Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1906-04-11

Are you III, Mrs. Clen2 How pale
you look"
II am not very we'll. 1 wish you
would have my carriage called, Mr..
Moore"
For felt now that home was the
place for me.
Hurried by some unaccountable i'm
pulse, [ sprang out the moment the
carriage wheels touched the curbstone
and rushed up to my husbands room.
The door was locked, but could see
light shining family under the thresh-
old. I knocked wildly and persistently.
Gerald! Gerald! for heavens sake,
let me in!'
Something fell on the marble hearth
stone within, making a metallic click,
and my husband opened the door lit
tie way. | had never seen him so pale
before, or so determined
'Who are your" he demanded, Wild
Iy. why cannot you leave me in
peace?"
It's I, Gerald, your Madeline, your
own little wife"
tol he was trying to conceal in his
breast and flung it out of the window.
Gerald, would you have left me?"
L would have escaped" he cried,
still half delirious, to all appearances,
debt, disgrace, misery, her. reproaches /!
would have escaped them all"
His head fell like that Qe a weary
child on my shoulder. l drew him
gently to a sofa and soothed him with
a thousand mute caresses. For had it
not all been my fault?"
And through all the long weeks that
followed l nursed him with unwaver-
ing care and devotion. 1 had but one
thought, one deSire-to redeem myself
in his estimation; to prove to him that
I was something more and higher than
the mere butterfly Of fashion 1 had
hitherto shown myself!
Well, the March winds had howled
themselves into their mountain fast
nesses; the brilliant raindrops were
dried on the bough and spray, and now
the apple blossoms were tossing their
fragrant pillows Of pinky bloom in the
deep blue air of latter May.
Where were we now?
1t was a picturesque little cottage
just out of the city, furnished very like
a magnif1ed baby house. Gerald sat
in q cushioned easy chair on the piazza,
where he could glance through the open
window at me, working a batch Of bis
cults, with my sleeves rolled up above
my elbows, and the "gold-thread" hair
neatly coiled.
What an Industrious fairy it is"
he said, smiling sadly.
well, you see, like it. It's q great
deal better than those sonatas on the
piano."
"Who would ever have thought you
would make so notable housekeeper."
laughed gleefully-I had all q
child's delight in being praised.
''Are you not going to Miss Delan-
cy's croquet party?" he pursued.
No; what do 1 care for your croquet
parties? I am going to finish your
shirts, and you'll read aloud to me-"
Madeline, want you to answer me
one question"
What is it?"
had safely deposited my pan Of bis
cults in the oven by this time, and
was busting the flour off my hands.
What have you done with your dia-
monds?"
Ell sold them long ago; they paid sew
eral heavy bills besides settling half a
years rent here"
But, Madeline, you were so proud
Of your diamonds"
II was once; now they would be the
bitterest reproach my eyes could meet
oh, Gerald, had I been less vain
thoughtless and eXtravagant-
checked myself, and a robin singing
in the perfumed depths Of apple bios
some above the piazza took up the
dropped current of sound.