The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1910-07-13
A Love So Great

There is a love so great" began
Bob Travers, then stopped and red
dened at sight of the elder mans quiz
zicsl smile.
Go on, my boy" said Griscom.
kindly. ut sounds as though it might
be interesting Is it theory or expert
ence?"
"Why-er-a little of either, per-
hsps. But I'm sure rs fact. believe
there is a love so great that it will
forgive anything"
You know Dick Turner, Bob? And
his father?"
"Dick, of course. and his father
little" Bob answered in some sur
prise.
Ever hear about the older mans
arly-er-tragedy No? Well, he
was a quiet studious man, home low
er, and how he came 20 love and mar
ry a mere butterfly like Nanny But
Ter is more than I can explain. l
saw quite a good deal of the Turner's
that winter, then they suddenly disap-
peared from the places they had been
in the habit of frequenting. For three
or four months saw nothing of them,
except as | happened to meet them
driving. | noticed then there was an
odd new tenderness in Turner's eX-
preston as he watched his wife,
which he seemed to be always doing.
Then, Unexpectedly to me at least,
came the news of the baby's birth 1t
was Dick. you know, the only one they
ever had. hardly knew Turner when
/ saw him next. His face wore an eX-
preston such as had never seen ex-
cept in the faces of happy mothers.
For perhaps a year Nanny Turner
was bound up in her lovely new toy
and she went about very little Then
gradually she took her old place again
among the butterflies, but now with
certain little air of matronly dignity
which added to her beauty and charm.
Turner was deep in some scientific
research, and went about very little,
Nanny, left a good deal to herself,
took up one fad after another, until
she landed in the midst of the Bohe
mians. One of them, large, flabby,
blue-eyed man handsome after a fash
ion. constituted himself her instructor,
with the other members of their i'm
mediate set as fluent and willing as
sistants.
THE fad lasted for months. but
Just before the bridge whist fiend got
'em, Blakesley, the handsome instruc-
tor disappeared. Mrs. Turner threw
herself with doubled energy into the
maelstrom of society, and for several
years she was leader in her set, but
gradually the strain told on her.
Everyone could see that it was tell
Ing on Turner, too, though in a differ
ent way. His home was nothing more
than lodging place, mismanaged by
servants who had their own way in
almost everything, and ruled by the
little chap who had his way in every
thing 1t was a very sweet little way,
to tell the truth. Poor old Turner was
bound up in the boy 1t got round
somehow that he put the little fellow
to bed every night with his own hands
and sat beside him till he fell asleep.
Then suddenly came the news of Mrs.
Turner's sudden and serious illness.
1t was pneumonia and she had worn
her strength and nerves down so fine
that she had little left to fight with.
For several days the doctors fought
for her, but there came day when
one of them told Turner, not looking
at the white, drawn face before him,
that the end was surely not more
than a day away. That she would
probably never see another morning.
Turner stood dazed, then groped
and staggered TO her bedside, where
he dropped to his knees, one of her
little feVerish hands pressed to his
pale lips. For hours he knelt there.
Then slowly she stirred and feebly
turned her head and breathed his
name. At the sound he looked up, his
eyes dim with agony, and saw in the
depths of her eyes the knowledge that
the end was near. At faint pressure
of her hand, he drew himself still
closer, and slowly, weakly she be-
gan-with many pauses, to rest. She
told him things which he had never
for an instant suspected, some even
which others had not suspected. Mo-
tionless, turned to stone, he kneft till
she had finished, and lay painting with
exhaustion, staring into his eyes. Then
with groan Of utter anguish he drop
ped his head upon the frail little hand
and covered it with kisses. The tears
rushed to her eyes and rained over
her white cheeks. "Oh you are so
good, so heavenly good. | never dared
hope for forgiveness, she gasped. 4
had not believed anyone could be so
merciful and good
Slowly he drew himself up until
his lips lay on her cheek, then on her
lips. Slowly her lids dropped over
dimming eyes. SO they found them
later, he in a faint that was almost
death"
Griscom stopped abruptly Bob
Travers held his rigid pose a moment,
then shook himself as though waking
from sleep.
We'll, doesn't that prove" he be-
gan eagerly, but Griscom interrupted.
THAT was not the end" he remarked,
Slowly. "She did not die after all.
She woke the next morning Out NJ dam