The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1915-05-15
''only a few days murmured carna.

/ 6OAIAy dnu LudHh OOu aCIldJ you We
been in the position to make the past
years what they have been, for | tell
you this Carnachan, that of all the
women | have known, your wife, with
all her affliction, stands out as the
very happiest.
Do you mean that, doctor?"
Il do. | can offer you no greater
comfort. / have done all could, but
it is as nothing to what you have done
to keep her with you, by your loving
kindness, and by the way you have
surrounded her with every possible
comfort and beauty and cheer. Now,
| trust you to be strong. Realize that
no human being, with all the worlds
means at his command could have
done more than you have DONE
In little while the doctor returned
to his carriage, and Carnachan seated
| himself behind his desk and stared
about him at the shelves which were
stocked with volumes of little value,
many of them mere rubbish. The
strong room was empty A dozen
years ago its contents had been valued
at thousands of pounds. Today bust
ness was dead. Year by year it had
shrunk and withered, and now the
bookseller had nothing to offer either
collectors or sellers.
Thank God, it lasted long enough"
he thought Perhaps it did help to
keep her here little longer than they
said she could stay" His wife had
| outlived the most definite medical
prophecies by nearly three years.
Henry laid the evening paper be-
fore him, and he took it with him
when he went upstairs to tell his
wife another grand stroke of business.
But l mustn't forget the names
again" he said to himself gravely.
I'll make it Hodge this time, and stick
to it,
1t was the last sweet lie he told
| her.
Two days later, as he sat by the
bedside of his wife, who still fingered,
note was brought to him. 1t was
from the lad downstairs and inclOsed
| was card. The note informed him
|
times, and the card was penciled on
the back, "Can be of any assistance
in any way?"
For the moment Carnachan was
| tempted to send back word of friend
ship, but his pride dashed up.
"He has been making inquiries and
has discovered my financial state It's
kind of him, but what can his money
do? | don't want it. When all's said
and done, I've been the gamer and he
the loser in this life. can't take his
charity And Carnachan sent down
polite message to the effect that he
was much obliged, but could not seen
Mr.. Boyton.
A week passed and the beautiful
chamber was vacant.
The bookseller sat at his desk,
sheets of paper covered with titles
and figures before him. He had been
there for hours working patiently at a
statement of his affairs, and now he
had come to the conclusion that he
was solvent, but no more. His own
| figures, however, did not concern him;
he had not thought of it.
An hour ago Henry had departed
never to return, and it was probable
| that the shutters he had put up would
not be taken down again in James
Carnachan's time. His business was
at an end.
The light failed, and at last the
bookseller laid down his pen and bow
ed his head in his arms.
ooh, God, I'm very lonely" he whis-
pered.
1t grew dark, save for glow from
a peep of gas near the door, which
the boy had lit before he left The
outer door had been shut, but not
locked, and the breeze had swung it
partly open.
A tall figure entered the shop, and
the bookseller raised his head.
Mr.. Boyton approached the desk al
most shyly.
/ Forgive me intruding," he said
nervously, "and forgive me being SO
persistent. May | come on?"
Carnachan boxed.
| II haven't come 10 OHer nelpy
Boyton continued. 81 feel there is
nothing l can do to help you at such
a time. But I've come toto ask you
for help"
My help?" muttered the other in
| establishment.
i I'm lonely" whispered Boyton.
'Lonely?"
/ Eyes. I've had no real friend for
thirty years, and, oh, jamie. haven't
i the memory that, you have-the mem
DRY of a good woman-a good wife
4 Carnachan hid his face again, and,
there was a long silence.
| Boyton broke it. 1--WE been a busy
man, a successful man, If you like
and that's ALL I've booked my pas
sage for New York by tomorrow's
steamer, but | wish | we're done with
the business there If | had only one
friend-one friend-it's the loneliness,
jamie, the loneliness
II