Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1904-10-20
~ EVELYN MARTIN

ceiye of her husband as lying IN tne
coffin which stood, a befowered anu
subsidiary altar, at the chancel steps
Everybody said that the wreaths were
beautiful, especially the great cireiet Oh
white roses which had been sent by
the curate's wife. She had written
verse on the card which went with IT,
for she contributed poetry to the week
ly papers sometimes.
The verse rang in the brides heaa
while the slow ritual of the service
went on:
1.-THE happy dead are here
Their spirits In the sun
Sing softly and make cheer
Because that life is done''
She said to herself bitterly that IL
was cruel and unfair that he should De
free and joyous on some happy splrltual
plane whilst she spent long gray years
in the world that had suddenly become
uninterssting. He had been SO klnd'
40 considerate, 80 much her own dur
ing the fortnight that they had spent
together. She missed his ready atten-
ton. the exclusive delight which he
had in her company, the way that his
hand caressed the short bits of hair In
her neck. She dared not allow her.
self to realize that she would never
have these things again. The thought
hurt her intensely, and she detested
pain. mn
Something in her mind cried out: 20.
come back! Come back! want you!"
His death, his vanishment, as she
thought Of it, sitting in the dark
church with her eyes fixed on the white
mass Of flowers, seemed too monstrous
and unnatural to be true.
She cried little as she walked back
across the churchyard and thought OF
the text which the curate had several
times repeated: 80 also is the resur-
rection of the dead. 1t is sown In cor
ruption; 1t is raised in interruption"
Her father in-law and his two daugh-
tiers were with her They all felt o
little tired and dull now that the great
event was over. They went slowly down
the church lane, through the garden
cate, up the path still marked with the
heavy footsteps of the bearers. The
dead man was in all their thoughts just
then; he had been a great gardener
and had planted a little while before
his marriage the lilies which his bride
now brushed with her stiff crepe skirt
In the garden which he had given life
to 1t was difficult to believe in his death
They looked at each other, recognizing
between them an added sensation OIL
loss.
And in the porch they found him
waiting for them.
Afterwards, when they came to tall
about it, no one could quite remember
what he wore or how he looked. Only
he was there, standing in the doorway
as he had been accustomed to stant
looking at his flowers after a morn
ing's work at the desk. There was ar
air of entire reality about 1t.
His father, tongue responding auto
matically to the stimulus Of sight, be
gan to say: Hello, my boy!" Ther
he stopped, looked hastily at the others
and hoped they had not heard him.
| For just Ave seconds there was
dead silence. The father heard tn
watch tick In his waistcoat pocket AMI
the sound of his own strenuous breath
He knew that the three girls were al
looking at the figure in the porch. TheI
the bride gave a little cry. Her hus
band had stepped towards her, holdinl
out his arms with that boyish gestur'
of affection which she had always liket
90 much.
Bertha, darling, couldn't leav'
you!" he said. His voice had the Joy
full note Of Traveller come home.
She turned away from him and fun
herself against her father-in-law, hi
! her face on his sleeve, and began to or.
Historically.
"pm so sorry" said the young man
1--WE startled all OF you. | thought
somehow, you'd understand when yo'
saw me here; but Of course you don't
It was stupid. Of me. The point is, Nv
come back. Bertha wanted me; an
: leaving her alone seemed so horrible.
He turned back into the house, an
d the others followed him, staring stupid
! ly. and not liking to speak to one an
other. No one as yet had said anythin
] TO him.
! They went into the dinlng-room. H
was not there. The cloth was laid 70
! lunch; there was faint scent Of cab
, bages and steved rabbit.
: They all FELT treasured. II was 8
evident what had happened. They ha
: been the victims OF a collective hallu
citations naDrL thing enough IN
der the circumstances Of nerve strai
ana shock. The bride raised her vel
ana on her small white face there ver
traces Of relief a. well a. Of disappoini
ment She went upstairs to take be
things on.
They beard her light footsteps an
. / - 49, - H. q 49, fnrf