I
' . - * > *
!
i
* * ! i , MY " > POOR WIPE.
BY J. P. SMITH.
CHAPTER XIII.
It was dawn a cold , misty dawn
fis I stepped , with a muffled tread , to
iny dressing room. I stopped and
( looked at my sleeping wife , and , as 1
( looked , the ghastly idea struck me that
jl was not looking into the features of
a sleeping , but a dead woman. The
[ stony rigid repose , the waxen color of
Ithe skin , the fixed look of pain about
Hue drawn mouth , all seemed to confirm -
{ firm my fear , until , leaning closer , a
faint breath fanned my cheek and she
moaned feebly. I stole away , swal
lowed a glass of brandy , threw myself
upon a couch in my dressing room and
jsoon sank into an uneasy dose. Hel-
jcn's sleeping face haunted me. I
dreajoit that she was lying dead on the
cliff/where we had so often sat togeth-
'cr ' , and that when I stooped to lift her
body in my arms a pair of bony hands
closed fiercely round my throat , stran
gling my cries for mercy , dragged mete
to the edge of the cliff , where I fiercely -
ly struggled for my life. The hands
I knew belonged to old Molly Griffin ;
but the face glowering over me was
young William Hernshaw's , distorted
with passion. "At last , with a violent
wrench , I freed one arm , and seizing
the hand pressing my throat , awoke
to find Helen leaning over me , drag
ging her wrist from my clutch.
I looked at her stupidly for a sec
ond.
ond."I
"I I am doing you no harm , " she
said , her eyes flickering and glaring at
me stealthily. "I came to see why-
why you had not come to bod. Let
me go , let me go , I say you hurt me. "
I at once dropped her hand , and she
ran quickly away to her own room.
I did not see her again until break
fast , when she appeared in a lively ,
talkative mood and civilly disposed
towards both Edith and me , though she
never once looked us in the face , but
kept her eyes almost closed or fasten
ed to her plate. After giving some
household Borders she went out , and ,
standing by the window of my study ,
'I watched her for some time pacing a
retired corner of the kitchen garden
with a swift , monotonous Stride ; at
last the' movement became so repug
nant to meNthat , scarcely heeding what
I was doing , I threw open the window
and called out to her :
"Helen , I'm going to the chib this
morning ; haven't you any shopping to
do ? The dog cart will be round in
half an hour.
j "No , none , " she answered , after a
moment's pause. "Besides , I have an
engagement this afternoon. Ask Miss
Stopford ; she is sure to have some
shopping to do. "
She had , and we started presently ,
returning very hot and dusty late in
the afternoon to find that Helen had
failed to keep her engagement , which
; Edith casually informed me was a
.drive to the Flower Show at Briers-
| wood with Sir William Hernshaw.
"It was so hot , I felt too lazy to
jdress ; I hope you had a pleasant
jdrive , " she said drowsily , her eyelashes
still sweeping her cheeks.
. "Almost unbearable coming back , " 1
answered , throwing myself upon a
seat by the open window. "I am near
ly choked with dust ; I feel I could
/swallow / a quart of claret and soda. "
i "I'll gst some , " said Helen , going towards -
wards the dining room , and presently
returning with a cool , frothing tum-
i ibler , which she handed to mo and
then stood behind my chair.
I turned , laid my hand on her arm ,
and said gently :
"Helen , tell me what is the matter
with you. Why will you not look at
me wife ? "
She" did not move or answer a word ,
though I repeated my inquiry almost
/ coaxingly , as one would question a
pettish , wayward child.
I withdrew my hand and lifted , sigh
ing wearily the glass , when suddenly ,
with a loud cry , she dashed It from
my lips , the liquid squirting up into
my face , flowing down my shirt and
collar and streaming onto the carpet ,
where the glass lay broken.
Stung to the quick by the insulting
violence of the act , I sprang to my
feet , glaring speechlessly at her'until
Edith , whose presence I was not aware
of , ran eagerly towards me and passed
her handkerchief over my wet face and
neck.
"How dare you ? " I stammered
hoarsely. "What do you raean ? Are
you mad ? "
Helen burst Into a wild , loud laugh.
"Yes , yes , mad mad as a March
fcare mad mad the maddest wife
ever a true husband had. Oh , iny
poor head my poor head it aches-
it aches ! A breath of sea air would
do it good a breath of sea air ! " she
moaned , listlessly moving away.
I went too , for even Edle's soft
touch and pitying eyes were more than
I could bear. Ordering my horse , I
gave him his head , rode across country
as If following the swiftest hounds that
ever ran a fox to earth. I knew not
whither or how far I went ; It was
night when the poor brute , lame , foot
sore , crawled up the avenue again.
Edith was waiting for me on the door
step , and led mo Into the dining-room ,
where a tempting supper was laid.
" said "you look thor-
"Eat , eat , she ; ' * -
oughly' exhausted , poor dear. " " .
"She , " I began nervously.
"She has been perfectly quiet ever
since , locked up In her room. Don't
trouble about her now ; she'll bo all
right tomorrow , you'll find. Now , dear
boy , to supper , please. "
The next morning I was awakened
from a dreamless sleep by the house
keeper , Mrs. Murray a valued and
trusted servant who had served the
family for nearly forty years rousing
me violently.
"What is it ? " I asked , sitting up in
my bed with a vague feeling of appre
hension. "Has anything happened ? "
"Hush , hush , master Paul , " she said
agitatedly , "we must keep it quiet as
long as we can. Something has hap
pened. She has gone. "
"My wife ? "
"Yes , when I went into her room this
morning I found it empty and the bed
not slept in ; she Is not in any part of
the house grounds. That is all I can
tell you. "
' Urging her to keep the other ser
vants in ignorance if possible , I dressed
hurriedly , and , my mind distracted
with wrath , suspicion , vague terror
and jealousy , sought in vain for any
trace of my.unfortunate v.'ife. She had
disappeared completely , without leav
ing a note or message ; no one had seen
or heard her quit the house , and , after
a guarded inquiry at the station , I as
certained that she had not been ob
served by either guards or stationmaster -
master taking any of the morning or
late night-trains. Towards mid-day ,
feverish with anxiety , entirely baffled ,
I returned home. Calling Mrs. Mur
ray , I begged her to get by portman
teau ready , as I was leaving at once.
"Where tc what are you going to
do tell me , Master Paul ? " she plead
ed , with a shaking voice.
"I'm going after him , " I answered
chokingly ; "don't bother me , wom
an , but get my things quick ! "
"Him who's him ? "
"Hernshaw ; he left the Grange last
night. "
"Well , well , sir you know your own
business best ; but I think you're go
ing on a fool's errand after him. I'd
look elsewhere if I were you. "
I seized her hands as a drowning
man would a straw.
"Elsewhere ? " I repeated. "What do
you mean ? Murray , Murray , you know ,
you guess where she is. Oh , don't keep
me in suspense ! If you knew what
horrible thoughts torture me ! "
"I know no more than you , sir , where
she is , " she interrupted sadly. "By
elsewhere I think I meant somewhere
near the sea. For the last week she's
been talking about the sea , and sea
gulls , and recks and things o' the
kind , and complaining of a pain in her
head and a mistiness over her eyes. "
"Of course , of course , " I broke in
eagerly. "What a short-sighted , dull
fool I've been ! She's gone to Done
gal ! I'll start after her at once and
bring her-home before the tales get
about , Murray , I rely on you "
"You may , sir ; I'll do my best , never
fear , " she said impressively , laying her
hand on my arm to detain me. "But
but , Master Paul , forgive ma saying
what I'm going to say. Having known
you from your cradle , and , as it were ,
playing the part of mother to you
when your own was taken so young
_ _ _ _ "
"Fire ahead ! " I burst in impatiently.
"You know you can say what you like
to me , Murray. "
"Then , Master Paul , " she whispered
hurriedly , "take my advice , and , before
you bring your wife homo , send the
other away. "
"Murray ! " I stammered , releasing
myself. "What nonsense you talk ! It's
it's you who are on the wrong track
now. Ed Miss Stopford's presence
here has had nothing to do with the
unfortunate misunderstanding with my
poor wife how could it ? "
The old woman laughed bitterly , and
moved away , shaking her head. I pur
sued her uneasily.
"Listen to me , and I'll convince you.
Helen never knew , never even sus
pected that I I had once cared for
Miss Stopford. She believed I looked
upon her as a sister whom I was
brought up with ; she never objected
to her staying hero , indeed she went
at once to the General the moment the
visit was suggested ; never showed the
faintest sign of of dislike or jealousy.
Oh , do stop nodding that ridiculous
gray old head of yours ! " I burst out
impatiently. "Say what wou mean and
have done with it. "
"Blind , blind , blind ! " she repeated ,
looking at me with pitying reproach.
"Your wife knew you loved Miss Edith
the first day you met her here , and ,
though she has been fighting against
the knowledge trying to deceive her
self it has been of no use ; day after
day the truth has been burning into
her poor heart , turning her very brain
until she could bear it no longer , and
now she has fled from her pain. "
"If this bo true , " I muttered hoarse
ly , "as sure as there is a Heaven above
I had not the faintest at least not a
reasonable' tangible suspicion of
such a thing being the case. How-
how should I ? She she never com
plained never reproached me "
"But she loved you , Master Paul
loved you as few men are loved by
women even by the truest or best of
them. You had no reasonable sus
picion ofthat , , had you ? Ah , no , no !
And , loving you as she did , how could
you ever expect her not to see what
every visitor who came to the house/ /
every servant about the place , saw and ;
commented ? "
on i
"What did they see confound
them ? " I blustered wrathfully.
"Saw that you were keeping a
sweetheart and a wife under one roof , "
the old servant retorted bluntly ; "saw
your face brighten when you Ic'l
at the one , heard your voice sofieu
when you spoke to her ; saw you pass
ing notes to one another , riding to
gether , slipping away together ten
limes a day ; meeting after dark , whis
pering together. Ah , Master Paul ,
Master Paul , does not your conscience
this moment tell you what they sav/
and what brings the color into your
face so cruel hot this minute ? There
I've spoken out as you bade me , and
I've said too much I dare say ; but I
couldn't help it. Send me about my
business , if you like. I couldn't help
it ; it wa ° s wrong wrong ! "
CHAPTER XIV.
Without vouchsafing a reply , I seized
my portmanteau , and flung it into the
dog-cart waiting to take me to the
station.
The next evening , worn out with
suspense and anxiety , I sighted the old
farm-house on the hill.
Mrs. Casey was ill in bed , Mike in
formed me , and could not see any one ,
no matter how urgent or important
their business. She knew nothing
whatever of my wife , or heard from
her since che took iny name , or heard
from her withia the last three months.
She begged me to go avay and let her
leave this world in peace. She wished
to be , troubled no more with the af
fairs of this world , and , if I insisted
on forcing myself into her presence ,
would refuse to give me speech.
I walked slowly away and stood on
the edge of the cliff staring out to sea ,
wondering whither to turn , what to do
next , when old Molly touched ray el
bow , and , turning to her , hope and re
lief lightened me in a flash.
"Molly , you bring me news. She is
with you , " I began eagerly , and then
stopped short as she mournfully shock
her head.
"No , " she said , taking the pipe from
her mouth , "I bring ye no news. I
only heard half an hour ago what had
happened. And the 'ould wan wouldn't
see ye , wouldn't she ? I % vas after
thinkin' she wouldn't. "
"You know nothing ; you cannot
help me ? " I repeated blankly. "Oh ,
don't say that ! "
"Nothing , my lad nothing. Slie
hasn't been here , an' I don't think
she'll come now , poor litcle thing ; ye
began to ill-use her soon enough ,
Heaven knows ! Well , wall , I'm not
surprised. I thought it would all end
that way ; but not so soon oh , not so
cruel scon ! ' she repeated , with a harsh
laugh. "Ye might have spared her for
wan year at the laist , for she loved
ye true. "
"Molly , " I cried vehemently , "you
you don't understand. Listen to me !
I i tell you I would give every farth
ing I possess , my life itself , to find her
now safe and well and and teach her
tot forgive me ! Do not judge me so
harshly ; but help me , help me , for
there's not a moment to be lost ! "
"I'll help yc as well as I can , " she
said , after a searching glance , "for I
see ye're sorry , but I'm feard my help
won't go fur. Sit down beside me , an'
I'll tell ye her mother's story to begin
with , if ye haven't heerd it already be
like. "
"Her mother died when she was an
infant , she told me. "
"Ay. When she was four days old
her mother stole out o' the bed one
wild night in November , an' flung her
self from the stone on which yer sit-
tiu' down to the beach below. She
ws picked up in the bay next morn-
in' by the boys coinin' home from the
fishiu' , every bone in her body broke
to bits as cruel a night as iver me
ould eyes fell on. I couldn't get it out
o' me sight for months after. "
( To be Continued. )
Juvonllo Jokes.
"Well , Johnnie , " said the minister :
to a little fellow , aged 6 , "I hear you
are going to school now. " "Yes , sir ,
was the reply. "And what part of it ,
do you like best ? " asked the good man.
"Comin" home , " was the prompt and
truthful answer.
Harry , aged 5 , had his photograph
;
taken recently , and when the proof was
c
sent home his mamma said ho looked
f
too colenin and asked him why he
didn't smile. "I did smile , mamma , "
replied the little fellow , but I guess
the man forgot to put it down. "
"Mamma , " asked little Willie , "did
Daniel Webster build the dictionary ? "
No , dear ; it was Noah ; but why do
ask ? " said his " "
you mother. "Why ,
replied the youngster , "our teacher said
that Noah built the ark , and I thought
he might have got Daniel to build the
dictionary for him if he was busy. "
Tommy , agctl 5 , and his cousin Wil
lie , aged G , had oeveral little alterca
tions , in which Tommy invariably got
the worst of it. Ono day his mamma
said > to him : "Tommy , to-mcrrow is
Willie's birthday ; wouldn't you like
to give" him something ? " "You just
better believe I would , " was ths reply ;
"but , you see , he's bigger than I am
and I can't. "
Littla 5-year-old Clara's papa had
been away on a protracted business trip ;
and her mamma was putting things in
order and making sundry preparations
for his return. Clara watched her
:
closely for awhile and then observed :
"Mamma , you make as much fuss as
old Mr. Prodigal. " "What do you
mean , dear ? " asked her mother. I
never heard of Mr. Prodigal. " "Oh ,
yes , you did , mamma , " was the reply.
"Don't you know , the bible tells about
what n. fu&i ho made when hla son
came back ? "
"A GLASS DARKLY. "
( Romance frcrn a New Year's Sermon. )
* * * * * . LIVR THOMPSON
sat in her low un-
ctishicned seat in
the little country
church , paying
strict attention to
the New Year's ser
mon. It wnher
habit to pay strict
attention to ths
regular Sun d a y
ti . .i : .u ' - w cerir.on. but tins
Sunday L-eiug New Year day she was
very devoted in her attention. Her
eyes never wandered frcm the face of
the preacher , the face that had beea
her Sunday rtudy for thirty years. She
was five years old when she began the
study. The face hnd never grown any
cldcr to her. There were the same
Jitlle semi-circular wrinkles under the
lobe of the ear nearest her. which sh ?
had always seen , and the devious
creases above the ej ea continued al
ways of the same elevation , except
that they had grown iawarilc , tending
to the horizontal ripple above the
nose , and deepening at that point.
The sermon , to the mind of Olive
Thompson , \vas "more beautiful" on
this particular day than had ever been
before.
"Now we see through a glass dark
ly , but then face to face , " he said.
r * > r-
flN "
' & & * &
r
TAKE IT ; IT IS GOOD.
'The mists of cur present condition
:3oud our view ; stormy days have sent
lust and sleet asainfit our windows
intil , for the dimness of cur glass.
ve cannot sec the sky. "
Olive Thompson's eyes filled with
ears. She remembered the "dust and
; lcet" of weary years. Iow the storm
iad breathed upon the windows cf her
oul , turning into frosted tablets what
ithcrwisc might have bscn avenues for
iunlight.
"Take heart" the preacher went on ,
'spring days are coming when the
vintlows will be open to the sky , and
ye shall see face to face what has al-
vays been , but which v.-e roisld not
see for looking through a glass dark-
y. "
A few months later Olive Thompson
tootl making apple pies in the pan-
ry. The pantry window was up and
ho cong cf birds canie in. Also there
: amo in the voice of Joseph , the hired
nan. who was coaxing the new calf to
irink. "Take it , " ho was saying to
he inexperienced animal ; "it is good. "
"Take It ; It is good , " Olive repeated
o herself in the pantry.
"What is good ? " asked the old
vrinkled mother knitting in the warm
: itchen.
"Why , everything , I suppose , " Olive
mswered , etill listening with one ear
o what Joseph was saying.
"It doesn't secci good now , bossy ;
jut It Is good , take it. "
"Olive , " said her mother , "it is time
o wash the windows. The frost is
ill off and they look dingy. "
"I know it , " Olive sa'd ' , "I will do
t tomorrow. "
"Olive Thompson obeyed her mother
'rom a life-long habit , and from re-
ilgioua principle. Was she not her
Bother's child , and ought not children
; o obey their parents ; old , wrinkled ,
teeble parents ? "
In tne morning she took her pan
of suds and the polishing cloth and
stood in a rhnir to wash the windows.
She would begin in the kitchen , she
thought , and go clear around to the
parlor. She tried to pull out the old
fashioned cprin.T of the upper sash ,
but it would not yield.
"Olive , " Eaid her mother. "Joseph
had better help to wash the windows ,
lie can stand on the ladder on the
out&ide."Joseph. . " she called at the
door , "ccir.e in ami pull the spring for
Olive. " Ami. "Joseph , polish the glass
en the outside , it is too hard for Oiive. "
Joseph v.-as obedient. He had been
"the hired man" for five years. No
one vrouljl hava known he was the
hiiecl man except the two woineii. He
niKht have been the old lady's son and
Olive's brctiier , EO kind and true had
he aluays I'esn to these tvro.
Olive stood on a chair on the in
side and Joseph en the ladder outside.
Tlse features of each were dim through
the giacs. and ( he two scrubbed away
v.'ith soap anil polish. What was left
of smol-.e and frost yielded to double
persuasion , and Jcccrh called from
the outfit's : "Is it clear , Olive ? "
"Olive , scrutinizing closely , called
back , pointing to the i55per corner.
"Just a little more rubbing right
there. "
She did not notice that Joseph was
looking ir.to her eyes , and thinking
to himself "how clear" they were.
He nibbed away at the filmy place ,
and then called again : "It isn't quite
clear down in that corner. "
Oiive polished away on her side
catching Joseph's eye full of a light
that shot right through the obscurity
and made her lemembcr the text of the
New Year sermon "Now we see
through a glass darkly. "
Around the hou&e went the two ,
Olive on the inside and Joseph on the
outside , and only the last perlor win
dow was left. The morning had sped
away like a cliat c sunshine frcm
the pan of water in the chair. Olive
had watched this broken fait of rad
iance , ce it played on the ceiling above
the table with the album and pictorial
Bible on it. It was like a halo above
the precious spot. She moved her
chair up to the window with a little
sigh. Joseph moved h:3 ladder up to
the same window en the opposite side.
"Let it down from the top , Olive , "
he said.
"I can't. " Oiivo called back , "it
sticks. "
Joseph was on her side In n moment.
His fingers just touched hors as they
riilJed on the spring together , and
something v.'hich v.-as not unlike a glint
of sunshine parsed through the two.
The spring slipped back and Joseph
was on the outside again. Joseph low
ered the window to bring it within
eaty reach of the woman on the other
side. Strange he hadn't thought of
that before. Standing straight up.
Olive on her chair and Joseph on his
ladder , the tTvo loci-rod into each other's
"IS IT CLEAR , OLIVE ? "
eyes. There was nothing on Joseph's
side and nothing on Olive's side to
dim their vision. It was all clear.
"But now face to face , " thought
Olive.
The old mother passing by the par
lor , smiled , and spoke not a word.
From the kitchen she called : "Ara
the windows all clean , daughter ? "
"All clean , mother , " came the 02-
swer , and Olive Thompson recalled the
words of the sermon , "Take heart ;
spring days are coining when the windows
dews will be open to the Eky ; and ve
shall see face to face what has
beea. "
ft
? *
When Autumn dies at last upon her
throne
Amid the rain of a regal state.
Boreas' clarion trumpets sound her
fate ,
And Winter knows the realm thence
forth his own ;
Calling his minions in the Arctic rose
And making them through his o-wn
greatness great.
He Jcarneys forth to his possessions
fctrasht.
The winds' wild music aye before blra
blown.
A lock of frost he fastens oa the Jaad.
And makes the air -with keenest coW i
to sting ;
The waters lie 'neath fetters from his
hand ;
And while his white snows tosa and
whirl and fling.
Robed royally and crowned for aH
command
He proudly cries. "Behold aie : I an
King ! "
William Francis Barnard.
ClirUtmrus Cvtv.
By Mary N. Prescott.
Christmas eve the wide world over.
And Christmas chimes are sounding :
Christmas trees their buds discover.
With Christmas Rifts abounding.
The ir.ocnbeams on the tnoxr-drlfls
shcil
Strike out. a sudden splendor ;
And all the heavenly fields arc spread
With starlight bright , yet tender.
The windcw-raiies are wliito xrftb
frost.
In tracery of lloT.-crs.
Brins'ms again the summers lost
To bloom through Christmas howra.
O. harry night , whoso blessed days
Across the ages shine.
Lighting the darkness of our dajs
With promises divine !
Twelve Ilxtmlroil Mile * of Cor V
The great barrier reef which
the coast of Australia north of Bris
bane , in the direction of Torres straits.
must always rank among the wonders
of the world. For 1.200 mllca the coral
animalcules have raised a solid protec \
tion against the rage of the ocean
swell at a distance varying from SO
to 150 miles from the chore. IcnTing a
comparatively safe and calm Inner
passage , suitable for navigation by the
largest steamers on their voyage north
and cast. Sundry channels penctrato
tha reef at intervals , and vrholo lloota
of trading schooners
are regularly en
gaged mnhl the Intricate labyrinth ot
coral inlets. London Standard.
Ill lot.
"Tho average American woman
said the tiresome- boarder , "as any
tist or any physician will toll you"
misshapen. " \
"Somo of them , " said the Chttortu
Idiot , " 'have matronly "
flgurea-f-Ex.