The daily Alaskan., 1906-11-07
Poor MT. Archibald
IOriEinaLl


 nance and practical wsdlcck. The first ripple came one evening at din nsr. when the husband announced that he had an engagement in the city with party ot his old crouies. The wife said nothing, but her husband saw that she was doing 8 great deal of hiking He therefore spoke with all \ . tntonation of affection of which he was capable. emphasizing the dear" and going around behind her and put ting his arms about her It was all of no avail. Had he not dreaded the chaR of his bachelor friends he would have broken the engagement and stay ed at home. AS 1t was. he kissed his wife several times. not ellcIting the slightest response. and with much mis- giving went out
 Mrs. Archibald had never before been compelled to pass an evening alone. A member of a large family. with hosts of friends of her own age. her life had been one delightful holiday Now among strangers, in a strange place, sitting alone listening 10 the ticking Of the ClOCk-lt ticked loud enough to wake the dead-a very natural revul- sion came over her Before her mar riaGe she had thought she would die without her lover. Now she thought she would die without her home and all who were ju It. IL occurred to her with suddau and overwhelming force that she had exchanged everything for nothing. No, for a life Of loneliness. And fer crown Of sorrow was that aft CT all the billing and cooInG the man for whom she had made the sacrifice would not give up the society of his f' chums for hers. She threw her d on a sofa. buried her face in a pil. low and moaurd:
 Mother"
 The young husband had voluntarily told bis wife that he would return by the 10 o'clock train, reaching home at Ii This uecrsStrated his leaving his friends by halt past 9. and when he proposed to do so there was shout Of deriSgOa
 "Shv's got L.m under already" cried one
 Come. old man." sad another. put up a good light in the beginning and you'll have an easy life. If you don't slavery is yours forever.
 And SD NI~. Archibald. rallied by bis friends pu5 oG bis going from train to train till the last which left at i2 midnight. But some one had borrowed his watch on pretense of doing a sIelght of hand trick with It and had set IL back. Therefore when Archie, as they called him. rose tO go there was shout or laughter. and be was informed that the train had been gone ten min uIes.
 All this puts Mr Archibald'S friends ln somewhat bad light But they were hot SD bad aS they appeared. Alter buLgerjn- their victim for awhile they told hun that be needn't worry. One or theu had an automobile wait luz. and they would all see him home to make sure h.s wife didn't abuse htm. Unfortunately they were long while getting away. and at . o'clock !n the morning. when they were spinning over a road through a lonely wood. there was report. the automobile turned Sidewtse against telegraph pole. aud the party was spilled in the roaI tire had exploded. The only injury 10 any one of them was a scratch on Arch.c'S hand
 It was ! g. u when the party rode up to the Archibald domicile, and all alighted at his invitation for break fast. Leaving them iu the library. he unountrL tho stairs 10 t.l his wife. She was not iu her room. nor had her bed been occupied He rang for servant. who informed him that Mrs Archibald had taken the 6 o'clock train for her mothers home. Going down HtaI-s, he eycltedly announced to the party the result of their cscapade. The news temporarily threw damPer over them. Then some oue proposed 10 take rchlbald 60 his wife's refuge, fifty ' .ues distant and bring her back. But one of the party. a w!dower, made a suggestion.
 -It wouldn't do. fellows" he said, Ito 20 there without something to work on There has been terrible automo- bile accident. Archie has been injured Put him to bed Two Of us will stay with him while the rest 20 and break the news as deNcately as possible to hls wife
 The proposition was accepted. Archie was carried by two stout fellows to his roor, and his hand wound n bandaseS The automobile dashed away.
 About noon the machine came pull inc up to the house at lawbreak!ES speed. Mrs. Archibald would not wait to be handed out and rushing into the house. threw her arms wildly about her husband.
 Forgive me. darling" she cried.
 Be careful of his hand" exclaimed one of hls masculine nurses. We have done the best We could for the poor fellow since you were not here to nurse him"
 -I shall never forgive myself.
 A few days later an automobile Of fle latest pattern came, a belated wed,
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