The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1905-11-17
Tom S Wife
BY a. M. DAVIES OGDEN
Copyright, 1905. by Z. &. PARCELS

Down in the street sudden bursting
of bombs announced IN extra" alu
the sick man lying on the bed in the
little hotel room stirred YEARLY and
opened his eyes. A touch of "chuchu
had taken strength and vitality, and
an intense depression weighed like Il
stone on body and soul. There could be
no news in this South American repub-
lN that interested him. The president
had probably made speech; the
weekly steamship from England had
arrived. At the thought a sob surgcl
up into his throat. England, his coun-
try, how far away and how dear!
Resting there, motionless, passive,
picture after picture began to fit
through his brain-the trim little coun-
try houses, covered with vines ana
with trees where the rocks cawed etcr-
nally; the narrow, honeysuckle hedge.
lanes. And TOm-dear old Tom. The
mans face softened. And Alice. lie
moved restlessly and strove to think OF
other things, of his life in the ten
years since he had watched the white
cliffs of the Needles fading into the dis.
lance. Sheep raising. farming, mining,
he had tried his hand at them all.
And now, i'll and forlorn, he lay alone
in this room in Buenos Ayres. 1t was
time for his medicine. The doctor had
hidden him be particular about ii, but
Rockhill frowned. What was the use
of getting well? he unused listlessly. No.
body cared; there was nobody to care.
The thoughts of England came throng-
ing back. strong, insistent, refusing to
be suppressed. Rockhill, weak physical
~ and mentally. let himself drift on
the tide. What had become of Tom
Tom. with his brave blue eyes, his
glorious voice? He could not remem.
Der the time when he and Tom ha.
not been sworn companions, robbing
the orchards, whipping the pools t.
eether. To Rockhill lonely boy liz
ing with a stern old uncle, the COM
panionship OF the other lad had been
the brilliant web woven against the
dull wool OF home life. And the golden
thread worked into the pattern. giving
it the final touch of beauty and pre-
ciousness-ah that had been Alice!
Closing his eyes, the man saw again
the sweet. girlish face surrounded by
It's tangle of gold brown hair. How
joyously they all had lived and frolick.
ed together until the time when Rock
hill, eager ana ambitious, had departed
for college.
The man Oh the bed shivered, the
memory of that return from college
was yet SO poignant In one night the
hope of life had been undOne. 1t
was then that he had left England.
And from that day he had heard no
word of those behind Were they hap.
py. those two? That Alice and Tom
were long since married he never
doubted. Did they ever speak Of him.
wonder about his abrupt disappear
ance? He broode1 over 1t wistfully
Had they cared?
Still browsing iii the grip OF old
memories, Rockhill lay, rs the daylight
faded, half dreaming. half awake.
when suddenly the sound Of II voice In
the next room brought him up with n
start \ man was singing softly below
his breath. but still quite distinguish
ably. Eockhill, clutchlng the bed.
clothes with shaking hands, tried to
reason with himself. II was n dream.
an illusion conjured up by fancy and
fever. But the voice kept steadily on.
There was no mistaking those clear.
mellow tones. 1t was Toms voice.
Tom himself was singing In the next
room.
Rockhilrs dry lips tried to form a
word ''Tom." he breathed, Tom"
But no sound came. A sudden unreal
soning despair seized him. Tom was
there, close TO him. and he could not
call him. could not attract his atteu-
ton. He would go and Rockhili would
be left alone again, this time forever.
He must make Tom hear. he must.
And then slowly. carefully. his voice
breaking OH the feeble notes, the man
on the bed began to sing. Weak. bare
~ audible, in phrasing and intonation
the notes We're yet n recognizable imi-
tation of Tom singing his favorite
song rs he had sung it so often In
those old days.
There was n stir In the next room.
then the sound OF the hasty opening
and shutting of door. The next mo-
ment Rockhill's own door flew open
and on the threshold stood man, tall,
eager faced, with clear blue eyes
TOM cried Rockhill. Tom" And
he tainted. When he recovered con-
seriousness Tom, his eyes suspiciously
bright. was kneeling by the bedside.
He held Rocllhill's two wasted hands
tightly clasped in his own.
Colbert, OLD fellow" he was saying.
colbert, where have you kept yourself
all these years." lie pursued. and his
voice was tenderly reproachful. How
could you run off that wayY
Gilbert smiled in pure content at
hearing the we'll known voice.
'T-oh, never mind me. he answered.
ct was oil right till was taken III in
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