Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1910-05-21

cnce was twcnty-one and Edna nine
teen. Ten years later the husband
was obliged to make business trip
10 Russia. His wife being In delicate
health at the time, II was not deemed
best that she should accompany him.
From Russia Clarence wrote often to
his wife, at times mentioning In glow.
ing terms certain prima donna. Welt
volsky, a Russian Pole. lie was not
aware that there was anything said
in these letters 10 lead his wife TO be-
lievc that his feeling for the singer
was anything more than friendship.
She did not write him that she was
jealous OF his new found friend. In.
deed, she never mentioned the singer
in any OF her letters. When his and
the singers paths divcrged he ceased
to mention her In his letters.
One day he received cablegram
from his wife's bosom friend. Sarah
Ingalls,. that Mrs. Hooper had been
caught In ono Of those terrible railroad
accidents which kill and MAIN SO many
people and had been crushed 10 Death.
He had seen an account Of the acct.
dent the day before cabled to an Eng.
lish paper. but did not dream of his
wife having been on the train.
A death OF one very dear to us in
the events Of which we do not par
ticipate personally is very different
from one where we are present. Clar-
ence Hooper could not realize that his
wife was dead. II was only when he
returned to his desolate home that his
bereavement appeared TO him as n
reality. and then II rushed upon him
with It's full force No children had
come to them 10 impart life or cheer
fulness TO the companlonlcss man.
Nevertheless he remained In the home
where he had been so happy, morbidly
dwelling upon his loss. The lady from
whom he had received the cablegram
announcing his wife's death had gone
abroad. crossing him on the ocean
She had. however. left letter for him
giving all she knew OF the clrcum-
stances attending his wife's death. 1t
was not much, since no one living had
seen her killed and the body was un.
recognizable. but stated that she had
buried the remains IN his lot at the
cemetery. He would find the grave
near the center OF the lot.
Hooper's first act after his return
was to visit his wife's grave and shed
bis life seemed dreary waste before
him. lie had had his one love. Il had
passed from him. and he would never
have another 4 few days after this
he opened his wlfc's will. lie was sur.
rrised TO notice codleil added during
his absence abroad leaving the IN
come OF certain property to Sarah In.
gals. who had been his informant as
10 the testator's death. The reason
Hooper was surprised at this he.
quest was because Sarah ingalls, was
wealthy. Moreover, this legacy haired
his own income from his wlfe's prop
erty.
II was winter when all this occurred.
and as soon us spring opened Hooper
went to the cemetery for the purpose
Of putting plants about his wife's
grave. What was his astonishment 10
discover that the adornment he had
intended was there already. II con.
sisted OF rosebushes OF variety that
his wife had loved and had kept 10
their conservatory during the winter
season.
Standing there beside the grave OF
the woman he had loved so well q
tumult Of suspicious, conjectures pour
ed IN upon him. The events OF his
married life passed before him in re-
view as they are said 10 pass in
simultaneously before one who Is
drowning He had known his wife
since they were children. and this
sweep OF memory went SO far back
as their first love. and he wondered
II any one then had been his rival.
Next he considered those she had
known when they were young men
and women. From there he passed
10 those who might have come be.
tween them since they had been mar.
ried Among all these he could not
remember single person who could
have filed the place he had for years
considered he alone could MI.
Hooper was stirred by deep emotion
His wife had been an orphan with NJ
brothers or sisters-indeed. no relatives
In whom she had taken an interest OF
who had taken any interest IN her
Sarah ingalls, had been the only beins
except himself that she had loved ant
by whom she had teen loved. Yet her,
was some one who had foresialled hin
In caring for her grave. Was this un
known person man or woman II {
man, had he loved her before or after
her marriage? Had that love been re
turned? This last thought maddenet
him
He turned away with groan ex
pressive partly Of grief partly Of an
ger. Why had Edna never spoken Of
thfa noreang A Womnn eha uottld cor