Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1913-08-23

lent nurse and knows just what it il
necessary to do / shall be back this
evening.
All through that afternoon John
Cleaye sat at his wife's bedside, star
ing into the wide-open eyes that saw
| nothing. She lay in a stupor; there
was not the smallest movement; she.
might have been figure of marble.
Her beautiful hair had been clipped
short and hung like a ragged fringe
| under the bandages that had been
| placed about her head Her hand was
as cold as marble in Johns feverishI
one.
when do you expect her to recover
| consciousness? asked John of the
nurse.
AT any Time" the woman answered.
To-day, tomorrow, or tomorrow week
We can't tell-we must just hope"
"Or-never?" he asked. and Miss
Anderson turned away without an
swering.
1t was not until the third afternoon
| that consciousness returned John
had watched continually at his wife's
| bedside, hardly suffering himself to
| be torn away for the hastily snatched
meals and the brief intervals of sleep
And all the while Mary had remained
| in the same position and her hand was
| as icily cold in Johns.
1t was about three o'clock in the af-
| ternoon when she stirred and spoke.
| A light of consciousness came into the
| eyes; she turned them upon John and
knew him. She smiled at him, and
| the smile was like that which she had
worn upon their wedding morning.
"Dearest-where am II" she asked.
AT home,' said John, thrilling at
| the faint clasp of her fingers. AT
home, never to go away again"
But why should 1 want to go away
| from you, my husband?" said Mary,
| smiling. ct feel SO weak. Have /
been ill?'
"You have met with an accident"
he answered. But thank God you are
| getting well. Now you must lie still
and Sleep"
She smiled up at him obediently and
| for the first time the tired eyelids
| fiuttered down upon the eyes. Mary
| slept. Her hand in Johns was moist
| and warm. The nurse came in and
saw the change.
she will live, Mr.. Cleave," she said
| You didn't expect it, then?"
mo- said Miss Anderson.
NShe spoke to you, you say?' in
| quired the doctor of John that even
| ing. "She knew you and spoke and
seemed rationale"
Absolutely rational" answered
| John Cleave, and turned away. He
| went into his room and on his knees
| thanked God for the chance that was
to be his. His prayer was answered
E'How long have we been married,
| John?" Mary asked next day. 1T
| seems such long time, somehow, and
yet 1 know that it can't really be an
| entire year as that calendar on the
| wall seems to show
John looked at the calendar. It was
| an old one of the preceding year, and
it had remained on the bedroom wall,
as old calendars are apt to do when
| they have become familiarized by
| time.
ct is June" said Mary, land we
were married in June. Is it a whole
| year, dearest?"
| John dared not tell her that it was
| two years.
Dearest" she whispered presently.
Put your arms round me and let me
| tell you something. Do you know, all
| the time was lying here this morn
| ing, have been thinking how unkind
| 1 have been to you, and how unhappy
I have made you. l want you to for
| give me, John. And believe you can
| forgive me, because the memories of
this year of our marriage have been
| so dear"
cit is you who must forgive me,
| dearest" said John, humbly.
| That night the doctor explained the
| situation to him.
Your wife," he said, "is on the high
road to recovery. Her mind is as
| sound as it has ever been. The brain
| trouble which I anticipated amounts
| simply to this: The whole Of the past
| year has slipped out of her memory.
Has she had any great trouble that
| could account for this?"
| YES" answered John, humbly, and
the doctor shot keen glance at him.
Then that is the explanation" he
said. Her mind was troubled; she
wishes to forget the episode. whatever
| it was. It is necessary for her to for
get it in order that she may get we'll
| The group of brain cells which regis
| tered those memories have, SO to
speak, isolated themselves from the
remainder. We could possibly awak-
| en- those dormant memories, but it
would be highly inadvisable to do SO.
Are you prepared to let her go
through life with no memory of that
one year?"
Indeed, am" said Cleave. "espe-