| Show THE EV EVENING STORY I THE WIFE'S Copyright 1012 1112 b by W Yo Werner Three Thice weeks s ago she had looked re resignedly reo re- forward to a life of oi work and routine Milton's coming had hid changed nil all this Ho lIe had not dreamed at ot t that he could ask her to b bo his wife I l wish joud you'd have hae me Drusilla he had said Im going homo home next week not having found anything to todo do here as 85 I expected I wish you'd oud go 0 with me So ho o happiness had come to her She had bad had less les than a n. we week k for her preparations lions She left Ift the factory so that sh she could make her own wedding drees dress Th The Theother Theother other things she purchased In the time eyes eye o of her hem few friends s she had acquired sudden sudden sud sud- den en Importance Only tIme the old woman woma with whom she had lived since first sh she began beJan to support herself urged a doubt You Xou haven't known knon him lon long enough h Youre You're taking him sight unseen unseen un un- un seen and that's no way to take a hus bus bind band Milton appears appeals well hut but new clothes go so a lon long way toward making a man Im I'm uneasy about the tho whole thing she said had answered firmly Im n no child MiSs Is Scott Im I'm B 31 Si I years old and andI I know my mv own mind I love Milton lies lie's the only oril man Ive I've ever eer had a chance chanc to marry marry- Im I'm taking him for tor better o or worse and It If its it's a little for tor the worse that's m my risk I Thc They were man married led at Rt the parsonage la c cone one evening e The next morning the they started for Milton's home a days day's journey Jour jour- hey noy distant felt as 1 JC If she had hail CJ already read entered through tho the gates glUes of he heEden her herEden Eden Milton sat beside her reading a Il news news- Milton paper Sue She did not 10 Know whither hither was taking her or what s sh she he should fine find when she got ot there He Ie h had bad d told her hervery ver very ery little about himself But Bul indeed there had never nc been time to fo for serious confidences especially this last w week ek She Sho knew lenew that h he had been married that tha he now lived with his old mother That Tha That was Jh he most and she had been well content content con con- tent with It But Hut tiP as her destination destina tion each moment drew drow nearer she simo fela felt fell felta fella a strong t dc desire deidre to know something definite Gen nile nite about It It Milton she began gently what Is 18 our our your oui home hom like Does Doe It resemble le lethis this place we C ar arc passim She Sho pointed toward a n little farmhouse gleaming whitely amon among willows s Milton lIlton laid down his paper and stated stared blankly past her out of the time window He shook hl biN head heRd No 00 Its It's not like that You'll see what whal It its it's like when you ou get et th there re to Iau laughed ht She hat haO half haf an on Idea Ilca he was planning pl some pleasant surprise for tor or her What hat color I Is the tIme house she hc per all Its no imo colo at You mean mean It has hu n nr vr r boon been p painted Oh said Mid Drusilla She felt vaguely I disappointed She had so 50 hoped it might be white That do doesn't nt matter mattel though she add added d hast hastily Arc there trees tree about It 7 Theres one tree tree tree-a a willow A willow I like willows Those an are willows arent aren't they He nodded and turned to his paper again aln The tra train tran n stopped at a D. flag a station anc and an an old man entered the car cat cats cat's As s he came carm down tho the aisle ho he scrutinized Milton H He Be was i a a. curious looking hooking old ni man ui who carried car car- ned ried a faded buggy baggy umbrella by th the tho middle and a carpet bag toggled up wit with I string At Milton's he lie paused with will witha willa a chuckle of or r recognition Why Milt that Jou you Jest back eh eli he hi questioned qu Yes Milton's face expressed an an- hos tho time lady with you jou ou Dont Don't tell tel m me Inc youve you've been getting married I H He punched Milton's r with jocular familiarity Milton Jilton braced himself This Thle Is my mj wife he answered Do tell The old man touched hl his dingy cap Going to take her ber home 1 I expect Certainly Millions Million's restless hands hail had torn the newspaper In twain I was up there da day afore tall said the old man Your mother wasn't expecting you then was she That second see sec on ond gal of ot yourn your was as sick She has hw alien fallen I Ia away a terrible Needs doctors doctor's medicine I judge Tho This oM old man tottered Into a seat Dru Dru- sills who had started starter violently at hk lila last words looked at Milton In amaze amaze- ment What did he mean Milton 1 she ahe de do- mantled Have you children Ive IYe three two three two girls and a boy bo Drusilla pressed her ner teeth tel hard har upon her trembling lip She looked away from him hll out of tho the window Three children And he be had not told herBut herBut her But then I should have ha asked him she thought She did not speak again The Tile train approached another small station and Milton rising pulled their suit cases down from the time rack overhead o Here we arc are he lie said The Thc old man tottered after them out of the time car DrUsilla leaped lightly down and turned to her husband Help that old man she commanded In a low tone And AntI 1 Milton on obeyed I Well Vel walk wane up ho lie said when the they had both reached the tho platform It isn't fa far far 1 to Very cry ery well w ll replied She had a curious longing to know tho the worst now now to to have the mystery solved quickly The They started off orr together Muton Milton Mil Mu- ton earning carrying both suit case casc cases one street the they went up another l and Into a third The Time houses were growing glowing constantly con con- more shabby Be Before t ore the shabbiest shab shah blest biest of or all Milton turned Drusilla gave n c one glance at al him and one at the forlorn old ohm house sinking dejectedly upon Us Its own foundation and she knew all alJ everything all that he had not told her A dirty rag TaR doll la lay on the doorstep and he kicked It t aside as thc they entered The Tue first room was wall a a. kitchen large laroe poorly furnished with a floor ol that thit sadly scrubbing There was wae 06 no rio one in sight Milton dropped the lie suit cases Mother he called A hoer door opened and an old woman brown rown wrinkled humpbacked came camo In She stared at itt her son and Drusilla Milt You back she cried hos this his youve you've got with you ou 1 Some Seine of Tom lom Johnsons Johnson's folks Thle 1 I is m my wife answered Milton as asI asif I if f in desperation The old olt woman roman held hel out omit n u. lean hand hando to o DrU llla If It I had m my bo boy wag ws bringing 11 it wife hum Id I'd ha slicked ip tip a n. mite she sho said bald Wheres the LImo children demanded 1 ton lon on The re pla playing ing out back of or the house Ill ID 11 get et cm ern Milton Dru went to the time window an and stood steed er very cry still pretending to look out She beard icard the lie old w return with the dren It was a moment before sh shu c could uld face ace the room loom again aln Milton had a child In n his arms arms arms-a a pathetic white child with beautiful hall hair A blond bo boy and an older It with wonderful dark eyes were staring star atar- In ing ng at the lie stranger shyly At sight eight of them hem something that was becoming very ti bard idid ld broke within Drusilla She Sh moved to them hem nil arid put P an au arm about each mach each There was Wa up ap Instant of or absolute silence Do you ou know who I am Z she ehe asked Thc Thie sh shook ok their heads staring at herlth her with fascinated c cye et Drusilla drew drow Ih them m mcl cl loper 01 C Im your our new mother she ehe stud sold l d. d I. I atc I-atc that evening evening- ho walked back bucl to he the house under tI the lie willow where Muton Mu- Mu ton on eat hunched up UI on the tho doorstep w wait lt- lt Ing In- ng for her lt She lit Ind been away by her her- self elf besl beside e the brook and had bad found calm I Ind and nd come conic to a 1 Ion decision Milton looked I Ip I till p at tt her miserably ns as she approached I lIed to you ou I deceived you ou he 1 Eald said I guess you ou think Im I'm not r t of a man faco laco was as stem Ko No o J vt not not much of or a man she said ald m tw k but youre you're my husband Some we VO would leave you tonight But I t i I stay Do you want to know why cause of ot the tho children the children the children were too much n of a coward to tell about They need me Im I'm going t tHelen Helen live And Im I'm going to tit HS In the other girl and ami the boy h hive have ve a On And p perhaps the perhaps the voice quivered quivered Ive i Ive I've put them In tho the way a of ot beIng II u uI I shall myself find nd happiness But EU shall help me Milton You shall i J Jand and l learn arn to be honest No Xo Don't Dont pi Iso anything I couldn't believe belle ftp promise you make in word words Th The e thinS thing that will restore m my tl faith lb InIs inIs In Inis is for you OU to live like a man man man-as as band nj-band m J band and the father oL oZ your our should hould live U She c ceas ceased ed speaking As te he be sto stow stoOlS d dand and moved aside almost went past him Into the house the house tn be 0 of her dreams which had no flOW W the tho house of her utmost reality |
