, 1906-03-28

weeks, and everything had seemed
very dull and stupid. How she had
counted the days to Easter! Pride
made her keep her promise, but she
intended to make it up with Bob on
Easter morning.
The first church bells are ringing
row, but she does not seem to hear
them.
How de- intily she had dressed her
self on that wished for morning, and
with what a glad heart had she walked
up the aisle to her pew, which was just
in front of the Adamses', in which h
saw Bob already seated. The music,
the flowers, the sunshine, all come
back to her now, but then they were
all merged into one sensation of hap
piness, and it was voiced in the
thought, "Ill speak to Bob after church
and make it up"
The long service at last over, she
had turned in her pew to greet Bob;
but, to her surprise, he had gone out
already. AS she passed down the aisle
she had slipped her hand in Daisy Mar
shalrs, and Daisy had given her a
loving little squeeze, whispering:
"What do you think Of the latest?"
"What Is the latest?"
"Why, of course you know-Jean-
nette's engagement to Bob Adams.
Jeanette told me last night. Are you
going my way|
The last pin is In place. The new
bonnet, satisfactorily adjusted, is very
becoming to the sweet face under 1t,
which at present looks a little pale
and worm. She is a little tired now
and sits down to rest while she draws
IN her gloves. She resolutely tries Il
bring her thoughts back to the present.
but they slip from her and fasten on
still another Easter morning.
Lent had come very early that year,
and Easter morning had been too bleak
for her to venture out. Her husband
had gone to church alone.
They were staying in the old home
then to be with mother, who chung to
her so. On that morning she was read
ing to her mother when a card was
brought up to her, and on it the name
of "Mr. Robert Adams"
Jeanette and Bob had lived abroad
since their marriage, travelling from
place to place, and the card was the
first intimation of their return.
How well she remembers how hand
some Bob looked as he came forward
to greet her when she entered the room.
She feels again the awful leap of her
heart as she met the glad, warm look
in his eyes. All she could say was,
"How is ~Jeannette?'
"Jeannette died in Rome" he an
swered gravely. "She babe me give
this letter to you, and to give it on
Easter Sunday morning. l arrived last
night and had hoped to meet you first
in church this morning. Missing you
there, l came on to the old home.'
She took the letter from him and
opened it slowly. She remembers ev-
cry word of that brief message:
Dear Bessie-I did it all. I made you
take that foolish resolve. l made Bob
think that you did not care for him. 1
could not help 1t, for 1 loved him. l have
been bitterly punished, for he has never
SedSeu 10 love you. L nave lOlQ MIN all.
Lent is over; make him happy this Easter
morning. Your repentant
JEANETTE.
She remembers how the very life
seemed to go out of her as she ION
%chalantly put the letter back in it's en-
velope, handed it to him and said:
Let us think that | have never re
ceived this letter. | have beer Garrett
L%eighton's wife for two years."
Then he had turned and left her.
The awful hour that followed-will the
pain of it never leave her? When a
heart breaks how can it continue to
hold so much? Bob is dead now. She
will be dead, too, some day, and now
she has her homo and her boy, and yet
and yet No one can hear the bitter
sobbing, it is SO low and stifed.
a few minutes later the Garrett
Leightons walk quietly to their pew
in the flower bedecked, beautiful old
church. The little milliner in the gal
lery nudges her friend and says:
That's my work on Mrs. Leighton's
head. Amt they a handsome couple?
And just as happy as they can be. You
ought to see them in their lovely home.
Some folks do seem to have everything
in this OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Times.