Show to HER SECOND C 0 ND L LOVE U VE by mary wilson t by joseph B bowles ri 1 e ho he ise had been miserably dark and cold to me since uncle dennis died the three little children clung to me in the most pitiful way and mv my heart agnost ain ost broke tor for them when the lawyer told me that they would have nothing in the world after everything was settled up They camo came to me when the lawyer was gone sweet little mary and bess and ben the jolly twins I 1 tell them thern then their grief as too new and he be sides how could they understand dundei stand it was on the third day that a lettea came from charlie and my heart I 1 even before the envelope atas as opened the letter was like all of alb u bright and cheery only this ot of course was tinge 1 a little sad ness oa on acco int of my recent bereave merit in the letter he urged a speedy marriage mairi age and I 1 was so sorry to be obliged to tell him that the Phil hildien phildren hll dien were left without a penny and that I 1 could not riot leave them I 1 felt sure of charlies chartres sympathy for uncle dennis had been so good to alt u both he ile had taken me a little or planed girl and cared tor for me as though I 1 had been a daughter and having known cl CI arlie s father he sc so cured for tap the boy a position that had been ot of great advantage to him of course I 1 expected him to feel forth little ones of his old friend instead of writing charlie came I 1 saw him as he walked quickly up to the door and myself ran to 10 let him in how ilow han handsome doome he looked in the stylish city clothes I 1 felt so proud and safe as he kissed me then we went in the parlor and it all happened even now after so many years I 1 car cap not think of it quite composedly he ile had a plan and at once unfolded it the children could go to an asylum and we could be married at once when he had said it all the room seemed to be whirling round with ith me ma I 1 pressed both my hands to my head before I 1 could answer uncle dennis didn dian t put me in ar ap asylum charlie I 1 cannot send the children to gnp on I 1 will not charlie laughed his handsome eyes on my face then what aie are the to doa he asked they will go where I 1 go I 1 re plied again he laughed nov N allie attie wouldn t we cut a pret ty figure in a new york boarding house with three children 9 no thank you my dear I 1 cannot submit tn t it I 1 can work for them charlie I 1 said raid a strange pain in my heart I 1 ran can take care ot of them until they are older I 1 cant leave them I 1 am a good nurse I 1 can make enough money and margaret will live with them she coulden couldn rit t leave them any more than I 1 can charlie made a little gesture of im lin valience oat va leuce attie all that is sheer nonsense I 1 lon lot t want an old maid for my wife and do you think my mother would re a girl who nho had bad been a common nurse The thelam in my heart had grown to a terrible agony but all the time I 1 felt the wild joy at the thought that I 1 was not obliged to listen to charlie 5 cruel plans I 1 don t know just what I 1 said my head was so hot and mv my hands were so cold but I 1 know he stood before me his cruel handsome hand face ace was as all I 1 could coula see and I 1 longed to go away from him choose between me and the chil chit dren attie he said and for answer I 1 took my pretty engagement ring off and laid it on the table beside him then for fear he might know so some rue thing of what it cost me I 1 raised my head and bravely left the room how ilow I 1 cried and sobbed when J knew he was gone after that there wasn gasn t much time for grieving over lost lovers I 1 knew how impossible it would ae be find work in our dear sleepy little town so we took the children margaret and I 1 and went ent to a larger busier town we rented rooms and before long I 1 secured a position as nurse to miss ellington a wealthy in valid so my new life began I 1 tried in every way to brighten the lite life of the poor lady and at last from doing so much for her I 1 began to love her dear iv then my work was light indeed many were the presents she sent he the children and had them sometimes to come for tea with her but in spite of it all my life was not very bright and I 1 missed the gay ety young people love one evening dr murray bho mas as treating her and with whom I 1 had becom become good friends came in with a great basket of roses see miss bliss ellington ft Ns hat bat I 1 ve brought you now will you on do some thing tor for mea tell me I 1 would be indeed hard hearted to refuse she said bendina over the roses well patti la Is to sing tonight ani an I 1 wanted your permission to ask miss wilder to go with nith me to hear her the words fairly took my breath away I 1 was so surprised that I 1 tailed failed to hear miss ellington s reply but in a moment dr murray turne I 1 to me with his rare sweet smile and asked me to go with him after that I 1 went out oftener some times for a drive in the country aa as the spring opened when hen we always S lf J brought flowers to miss ellington and to to the children dt at home one day the doctor said to roe me miss ellington is much worse be careful not to leave her alone but don t let her know you are watching any closer than usual I 1 do not want rant to d esturb her there Is no need all her preparations are made I 1 myself witnessed her m will III a year ago and no one was as ever more fit to die every 1 cent of her money Is to go to her chuich church as she no doubt told you so no how the most we can do Is brighten her last da das s and I 1 am glad you are here for no one could care for her ao 00 tenderly I 1 love miss Ll lington very dearly I 1 aid qaid I 1 can hardly bear to think f losing her I 1 added realizing some thing of what my loneliness would be when hen my friend and mistress mi was no more I 1 suppose cupi ose the doctor said quiet iv that this is hardly the time or the place for or love making but I 1 want to tell you allie attie that I 1 love jou ou and I 1 want you to be my wife I 1 looked up wonderingly into his face his ills kind eyes were vere smiling at me why dr at irray I 1 never nener thought of such i I 1 thing then think about it now I 1 have thought of little else since the morn r 11 t UA U A jy bornet mes for a drive in the coun try ing I 1 first saw you do you think you could be happy with me mea I 1 remembered how his presence al at was wads rested and comforted me bow safe and ho h alpy o I 1 felt when he was v with ith me yet yo i like to marry any or ore e else au would iotti ou he asked before I 1 could think of anything to say no indeed I 1 would not I 1 replied and you wouldn t like to have me marry some other girl would you he went on the smile deepening in hia his eyes I 1 don t think I 1 said any thin thing but I 1 remember he seemed q ait alte satisfied and then I 1 thought ot of the children I 1 love you dr murray but if you do then you belong to me so but me no buts my little girl you must be very submissive now and when nhen your duties here are finished well niell find a pretty home some somewhere here and surprise the children I 1 hope they will oil love me I 1 think the will ahen hen they come to live with me and then I 1 cried and told him about charlie and he said some ver pleasant things to me so I 1 was corn com forted IN hen the sun rose a few morning 4 I liter iter our dear friend was no more the sent for me in a few days to go to the quiet lonely hou house houe e sarah met me at the door and cried softly as she showed pie me into the din dim old parlor several gentlemen wert were in the room an I 1 one of them cam forward to welcome me I 1 never could remember j how it happened hut but I 1 was made to understand thai miss ellington had changed her will and that sl e had left everything tc t alice wilder the dear friend wh made life tolerable to the last there was t inquest that I 1 would live in the grand old house and keep the faith ful servants after awhile we were all settled there the happiest little family in the fored for the old house was freshened and many ways then one day charlie came he ile kissed the children and was so bright and merry that I 1 was quite quito glad to see him when the little onea ones gone he be turned to me bis his hand some face tender and smiling allie attie he said I 1 cant live with out you there re s no use trying haven t you missed me mea only at first I 1 replied I 1 have been too busy for a long time now the door bell rang ah ali there Is dr murray charlie I 1 shall be glad to introduce you and I 1 know you will be glad that I 1 am to marry so noble a man dr at irray came in then and in his grave kindly way ay be talked with charlie while I 1 sat quietly corn com pacing the two men and I 1 wondered if I 1 had loved charlie in the old days AY at 9 1 A a adl i S lim SM 10 |