Year: 1879

was better than you7 Oh, no my
! way was open when yours was barred
that was all. You needed to marry a
strong, perfect man like Adam Mayhem.
| You could work freely with him. But
if had married such an one, SO great
and self>sustained, I should have not
lived freely. There's strange coward
ice in me, Roxie. never dared use my
life much except where I felt a very
great need of it. Robert needed it.
You may know l was not needless by
this. I told Robert I would not dare
enter into married life without claims
on strength greater than ours for
help. I asked him If he had not such
a faith in the gracious help of the Lord
Jesus Christ as he was willing to confess
before men. He was true and earnest
when he assented to that if ever a man
was. We waited to be married till we
were admitted to membership in the
church. Roxie, you know when the
halt and manned were called into the
feast they came just halt and MANNED.
Some of them might have stumbled and
fallen before ever they could be led to
their places at the table. They were to
be made whole some time, but they
were not brought in whole. The Lord
of the feast knew when each ones turn
would come and how he would do it.
But he could not get to each one all at
once. He had to bear with them as
they were at first. Ny poor Robert was
manned. He was born weak where
some are strong. The Lord knows.
The first time he fell after our mar
riage / was as wretched as you could
have foretold. But had been sick and
he was out of work. I hastened to get
better, and then he got better also.
The next year we got on much better
than hoped till that last night.


Poor Robert! If only he had not
taken it so hard !--if only he had not
gone awayl If could only once have
talked it over with him and comforted
himl


He did not strike me so hard; it was
not the blow that made me fall. was
weak, and staggered. had the baby in
my arms, and could not break my fall,
| ing. It would not have hurt me if it
had not been for the rocker of the chair.
7 fell upon it. 1t was that which hurt
my back.


I know how it was with him lit
sobered him to see me fall and in one
minute he was full of 1emorse. When
they told him I was coming to my
senses and calling Tor him he fed away
out of the house. It was shame and
despair in his heart. He felt rs if he
had been a curse to me. They said he
had deserted me because | WAS now
helpless. That is false, Roxie. Do not
believe it.


You DO not? That is like you, 50
generous and just! Let me tell you.
1 have had money sent me from some
unknown person. Miss Cumnor does
not encourage me to think it comes from
Robert. She thinks it is sent by s0me
charitable person. She hopes he may
never come back, and does not want me
to think of him. But I know he sent
the money.


You think so, too? o Roxie--then
he is doing we'll somewhere, and think
ing of ne! If I might only see him.
You think I could only be a helpless,
discouraging burden to him, now that I
may never walk again. And it is hard
to think if he should come back he
would still find me lying here. l
wouldn't mind it at all if it were not
for his sake. And yet if he would only
come back know I could be something
to him still. He would find I could be
happy lying here-snd Roxie-oh Roxie!
II never had before--never before
such love, and courage, and faith in my
heart for him as I have now


You say you think he will come back.
I know he will some time but it seems
hard to wait. When I think OF his sor-
row and all his temptations, and think
[ might talk to him and comfort him, it
seems hard to wait. It is whole year,
Roxie! Think, if you had been
separated from your husband a whole
year, while you had been i'll and both of
you had been in SORROW!


You think he will come back soon?


Roxie, you know something .about
him! He has been to South America
on one of your husbands vessels. He
has been doing well. 1t was be who
sent me the money. Oh, Roxie, tell
him I want to see him. Tell him I
must see him


Could I bear to see him now? Then
he is herel Call him quickly, Roxiel
That is his step ] heart Oh, Robert
Robertl