The Marshall republican., 1906-02-02

these sort of facts. Perhaps you had
better take another opinion
shook my head. Now that ms at
tention had been called to IL, no
opinions could help me. He was per-
fectly right, ! might go very shortly,
or ! might live till we'll on into mid
die life. AS the event has proved.
have lived. but | am not far from the
end OF my tether now.
Are you of opinion" I asked. that
my form of disease Is likely to prove
hereditary"
knew what his answer would be.
but | put the question as a foriorn hope.
"Of course. | should consider that
II would certainly be hereditary: and,
what is more. II is extremely probable
that your wife would contract 1t also.
But why do you ask? You are not go
ing to get married again. are your
Il am engaged to be married"
WELL" he replied, "of course Il Is
an awkward thing to talk to a man
about. but II you take my advice, you
will be a little more honorable than
most people are under the circum-
stances. and break the match of"
II am quite of your opinion" ! said,
"and now | will bid you good-day."
We'll. goodbye. Gosden. I don't
think II will be OF any use my making
q report to the board unless you wish
1t. Don't worry yourself. old fellow
and keep your chest warm. and yos
may see fifty yeti"
In onnshar tptn.t. n .... a.. t-f..s
street again. and felt vaguely astonish-
ed that II should look just tho same
as II did a quarter of an hour before.
Most OF us have experienced this sensa-
ton when some radical change of cir
cumstance has suddenly fallen upon
us. IL seems curious that the great
hurrylng world should be so dead TO
our individuality and needless of our
most vital hopes. A quarter Of an
hour before. ! was n man with a eros
pect OF a long and useful. perhaps n
most eminent career. Also | was Just
going TO be married to a c~ongenial
wife. Now I was. ga I then thought,
doomed TO an early grave. and as for
the wife. the idea had to be abandoned.
! was In honor bound TO abandon II
for her sake. and for the sake OF pos
sible children.
Well. ! walked 10 Charing Cross.
and took the omnibus as I had intend
ed. remember that there was n TAT
woman In II. who Insisted upon carry
Ing a still fatter pug dog. and quar-
relied with the conductor seriously in
consequence. All this took place In tho
month OF December. and by the time
] got home II was beginning to grow
dark. went straight into the study.
Fanny n there. and the lamp was
lighted. When I entered she nung
down her pen. and jumping up. came
forward and kissed me. and, ns she
did 80. | thought what a splendid look
Ing woman she had grown Into. with her
intellectual face and shapely form, and
somehow the reflection sent a s,.arp
pang through me, Now that | knew
that must lose her. Il seemed TO mo
that loved her almost as | had loved
my dead wife. and indeed I have often
noticed that We never know how much
We value a thing TN We are called up-
on TO resign Il. Certainly I noticed Il
now.
well. dear she said. have O
got Il? Why. what Is the matter with
your"
"Sit down. Fanny" I answered. "and
! will tell you. only you must try 10
bear Il as well as you can"
She seated herself In her calm. de-
termined way. although I could see that
she wal anxious. and ! began at the
beginning. n went straight through
story without skipping a word. As
soon as she understood It's drift her
face set like a stone. and she heard
me TO the end without interruption or
movement.
"Well. Godfrey" she said. In a low
voice, when at last | had done, "and
what is to be the end Of Il allf"
This: that our marriage cannot
come on-and DEATH"
why cannot our marriage come
orr"
II have told you why. dear. A man
afflicted as I I'm has no r.ybt TO send
his afhiction down to future genera
lions. People are fond OF calling the
inevitable result OF such conduct the
decree OF Providence. but II Is the
OF most OF the misery OF the
world. and as medical men know we'll
enough. a wicked and selfish thing 10
do"
'The world does not seem to think
SO. One sees such marriages every
"Yes. because the world Is blind, and
mad. and bad"
IL don't agree with you. Godfrey"
sae answered. with passion. ''Our lives
are our own. posterity must look after
Itself. We have a right to make the
best OF our lives. such as they are,
consulting the interests OF
those who may never exist. II they
do exist, then they must take their
and bear their burdens as we
ours. All this talk about the flu
fura ana nnatarltu a. uau.a..o pra..