The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-01-30
=By Nellie l.. MCClung=

now it was shining with the light inef
fable-the face Of man who could fight
the world. and bear its prosperity or its
defeat with equal calmness, because
there would be one at his side who be-
lieved in him, trusted him, loved him.
Mary, the steadfast, the immovable
Mary-his heart desire! The hail and
the frost might blight his crops. The
storm might overwhelm his flocks, pow
erty and distress might overtake him,
but Mary 8 love would not fail!
Gin sickness or in health. for bet
ter or for worse, till death do us part; -
the air was still resonant with the words
that carry in them so much Of life s
meaning-its unutterable pain and sor-
row, its richest Joy and blessedness
a strange feeling stirred in Mildred IS
heart. The glory in the yotng man g
face smote her with a sense of loss, of
disappointment and defeat Tom IS face
so long ago, when they had walked down
the soft'carpeted aisle. She could smell
the chrysanthemums now. as she heard
again from the little organ-loft above
her the wedding march, that had seemed
then to breathe over them in billows
OF exquisite sweetness Its joyousness
had intoxicated her; now its sweetness
stabbed her heart.
The people around her were hastily
preparing to follow the bridal party,
but Mildred sat motionless. The snow
nakes slfted against the windows. and
the shadows deepened in the little
church. Outside there was talking and
laughter and merry jangle of sleigh
pelis, but the organist played on-that
deathIess story Of love never ending
glorious, triumphant!
When Mildred went back to the sta,
ton the snow was whirling around the
elevators; the wires sang above her
head. The wind came cold down the
| little white street, hat she loved to feel
1t on her hot cheeks.
Two men crossed the track with va.
Uses IN their hands; their faces were
| bloated and blotched and one of them
swoIe about the late train. Instructive
| ly she thought of Tom-the clear-eyed
the wholesome, the best on earth-and
| the PRIDE of possession thrilled her.
She went into the waiting room. There
was the chatter Of many voices. The
little bride stood at the narrow window
looking up the street, but her thoughts
were far away over the snow fields in
that little farm m-house that had been her
home and which she would see no more.
Mildred took her hand.
Don Z be afraid, little girl.' she
said gently. "You will be lonesome
sometimes, and homesick aud tired
and maybe you II cry a little too, and
you IL want your mother so much; but
you u never be sorry really-he's IS worth
1T all-he 8 worth everything
Mildred 8 eyes were sparkling with
love and joy. The little bride looked
up with woman S quick understand.
ing.
Il know" she whispered softly.
When Tom reached his lonely little
house on the river bank, he was chilled
TO the bone. but he put away his horses
and made them comfortable for the
night before he thought of himself.
| He could not eat. The house seemed
desolate, bare and empty. Every cor.
ner of 1T called for Mildred, but Mildred
had gone; she had gone home. This
was not her home. The boyishness had
gone from Tom s face as he sat staring
into the fire; he was thinking bitterly
OF how her eyes had sparkled at tho
thought of getting away. He flung back
his head with gesture of despair, He
might as well admit it, he thought-Mil
dred had gone back on him, and then
the tears that had gathered slowly In
his heart came by a long burning road
TO his eyes, and he laid his head on the
| little oilcloth-coverod table and cried
aloud
The station agents prediction came
| true, and the storm came on with the
| night. The snow was sitting drearily
against the windows and piing higher
and higher around the little house. He