The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1904-07-10
e8fe ST. : Bx &

Inc trained nurse lowered the light.
gave a few touches to insignificant
details and left the room for her rest
during the first half of the night, con-
fiding the patient to his wife's care.
He, watched her at the open window.
her head silhouetted against the moon
lit background outside. and wave
Of love swept over him, half eoger' naiI
timed, to call her.
Unconscious Of his need and misled
by the quiet into thinking him asleep,
she freely INDUCED the revery evoked
by the silence. of the room-a revery
that promised the fruit of truth, not OF
dreams.
Six years ago. with full knowledge
of his invalid fate, she had committeo
herself to his keeping. He found her
a slip of an orphan girl. ana IoVea nes
with untamed passion of disappointed
man in his final surrender The
guardian of her affairs, appointed by
the Orphans Court, approved and coun-
selled the match. Her father had died
leaving no assets but debts and law
suits, and to the unromantic man OF
business this union seemed to offer
happy issue out of many difficulties.
Thta Harold Daingerfield was hope
less paralytic, tied to a couch or roll
ing chair presented no barrier to such
step in his cold. legal judgment, any
more than the disparity In years and
lack of affinity indicated to him ele-
ments of volcanic unhappiness in years
to come.
To any business man Daingerfield
represented a safe, valuable and for
tunate investment for a poor girl other
wise constrained to struggle for her
living. and his physical blight was
merely one of those minor issues apt to
arm nm in every cont ract.
The acquiseced in her lawyers man
date with the submission of young
ignorance. She had yet to learn of
revolt against the law and gospel that
breaches unquestioning obedience to
elders. OF heart and love she knew
still and consented to place in charge
of this middle aged invalid the blind
confidence of her experience. 1t was
contentment to be rid Of the straiten-
ed circumstances and sordid anxieties
that human beings never seem too
young to escape, and contentment often
masuuerades under a nobler title.
These six years had been peaceful
She had climbed no glory heights Her
married landscape was UNMARRIED by any
peaks of heaven lit vision, but she had
known the abundant pasturage of the
plain. The fellowship between Harold
and herself had been close and rest
w,
had yelled from her suspicious the
vista of false perspective. Nc
thought of a stronger feeling in thu
elderly man who had rescued her I'M
pecunious girlhood invaded her untu
tored mind. The repose and gentle dig
nifty of their shut in lives beguiled al
her emotional nature into somnolence
1t lay dry and lifeless as wintry gor
den spot untouched by the revivifyini
spring.
She shared with the attendant all tn
intimate duties of caring for her hus
band. He commanded her time an'
cheerful presence with selfish ABSORB
ton. and she yielded with a dim. crop
ing maternal instinct for his helpful
ness. The wheeled chair, at first ba
sinister they both fretted against, cam
to lose its painful significance in he
hands, and he preferred her to replac
his attendant in their frequent shor
excursions about the neighborhood
smilingly insisting that he felt NOR
secure in her care.
Less than a weew before he had bee
seized with a sudden and acute attacl
threatening the separation she was al
ways apprehending, that would plung
her anew into the isolation OF her or
phanhood.
But he rallied and defeated dealt
TO struggle back to consciousness. a
impassioned petitioner at her mere!
The peace of their old relations melte
before his fervid love words as sh
heard him. bewildered at this uhdrean
ed of revelation. Since then she ha
moved about her husband like haunt
ed woman. The twin passions of hi
man nature. self-love and self-sacr
flee. were a struggle for the master
of her spirit. and she had only toda
reached the decision which she kne
to be final. even though its declaratio
was ingratitude
Edith"
Eyes. dear" She turned her hee
with it's soft aureole of dark hair
the direction OF the voice, but mad