The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1912-06-07

so forgetful-inake the journey 10 ShS@eo sio"S
And where would Stephen have her stay whea she
got there: And would II be 4 Joy TO hiill' Tir own
stephen still, to have her come =
II was already month since stephen had ~t''ssn'
and She had not heard again lie always wrote hlsg-
narv and OF a lover who was at the same tiiile 90
sacredly occupied She was Wiling to demand usus.
He could no; know ho@ hungriy she longed 70 kpow
more about his Mary she had put the wish SO
auinbv ia her letters letters IN which she unquss
uoaingiy assumed Marys cagerness to see Wrayiord
and Sephcns home. in winch she scrupuiohsiy re-
neated al the Wrayford fehcitations; and in wmch
She told him Of all her own little occupations except
one The story OF the wedding dress she withneld
from him There would be tune Tor that eohies-
sion attcr Stephen should have written 10 D'd her
No .ec,nd letter had arrived when punctually.
crisp and beautiful in its many ods OF tssue-psper
the wedding dress came home. For several days
atiefward Miss Sophie held an informal reception
for il in her Htle parlor. Nothing 80 wonderful she
felt had been brought into the house SINCE stefhen
had FIRST come there, little boy--nothing OF such
involate fragile loNelucss nothing that demanded
such rgilan w&tchfulnes>, such reNerent touch Miss
Sophies deep satisfaction IN the dress by no means
from the many assurances that She would look
pretty in it; She insisted on regarding 1t as sym
boic costume, ike the robes Of priest Whether
II would enhance her insignificant, elderly person
was irrelevant Indeed. not even Tor Evelyn would
she consent 10 fry ou. " want it look fresh
aad lovely a> il does now. she would stubbornly
repeat Il shall not put II on until the day comes
Il was near the middle OF September when Ste
phens long-looked-for second letter came. Sophie
was grateful that She alone when they gave il
t" her; but there were long minutes when She held
i trembling in her hand before she could open it.
When al last she did, it held surprise for her
liet cn,itiyc heart had cl its message before her
eyes had seen its words Like the earlier letter, it
N&s bref and rather cold; bu; the blow dealt could
not be healed readily Stephen had written the
CAY of his wedding small quiet wedding, he ex
planned, iof his bride in mourning. They were
to 60 Immediately to live in Marys own house on
the Lake shore. Because OF the many responsibilities
that they both had impossible say when
they would come East. He hoped Sophie was as
well a. always and he thanked her for the good
wishes he knew she sent him
. SOPHIE II was as il the very heavens mad sud-
denly opened before her revealing through their
pittiless guf the darkest of the neither nfamies Oh
II was plain enough to her now although no palmer
than II should have been SIX weeks before, if she
had not weakly allowed their sophstries blindfod
her And To prove that il plain. She put il into
words and said them aloud to herself tearessly this
time she would not be tempted 10 gloss over the
truth Stephen had deliberately deceived her He
had been ashamed OF her because she was simple and
shabby and vas obliged to do sewing and' accept
money for it. He had been afraid that she would
come lie did not wish her to know his wife. She
d thing Of cloud
When. few hours later, Evelyn Guest found her,
sophie rose calnly from her sewing and brought the
etter tor the girl to read
We shall have tell everybody" she said Il
'fall not mind that, now But there is thing you
an do for me- dear. VIII you take the gray sh
see ii again.
For many months after this Sophie Burcheu sa,
and sewed and thought persistenty of Stephen; no,
he stephen who was mature, triumphant cruel; but
me llttle boy that long ago had clung To her and
owed her. Mothers may proclaim that their 10y lies
n watching strong sons gain independent ootholds;
Miss SOPHIE knew that it lies in supplying the staff
I Mas the baby Stephen, still more real than any OF
ne TRENDS about her, whom she had turned after
ne man stephen had cast her off. As she sat alone
.er dlmmed eyes saw slender child sitting in the
iusky corner opposite and her mind busted itself
With reheaTsing countless tender marvels Of baby
)Tecocty. She believed that this visionary solace
NNlE not 1if all
lQr news OF the Reverend Mr.. Orth came now and
hen TO ,Wraytord and to Miss Sophies ears; and it
vas thas she learned that year after Stephens
marriage hr@wfe had given birth to little Stephen
nd died. into-her heart there had therefore come
e" and halt-delcieps torment. There were two
stephen Orths in the world and again one was
aby and motheress. Anothar little Stephen-un-
heFshed, perhaps; indferently tended Still ar
en and undscouraged the motherhood in Sophie
hrough her lonely days and lonelier nights d I Han
eemed 10 hear, afar off the little Stephens unN N&
nswered cries; and it was to this faniarly mag
-retched continually
Less than year after the first great piece of in
'llgence came the second Stephen Orth was to
nd shyy to tell Miss Sophie. they found her forti-
ed. 1t did not so much matter now what Stephen
d--whom he married. He hers no longer:
nd the hrs agony OF that estrangement was an
immunity against further wounds. Yet the thing
TAT really fortified her at that very moment
utched IN her trembling hand. A letter had come,
one ms best ("Poor Stephen! poor boy" she could
Of help murmuring) to make his phrases sound
atural to recover, in some measure the lost rela-
on But Sophie had not fingered long over his
'ntused apologies. There must be purpose she
stinctvey knew, in such letter; and at last She
me to II; Stephen was about to leave for Europe
II the six months rest' which as a fashonable
ergyman was obviously his due. and in the most
'scnre and delicate manner he admitted that his
cond marriage would take place previous to this
urney II was desirable, then that he should place
5 little son where the child would receive devoted
ire; and recalling the blessings of his own happv
'oyhood ne wondered if Miss Sophie would cara
take the boy for time
sophie did not show the letter: nor secretve Tor
first time in her life, did she hint to any one i.
essage Something, she knew had made her sound
ID alive and glad again; but her courage was un-
ual to any mention OF the wonderful thing And
ter al, there were not many breathess days to
AZ before the blessing should descend
80 II happened that when Evelyn Guest with bsr
9'i 9der habit OF pity for the lonely woman, came
iily one day into Sophies bedroom she found her
tn baby in her arms "N 'e'
Oh my dear | have been waiting for youw cried
pine IN voice trembling with happiness III i.
fRhen. f}a n, DO you see him. setpheni"
Inc girl slipped TO her knees and looked ;nto n.
bys calm, unsmiling eyes There was a iosL Z.