Year: 1875

me ready to act upon his Kind advice.
But where Is Dandelion He was in the
yard but moment ago All. know I;
his father took him to the shop as be oft.
en- does 1t will come hard to Ben to
give him up, the precious little sunbeam :;
but the mother is the one to watch over
her child, and / shall have nothing else
to live for"


The morning seemed very long to
| Mary, as she made her hasty prepara
tons for her departure and despite her
self CONTROL the tears would fall as sic
came across some tiny gift from her hus
band--the bracelet her birthday brought
her from his hands or some standard
work by her favorte author given her
with "a Merry Christmas, dear wife,
and her heart would rclcnt as she thought
cit has all been my fault will stay and
try to win back his love, and be a better
wife" but the thsught would soon rise,
"he is tired of me; he wishes me to go,
and will 60"


All this time Ben, in his shop was
thinking bitterly of the home he had left,
Let he, CO." he thought; II never
care to see another woman's face. have
lost all faith in the sex. Why, used to
think her an angela fallen angel, in nay
esteem, she Is now | don't suppose
have been as patient as ! should, but a
man does not want to be driven distract
ed by a womans tongue. Mary will go
back to her mother and be happy, if she
can, without her child; but she cannot
have Dandelion can't trust the bring
ing up Of my son to woman with such
a tempfer, it it is a mother.


Slowly crcpt the hour hand of the old
clock, till it indicated the hour oftwelvc /;
soon firm, manly footsteps were heard,
and Ben entered the house with a weary,
troubled look. His dinner was waiting
| for him as uaual and his wife said to him.
with calm indifference, +" Mr.. Dalton,
am ready now to leave you to the enjoy
ment Of peace and quietude. shall re
turn to the roof that sheltered me in my
childhood; there are those who are sum
mer friends. | shall take our child with
me, of course, aud shall cndeavor to do
my duty by him ms now,' and she called
his name. There was no answer. "Where
is he I" she asked. "Did you not bring
him from the shopI"


~ have been alone all the afternoon,
he said simply.


IL have not seen him since you left
the house, her eyes dilating, and her
cheeks growing pale. Ren's bronzed
checks grew white. They both looked
with q nameless horror in their eyes
Then throwing off the lethargy that
bound them to the spot, they left the
house, calling in vain the pet name Of
their darling.


The steep banks Of the tiny but deep
waters Of the lake were soon reached.
Could the child have ventured there


Yes; there, just at the edge Of the wa
ter lay the pink apron


Ben caught 1t up with hoarse cry,
and Mary saw aud recognized it as the
one their child had worn that very morn
ing Everything seemed to unite in one
mad, fantastic whirl before her eyes, and
she dropped to the ground. When she
opened her eyes she found herself in her
own room in her bed, and the doctors
face bent over her, and she could hear a
lower murmur of voices in the adjoining
room, too weak to speak or think she
closed her eyes and fell asleep. When
she awoke, Ben was bending over her;
she tried in vain to raise her head from
the pillow; she was weak and helpless as
babe. Several days she lay thus, and
hardly for an instant did her husband
leave her She took his attention with.
out question, but once as she esaayed to
speak, he said tenerly, and she noticed
how pale and haggard he had grown, "do
not speak or think; you have been very
i'll for six weeks with brain rcver; now,
try to sleep all you can


At length the life tide of reviving
health csme flowing back, and the chain
Of memory once more reunited. "Oh
Ben. our child, our child" she moaned,
bitterly. In vain her husband sought to
hush her, but she said: IL must speak
| have seen how devoted you have been
to me, and with now much care and ten
derness you have watched me to preserve
my worthless life have seen, too,
how dreanfully wicked | have been
how my fretful temper and harsh words
estrangei your love ] know our dar
ling boy is with the angels; but dear
husband better loved now than ever be.
FORE from his grave shall spring forth
the flowers Of a love that shall never
wane, if you can only forgive the past


For an answer, he took the frail, weak
form in his arms, and said, reverently, as
he kissed the pale lips:


"A new commandment give | unto
you, that ye love one another


From this time new life seemed infus-
ed into the veins of the invalid and, ere
long, finding that Wilie's body had been
recovered, she pleaded with her husband
to take her to the little grave; for long
time he demurred until sha seemed quite
well and strong. She was changed in
deed from the wife Of few months ago
her iace showed the traces OF some deep
sorrow; but thereon rested the shadow
Of peace.


But the day came that Ben had prom
scd to take her where Willie rested, and
they started forth--he pale md trcmb.
ling, she calm, but with n wistfu, long
ing look Of mothers love in her patient
eyes.


They were 10 ride by her old grlhood
home SO they called there. Her moth
er welcomed her with joyful agitation
they both appeared 50 strange and con