The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1909-10-01
han be waitin' for him in your we'd

my wedding dress!" she cried.
"Oh, no, Liz; it's hopelessly old-fash-
Toned. should look a fright" :.
Well see you DON'T" said. "He
is going to come into the room, and
find his old sweetheart, and, just as
sure. you will find him again!"
You think so, Liz" she cried, trem-
bling.
Sure of it,"
Come and dig out the dress" shA
said.
And, laughin' at our pleasant
thoughts, we tripped upstairs.
The rest of that day, until the usual
hour of his Homecoming, passed like a
dream. The difference in the missus
you'd hardly credit She seemed an
other woman altogether. Now that her
mind was given to it, nothing must
go amiss. His favorite dishes must
be cooked; there must be flowers on
the table, his slippers must be in the
fender; everything must be just as
he liked it.
At o'clock she went upstairs to
dress. AS I put on my best apron
heard her quietly singin'. When she
called me to see how she looked,
stood an smiled, because, for some rea-
son, couldn't say word.
The white silk dress fitted her per-
fectly; her eyes were shinin', the
smilin' lips had given a new express
sion to her face
She looked a happy, blushin' bride.
Shall 1 do, Lizzie?" she said, with
playful courtesy.
"Oh, ma'am, you look beautiful"
exclaimed.
you think he'll know met" she
said.
You'll see," I answered, laughin'.
From behind my back l held out the
spray of flowers l had got from the
shop with the others downstairs.
Il want you to wear this, ma am" l
said. LET me fasten it in your
gown!"
"A bunch Of rosemary" she cried.
For remembrance, ma'am."
Thank you, Lizzie" she said quiet
ly, pressin' my hand; an smiling hap
PLY, we went down the stairs.
When you want dinner served,
you'll please ring, ma'am, l said, as I
turned for the kitchen. cts nearly Z.
In ten minutes he'll be here!"
AS the clock struck l stood with the
kitchen door open, waitin' for the
sound of his key in the lock- In the
dining room / knew she, too, was lis
TENN. For five, ten, fifteen minutes
we sat there, quietly waitin'. He did
not come.
I stole along the hall, and, softly
openin' the vestibule door, looked out
along the road. There was no sign of
him. Backwards and forwards from
kitchen to door, went a dozen times,
until the clock struck 8. And then I
went slowly back, and, sittin' by the
kitchen table, sobbed like a kid. The
! dinner was spoiled. All our little plan
ming was wasted. He was not coming.
How long 1 sat there l couldn't say,
L
was the missus, standin' in the door
way. Her face had gone white an
drawn again; the dull look had come
back into her eyes. She didn't cry. I
think she couldn't.
We've been little foolish, Lizzie, :"
she said, with queer, harsh laugh.
'You see, he has quite forgotten!"
For the life of me, l couldn't find
words to say to her.
Poor, sentimental Liz" she cried.
I'm afraid, after all, you don't know
much of men,"
And with that she turned and went
back again.
Nine o'clock struck, and she still sat
in the dining room, brooding an mis-
cradle. Ten came, and, with heavy
heart, I cleared away the meal. Elev-
en-, and l had heard no sound Of her.
When the half-hour chimed, took my
alarm clock, and, after windin' 1t,
crept to the dining room to say good
night. Quietly 1 opened the door, and
looked in, to find her stretched on the
hearthrug, with one arm under her
head, asleep.
Gently closing the door again,
stole back to the kitchen, and sat
down to wait. A few minutes before
II, his key grated in the door, and at
the sound / shot up, with my hand
pressed to my breast. l heard him
bolt the outer door. I stood there
shakin' while he hung his coat an hat
on the stand, and crossed to the din
ing room.
Mary"
caught his cry, and the door shut
behind him. Them am not ashamed
to own 1T stole quickly along the
hall, and listened.
His shout must have aroused ner'
for | heard her whisper, as If dazed:
"Ned!"
"Mary!" he cried; and l think ne
must have stopped to raise her up.
"What on earth"
And then he stopped, as II the
meaning of her dress and the set-out
Ia