The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-08-02

the longest she said. mo. my only
hope OF relief Is thnt one day death
may come to me; indeed, sometimes
when / AIN maddene1 with trouble, I
think OF the great river flowing at
tile bottom OF the me-field. One
leap into 1t, and all would be over"
Hush! ,Iush! 1t is wicked to talk
like that" Minnie said, as the speakers
turned and we.. back
Ruin, ruin. everywhere-desolat
his house fallen about his cars--thc
sweet and loving wife In whom he had
implicit faith, quite changed---his hap
piness shattered. and nothing left for
him but grim despair.
lie threw himself down on tho
g,ound, with his face to the moist
earth. How long he lay there he never
knew. but at length he arose. stag
gering like drunken man, and after
one dazed look round pulled himself
together, and set off walking down
the garden. through the gate. and out
upon tho high road.
flo tramped OIL long time without
stopping. his eyes looking straight
before him, his heart beating Hke a
sledge- hammer. and his thoughts a
had beer and Of what might have beer.
There were not many people on the
country road, but now and again q
passer-by stared at the young mans
clcan-shayen face and stalwart frame
ploddinE along so deterfninatcly.
1t was fine summers day, and wild
roses on the hedges filled the air with
their fragrance. while now and again
honeysnckle appealed to him to re-
member the honeysuckle he was train
Ing up the arbor at home.
His lips frightened Nrmly as he plod-
ded on. No weakling this In body
or In mind; there were no waverings
with him. no fluctuations OF feelings
end intentions; what he resolved upon
that he would do, IL his heart broke in
the process and his happiness for lie
war blighteG
When evening came he was enter
Inc Il large town. and staring at a
building on which rested the in
scription. in big printed letters:
"Recruits Wanted for His Majesty's
Army. Enlist Here"
.o 5ask bent hiYhead' and entered the
We'll. Jane. what is it?' Mrs. War
Ing asked Grtly.
III you please. ma'am," replied the
maidservant. there's a tramp at the
door, and / cannot get him to go away.
He says he has eaten nothing since
morning. and wants to know II he
may sleep In on outhouse." The girl
spoke with reluctance.
No. certainly not" said her mis-
tress. II won't want my stacks or my
farm buildings setting on fire from the
pipes OF idle tramps. Tell him to go
away"
please. MN. he looks starved" Jane
said. deprecatinEly.
Then give him crust" returned
her mistress, still tartly.
The six years that had passed since
the day OF her husbands mysterious
disappearance had LEFT their traces on
Dorothy Warnings fair face. She was
only twenty-six, but looked older, for
there were lines OF worry and ill-tenr-
per about the pretty face and at the
| corners OF her blue eyes. Yet pecu-
MARY cares had not been hers. for she
was in possession of her husband, S
income OF $500 year and the house
and farm, which latter an able fore
man managed for her with efficiency.
Her friend Minnie thought she ough,
to be happy. as all that she had mar
ried for was hers. And she had told
herself so at first and tried to believe
IT, though she could not in her heart
| OF hearts.
Resentment against Jack for leav.
| ing her In such hard case followed
Whether he was dead or not she knew
not but the loneliness of her life ant
the uncertainty made her angry ana
| miserable. and she mentally visited
II all on her husband.
| Within six months OF his departure
child was born. a fine, healthy boy
who looked at her with Jacks darl
| eyes. and wore upon his head wealth
OF Jacks dark hair. He grew laugh
Ing. rosy little fellow. whose brown
eyes only In rare moments looked
gravely at her with what seemed TO BIZ
reproach
She named him John, for by the tim,
Ing made her yearn little for hi!
father. who would have been so PROUD
and happy with his boy.
The child was not called Jack, how
ever. but after the use OF Baby" wa,
discarded. he called himself Donnie
and so Donnie he became.
He ran In now from the garden
where he had been at play with {
neighbours little hoy among. the flow,
er:.
Mummy! Mummy!!" he cried. Don
nile wants daddy, like Charlie has
Mummy. where's Donnie's daddy?"
1t was an embarrassing question
Dorothy felt she could not tell her BIO,
lie.
Come here. Donnie she said, hold
Ing out her arms and realizing thai
the child WAS all she had.
| Donnie leaped into her arms and
resting against ller. repeated his ques.
ton. Whore Is Donnie's daddy?"
| Poor mummy doesn't know.
Dorothy said. ruefully.
But he must be somewhere
mummy" cried the boy. ':He cam,
BIO nowhere."
Poor mummy doesn't know where
daddy Is" repeated his mother, with
| q sigh.
It was a lovely evening in July; the
rays OF the setting sun fell across
|the garden and through the French
window OF the pretty room In which
Dorothy liked to sit with her needle.
work.
The sewing had fallen to the floo,