Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1910-05-28

such Was the reasoning by which
Clarence Hooper persuaded himself
that his dead wife had loved some man
and. loving that man. she could never
have loved her husband Doubtless
some obstacle had interviewed between
them 70 prevent a marriage. OF. what
was worse. she had met the unknown
after she had become q wife Hooper
Indicted upon himself a succession Of
such torturing hypothesis and when
they had been al applied began again
and went through the process anew
One day Hooper saw In a paper that
VeltvolsEy was coming 10 America TO
sing in opera The thought that be
might meet her again was pleasant TO
him When she arrived be went TO
the metropolis where she was singing
and called upon her BE told her of
his bereavement. and she symrathiEed
with him With kindly tact she d.
verted his mind when she had time
TO spare from study and rehe2rsals
they drove out together. Hooper was
a frequent attendant al the opera
house where Veltvolsky sang. and
evenings when she didn't sing he fire.
quented her apartments be couhded
70 her his discovery thar some one
who had loved his wife was caring for
her grave The prima donna deprecAt-
ed his fears that his wife had had a
lover, explaining the episode by the
superstition that the unknown friend
was some poor creature whom the
dead had befrieoded- This Temporal
rily at least relieved his mind
HOOPER was seen SO much At the
opera, applauoed so enthusiastically.
drove so often with yeltvOlsky and
spent so much time in her apartments
that the little coter5e of singers at last
began to connect her name with his in
a more tender connection than friend
ship Then one day he saw a notice
In q newspaper that the prin2 donna
was TO marry an American gentleman
whom she had met in Russia shortly
before her visit TO the United States.
Hooper was naturally very angry at
the publication Of this bit of informa-
taon, which had not been authorized
BE went 10 the once of the paper con
tanning IL and complained he was
shown the manuscript Of the Item
which had come In from an unknown
person He did not recognize the
name signed to 1t as belonging TO any
one he knew Nevertheless there
was something about the handwriting,
which was evidently a wOnan's. that
was familiar to him 1t hooked Ike an
unsuccessful attempt CT disguise. BE
could not diyest himself Of the feel
ing that he had known the writer or
had ut least seen her handwriting.
When the opera season came to a
close Hooper went to his home The
first thing he did after his return was
10 visit his Eife's grave BE did SO
with mingled emotions, among which
was q desire to see II there was any
further evidence of the unknown friend
or lorer.
He found the grave strewn with
fresh cut howers- 4 CRY escaped him
would have been elrzged This token
Of an unknown affection filed him
with agony.
The mystery, with its distressing at
teodRnt conditions, began 10 wear SO
upon the widower that be feared tbey
might unbalance his brain Gould he
have found n clew TO work on his in
restigar5ons would have been relief
As Ii was he could only brood
One day he formed a resolution TO
bury II al In q new interest Nine
FelrsTolsky had shown great partial
fly to him. but that she wolld marry
him he did not know She had gone
to the country, and there be followed
her. He told her that through her. and
her alone. he could secure comfort
Would she receive love thnt had
wtthered. but which she could warm
into = new hfes
Then she confessed that she had
loved him during their meeting in BUS
STA and Ind loved him ever since
But. knowing that you had wife,
she added, whom yo1 loved i gave
no sign only feared that you might
be drawn from her 70 me. You were
unconscious Of your danger"
Then Hooper remembered the men
tion be had made In his letters TO his
wife Of Ills new found friend and won
dered II she had been Jealous
They were engaged Vsltsvolsky
soon after passed through the place
where Hooper lived. and he had per
suaded her TO stop over for a DAY
that be might show her the home in
which Il was expected she would in
future 1--we After inspecting il she
expressed q desire TO visit his deEd
wtfe's grave When be asked her why
she could not tel him
1t was q bright morning IN early
summer when they drove TO the GENE
terry. As they walked along one Of
the srenues leading TO the lot Hoop
erSs quick eye d1scerDed a figure tTi-l-
ming n rosebush that hing over the
grave % his wife His heart throbbed
with sudden relief when be saw II
was n woman They were about en-
terang the gate when the figure turned
Hooper staggered and caught al the
iron fence
He saw his wife In the flesh
-tClArences she said. II lie In TINT
Erzre BY your let1ers knew that
rour heart had been g9ren to smother
took advantage OF the disaster that
occurred nj the time 10 die TO you
Sarah Ingalls, helped me. and went
10 Europe with her before you re-
turned i did this to give gou every
opportunity TO win your new lore, she