Los Angeles herald., 1910-06-05

could But it's twenty years." she went on laughing
nervously; twenty years since I've my mother or
But she is still alive, and we're going Jms father and
mother are both dead now, but he wouldn't go without
me- She looked lovingly up at him.
"Well, couldn't" he said, he folded UP the long
blue tickets and put them in a well-worn purse Who
would keep the pckpsckets away from me- or tell me
when to get off the train if mother wasn't theref And
she couldn't go without me- for might get sick or play
with the fire or do something ,.,,-
had fallen from them like a garment They were gong
home t-u.. ,.:a.,
party you don't look out the station agent remarked
as he shoveed more coal into the dirty little stove.
yes ma'am' the first real church wedding in Mill
brook Jim Brown has just come back from Prince
Albert to marry the eldest Taylor girl It's going to be
going close up and CO. you had better all come
along The train won't be here until dark
Mildred looked up with sudden interest wedding
That would be something tell Edith about The bride
will probably be dressed in that dreadful hot pink and
have paper in her hair and say Yes, sir to the
There has been great times getting, ready for it"
Mr.. Greene was saving. My wife has been there
nearly all day 1t beats all how interested women are
Half an hour later Mildred found herself in the little
new church. with its unpanted walls and seats and its
pleasant pney odor. 1t nearly filled with excited
looking with here and there an apoogetlc-look-
ing man. ID.
around the aarra and in them punches of roseberres
gttered warm and red. . -
wonder who thought of the color scheme But the bride
will probably spoil it all"
The women behind her talking, Mary won't
see a white until the spring anyway and they
will only get their mail once month But she'll stand
all right, Mary will! She's good stuff, like her
mother. She may get lonesome, but nobody will know
"Poor Maryl" Mildred thought. This isn't we'd
Suddenly silence fell and some one was going down
the aisle, some one very small and young and
Mildred saw that she dressed in brown and then
The
den rush of tears. Poor Mary! Poor Mary!
not at the bride but at the face of the young husband
1t was honest face strong invncibe and now was
shining with light ineffabe-the face OF man who
could fight the world and bear its prosperity its de-
feat with equal camness because there would be one at
his side who believed in him, trusted him, loved him.
sirei The hail and the frost might blight his crops.
The storm might overwhelm his focks poverty and
distress might overake him, but Marys love would not
In sickness or in health, for better for till
death us do part the ar was stu resonant with tne
unutterab pain and sorrow its richest Joy and bless
edness. ~ -,
A strange feeling stirred in Mildred's heart The
glory in the young mans face smote her with sense
of loss, of disappointment and defeat Toms face had
eowed like that on the morning so long ago. when they
had walked together down the softcarpeed aisle She
could smell the chrysanthemum she heard again
from the little organ-lo above her the wedding march,
that had seemed then to breathe them in blows OF
exquisite sweetness Its. joyousness had intoxicated
her; now its sweetness stabbed her heart
low the bridal party but Mildred sat motoness. The
snowhakes sfed against the windows, and the shadows
deepened in the little church Outside there were talk
ing and laughter and angle of sleigh-bels but
the organist played on--hat deathess story OF love
never ending glorious, triumphant!
When Mildred went back to the station the snow was
whrng around the elevators; the wires above her
head The wind came cold down the little white street.
but she loved to feel it on her hot cheeks:
Two men crossed the track with vases in their hands;
their faces bloaed and botched and one OF them
swore about the late train. nsncvely she thought of
clear-eVed, the wholesome,
and the pride of possession thrilled her
chatter of manv voices The little bride stood at the
narrow window looking up the street but her thoughts
were far away the fields in that little farm
house that had been her home and which she would see
no more. Mildred took her hand
Don't be afraid, little girl" she said gently. You
will be lonesome sometimes, and homesick and tired
often and ofen and maybe you'll cry little, too, and
you'll want your mother much; but you'll never be
sorry realy-hes worth it al-hes worth eyerythngl
Mildred's eyes sparkling with love and JOY The
little bride looked UP with womans quick under
standing 80 -
When Tom reached his lonely little house the
river bank he was chilled to the bone but he put away
his horses and made them comfortable for the night be-
fore he thought of himself
He could not eat. The house seemed desoate, bare
and empty Every of it called for Mildred but
Mildred had gone; she had gone home This was not
her home. The boyishness had gone from Toms face
he staring into the fire; he thinking bitterly
of how her eyes had spared at the thought of getting
away. He flung back his head with gesture of
despair He might well admit it, he thought-Mil-
ded had gone back him, and then the tears that had
gathered slowly in his heart came by long burning
road his eyes and he laid his head the little oil
cloth-covered table and cried aloud.
The station agents prediction came true, and the
storm on with the night The snow was sitting
drearly against the windows and piling higher and
higher around the little house. He did not hear the
sleigh driving up the door The frosty creakng of
the door reused him from his gloomy thoughts, and he
stared in mute wonder as Mildred, white with snow,
stood before him.
"Tom I've come back I've come back home I" she
cried "I found out that | could not leave you, dear
Didn't promise something about leaving all
others and cleavng only to you? That family in
Toronto are very dear people, and love them very
much but they of the ones whom agreed to
leave"
She had slipped off her snowy wraps as she spoke,
and stood smiling before him. Her eyes snarlng;
her beauty dazzed him.
Then the light broke over his tacel