Year: 1874

her face, the eager, pitiful questioning of
her eyes. almost called tears from the man
who answered her inquiries, and then
asked:


"You received my letter containing
the directions dictated by your hus-
band 2"


"Ycs. But did you suppose l would
do It? l was nearly frantic. l determ-
ined to come to John if l had to walk ev-
cry step. The people helped me and here
l am. Is he very sick ? Poor fellow,
and 1 didn't know 1t. Why didn't you
write me sooner 2"


Mr.. Olson explained and went with the
woman to see her husband, thinking that
the features of the case did not improve.
After meeting her husband, the woman
was so much distressed and agitated that
it seemed as though the family were to
have two invalids on their hands instead
of one.


A week of anxiety passed and the man
was pronounced out of danger. Something
had caused him to take a more cheerful
ful view Of life, and he was already con-
sdering plans for the future and talking
necessarily about them. He was coming
up from his sickbed changed man. He
had been suspicious. defiant, reserved, {,
through all the previous years Of his life
from boyhood. He had been uniformly y
unfortunate, even in his married life. The
great trouble had been that he mad con-
vinced himself that his wife did not love
him. His jealousy once aroused, he at
tached great weight to every trifling cir
cumstance, and many of his projects failed
simply because he had no great desire to
succeed. His wifes complaints were re-
proaches that maddened him. And final
ly he left home with the intention to never
return. He sent what little money he
earned but his wife's complaints fol.
lowed him in her letters. He forgot that
she did not understand his Intentions, and
took q mournful satisfaction in denying
himself that he might send her money.
Finally there came time when he could
earn no money, and the frenzy incident
thereto made him Que of the widest of the
working men appealing for aid, and the
excitement and exposure incident to bis
destituton ended in sickness and despair
He had gone down with heart full OF
bitterness and suspicion. He had come
up with a heart tender from its over.fuI-
ness Of thankfulness. The fact that his
wife had overcome so many difficulties in
coming to HIM, and had exhibited such
anxiety as to his recovery, and such de-
votion. had cleared his vision wonderfully.
A woman who could so care for o man
must love him, and, casting all suspicious
aside, he had resolved to commence life
anew IN more ways than one.


This confession was made to his friend,
John Olson, when the latter told him the
story of receiving the wrong letter.


There were several happy people in
that little house when John Olson, inva.
lid, took his first step, supported by John
Olson. his friend. That there was neav-
or relationship they did not know until
the grandmother of the latter, weeks af-
terwards, traced it out and then were all
the mysterious, shadowy suggestions of the
sick-bed scene explained. And this good
old grandmother says, very reverently,
that Gods hand was in the letter that
went wrong, and that both men ought to
recognize it. And while the young men
take slightly different view, they thank
God all the same.