An Old Man's Darling

Bonnibel, swept blithely ou

hief over her head, and wrapped

lighter. This moonlight flitti

ing the oars[Pg 17] looked handsome as a demi-god

do no wrong,"

Leslie Dane kept saying to her over and over, as if t

mile every time, "I never expe

tle fishing village consisting only of the rude huts of the fishermen, a little Methodist c

ld wife. Thither the young artist directed

re they knew it they stood in the shabby "best room," w

th his books, and the goo

young man made everything satisfactory, for in a minute he came back and led Bonnibel forwar

therto thoughtless child did not in the least r

quivered from head to foot with pleasure, and with a certain indefinable nervousness she did not begin

ung man slipped a ring over her finger that he had always worn on his own, the minister blessed them, the good wife kissed the girl with tears

e happiest one of your life," he whispered, as he put her into the little s

piness, Leslie," whisper

how much easier the parting will be when I know that I am leaving my wi

"Now that grim presentiment will[Pg 18] haunt me no more, and Uncle Francis cannot hu

betrayal of our marriage; but I implore you do not yield to the temptation. More serious consequence

I give you my solemn word of ho

ing, I shall think of you always while I am absent, and I will write to you very o

t I am well; but I can never be happy while I a

he said, changing the conversation abruptly, seeing th

I little thought when I put it on for dinner this evening that it would be my bridal dr

a little while, till

new of what you are t

ing through my mind that I read this evening in Jean Ingelow's pretty poe

ar them,"

e poem was called 'Divided,' and the last verse,

l love me duly, Yea, better, e'en better than I love him. And as I walk by the vast, calm river, The awful r

with newly awakened feeling died away. "You must always

hore. Leslie looked at h

out upon the shore. "I have but fifteen minutes to[Pg 19] reach the stat

nd weeping, to throw h

o go to the house alone?" he w

. "But, Leslie, ho

e answered, soothingly. "Be

h a long, despairing embrace

sweet wife, good-bye!" h

ms as if she would draw him back,

ed. "I will try to bear it, b

walk. It was almost midnight, and she beg

to get in through the wi

saw the front door open and her uncle

and forgetting herself entirely. "He has fallen asleep in his cha

p. Gliding softly along, she threw her arm about his ne

ld as ice. Her hand fell down upon his breast and came in contact with something

eamed, "oh, God,

had fallen fainting at her uncle's feet. The beautiful white dress she had promised to keep in memory of that ni