Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1910-03-17


of sunshine and shadow, its frs
blooming crOcuses and bluebclls, it!
quick coming rains and as quickly dis
pelling sunshine
Then gossips began to say that mat
ters were turSling out just as was tC
have been expected. Herbert Ward
passed most of his time in hts class
room or study, and Mabel seemed alb
sorbed III dinner PARTIES, bridge his
and all kinds of amusements making
polite excuses for her husbands alb
sence from functions she attended
saying, mir. Ward is so busy he coulC
not accompany me-
She always seemed quite cheerful
and contented-just the same merry
pleasure loving creature she had al
ways been-but on one delicious sprina
day in April Mabel left early a lunch
con she had been attending, pleading
another engagement
One Of her friends attempted To rally
her on leaving the party so early, say
ing, Now that you are married, Ma.
bel, we shall soon find you giving Us
up entirely. and you will be taking M
some abstruse study or will become Sc
domestic that we shall lose you com
pletely"
Am | married?" Mabel retorted
with half laughing question, and then
added hastily: well, so | am. but il
does not seem to make So very much
difference after all Do you think 1t
does?"
Not waiting to hear the replies this
query provoked, Mabel. hastily picking
up her gloves and the light feather boa
she wore with her dainty spring cos
tune, started off briskly.
Out of sight of her friends house
her footsteps Jagged, and a serious
look came into her large soft brown
eyes. AS she walked slowly, pensive-
ly along her face would have betrayed
to any one who might have chanced
TO see her that some serious matters
engrossnd her thoughts.
\ river flowed through winding,
toe lined banks about the little city,
and Mabel raSsed the bridge and soon
found herself "athering handfuls OF
early volcts y group Of white birch
trees that grew closely together at
tracted her 9a@r, and toward them she
made her way.
As She a; ,raacLcd the SPOT she saw
lying sire. @,i crt unnn the Grass n
mans figure, his arms beneath his
head ana his face apparently lifted to-
ward the blue of the tender sky.
Some sound of her approach must
have reached the ears of the man, who
had evidently, like herself, sought a
quiet spot for meditation. Turning his
gaze toward her, he rose and exclaim-
ed:
why, Mabel, did you want me?'
And before she had time to reply Her
bert Ward, for 1t was he whom Mabel
had reused from his reverie. said, half
zistfully, half smilingly: "No: see
you were not looking for me. You
were Just taking a walk this lovely
spring day. and the violets on this
rivers bank attracted you"
.Rnt Mabel gased silently at her hus-
band. sseing him % unexpectedly,
shs had looked at him at frst a. .
stranger might have done, and in her
first surprised gaze she had noticed
how tired he was looking-so weary
or despondent or disappointed, she
thought to herself.
Without answering his query Mabel
lifted to his face her serious eyes, and,
looking at him questioningly, she said:
Herbert, you are not well. Is any
thing the matter?"
"Not well! Nonsensew he replied
hastily. Il am perfectly well. What
put that idea in your head?"
Il don't know" she answered, 'but
seeing you Just now so Unexpectedly
and lying down on the ground, as II