The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1908-03-04

"You rem ember the old days. when
we were poor, how we longed to get
rlchf We did get rich, and learned
to curse-yes, curse-the money
which forged fetters of gold around
my neck! What was money to me.
do you think, when my children and
my wife-ah! especially my wife!-
were daily drifting away from me?
You despised me! You, Mary, were
able to take your place in society
women adapt themselves to their
SURROUNDINGS far more easily than
men do-and II was not. So, now,
| am best out of the way"
The low, desperate voice broke of
In kind of sob. He moved to the
table for the revolver-yes, he would
do 1t now, in front of the woman
who had ceated to love him
The weapon was not there.
With fierce exclamation he
turned to his wife. Mary was breath
ing heavily, her face was deathlike,
two little crimson drops-she had Bit
ten her under lip till the red blood
trlckled down her chin.
slave you ever thought, when you
had done this dreadful thing-the
children are provided for-what was
to become of-of-me?"
"You are a beautiful woman, Mary.
I know plenty of men who admire
you-you will marry again"
She made no reply-it was as II
she treated the remark with con-
tempt. She asked him something
else.
"When all your debts are pald-all
your affairs wound up-shall have
any money!"
"Very little"
She drew close to him. He heard
the soft rustic Of her gown; faint,
subtle perfume of violets waited
across his face.
ave llved-on very little'-once."
He glanced at her, sharply. When
had he seen that look before on
Mary's face-that look of tender hap
piness-of love? All! he remem-
bered! On that summer evening,
years and years ago, when he had
asked her to be his wife.
"Ard we were happy--too"
He stood as one struck dumb, gaz-
ing at Mary's radiant face, her shin
ing eyes.
Far happier than we have ever
been since we were rich
The silence in the room was in
tense. The ticking of the little clock
on the mantelpiece-the only sound
which broke the stillness-was like
the beating of heart,
Suddenly, he felt a soft arm round
his neck
"John!-you never knew it, you
were always so busy, you never
seemed to have time to talk to your
poor little wife--but for years II
have hated the money, too. 1t was
all right for the children-they were
young and had never known anything
else; but we've were old folks, old
fashioned"-shesm smiled-"and, what
ever l might have appeared outward
ly, could never quite throw off the
past. You thought the new prosper
ity made me drift apart from you;
we'll, I thought it made you DRIFT
apart from me. You were always so
occupied with your business, your
affairs, which / was too stupid to un-
derstand. But now the money is
lost, and / am glad-yes, glad!-for
to me, too"-and there was sob in
the low, tender voice-"it has been
fetters round my neck, John!-oh,
my husband whom / have always
loved better than any one else in the
whole world!-let us go back to the
little cottage-let US begin life over
again."
She put the revolver back on the
table-she knew there was no more
need to hide it-and both the soft,
clinging arms were round his neck
now. And he was sobbing, with his
gray head on her breast-sobbing
like a child.
Yes, he would take up his life
again-that life which he had so
nearly thrown away-and, once more,
he would be happy, with the happi-
ness which only love can give.-The