an offer Of
marriage?"
ITO make her my wife has been the
one great wish Of my life," Hume an
swered. "She was not rich when asked
her to marry me years ago." IL
Come, we are a step forward. Now,
Mrs Fielden, don't you think you could
manage to answer my question:?
Hume went and stood behind her chair
and put his hands upon her shoulders She
looked up into his face.
II should consent. she said
Then, seeing you have son to con-
slider as well, T should comply with the
terms Of the will" said Mr.. Barton, de-
cidedly
Hume bent over her ''will you marry
me like this, Ethel. flor the boys sake?'
7 ~ es," she answered.
Then Mr.. Hume, we will make all ar
rangements for tomorrow night said Mr..
Barton. II will write to this solicitor
and ask him to be present as witness
that the will has been duly complied with.
congratulate youson your decision; be-
lieve it is the right one to make
That was strange wedding which
made Robert Hume and Ethel Fielden man
and wife. Outside was the midnight rum
BILE Of the streets, the world Of pleasure
and fashion going its several ways with
light or heavy heart as it happened. With
In the light was dim and cold, making
the faces Of the living almost as ashen
as that Of the man lying in his coffin
placed on trestles at the foot Of the bed
! The clergyman, an old friend of Hume's,
read the service in q subdued tone, and
the answers were given in a low voice.
And then it was over. Husband and wife
! stood hand-in hand beside the coffin for
a moment and Ethel bent down and
kissed the dead mans forehead. It was
her forgiveness for what he had made her
pass thru.
! The rumble in the streets grew less and
less until it was silent altogether. The
| lights in the room We're out and the door
was locked A breath Of night air stirred
the curtains at the; window a little, and a
ray from street lamp cast yellow patch
upon the ceiling just above the coffin
Without it was still, very still; even fash
ion and pleasure had gone home to rest.
| Within it was STILL, death still, but the
wind was rising little surely. There was
a long sigh just now which sounded like
| the first breath of a coming storm, yet the
| curtain stirred no more than they had
done. There the sigh again, louder, deep
| er! 1t awakened sounds in the dead
J room. That was a mouse in the skirting
surely, and that-Great' Heavens the
room was not death still. 1t was full OF
life, strugglinf pulsating, throbbing life.
| The. trestles creaked, and fingers, with the
muscles in them strained, grasped the
sides Of the coffin. Then the white figure
rose to a sitting posture. The wild eyes
glanced round the room and then at the
strange and narrow bed The man sighed
again. For a moment he felt relieved
! was glad that his horrible dream was moi
true, but he next
!, IT am dead" he whispered, for his eyes
caught the shape Of the coffin lid standing
ready there, and the glimmer Of the brass
plate upon it. II am dead, dead to the
? world. It was no dream, but the truth
They We're married just now, here close
, beside me. She did bend to kiss me.
, have been in some trance with oars Il
hear and understand, yet motionless-
dead"
The yellow patch upon the ceiling wa.
paler now. There was ripple Of life il
! the air without, and the sound Of the
, wheels of heavy wagon at distance
, That was the first low note Of a bird, anl
dawn crept slowly out Of tho east. The
l light grew stronger In the room.
. The dawn What shall do?"
. AT the head Of the coffin was a table;
) few bottles stood on it, and his own medi
cine chest. He remembered that the tabl,
, was pushed there just before they wer,
: married. In that chest there was GER
tainty.
1T is the only way after what I hav,
: DONE"
His lips muttered prayer as his finger
. felt for what he wanted in the cabinet,
small bottle. ribbed and tightly corked
Q He knew it well, its dark blue color. it
Z. warning red label. He had looked at
sometimes and wondered how men coul,
: be such fools. He did not think Of tina
now while his fingers were busy with tn
4 cork t-,.>+es
0 ), There is little smell" he murmured
e and twill be quickly over. No one vii
Ii ever guess. They left me dead and dea,
h they shall find me-"
. He lowered himself into his narrow be
! carefully, making all as nearly as it ha
. been. Then he raised his head little an
= drank the contents Of the bottle to tn
: dregs, and threw the bottle into a corne
: of the room where it rolled under heav
i piece Of furniture
Grant they may not find It; at least
not YETI
% Then in the room all was still agar
3. Without there were more sounds
r. wheels and the rattle Of a rapid milk car
rl There were footsteps coming and going
then many that came and went contir
ually, and more traffic. It was a ne
ID day.
The key was turned in the lock pres
10 emily, and they entered the room wit
Of soft tread They saw that all was rigl
OF and orderly, and they covered the dea
man from the worlds sight. They kne
20 nothing Of the blue ribbed bottle lnd.
TO the furniture there, and how should the
perceive that very, very faint odor ws
a. new since yesterday?
at ss
IN George Fielden was dead and burie
O. and Robert Hume and his wife we
ry away. They were going abroad short
= for good. and the furniture in the Q
ou house was to be Sold. And in moving
20 heavy wardrobe the men found blue DO
tie and threw it1:aside amongst the ru1
ng -------
ce THE avara pa waier,+ ~ !. 80
ne brain is 49h ounces, or five ounc
y. more than a woman's.