Jasper County Democrat, Volume 8, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 June 1905 — Absentminded Maria [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Absentminded Maria

....By CATHERINE BURGESS....

It would have been an Injustice to Dr. Jnrdine and to his state of mind on a certain January evening in the year it-doesn’t-matter-what to say that be was in a bad temper. It was beyond that—a disgust with himself, the world and life so consuming as to make his outward actions almost automatic, so separate were they from his inner self. Yet professional hnbit was strong. The patients In the long wards saw no difference as he stopped kere and there in his tour of Inspection and asked the usual questions. Only one young Irish girl, with the clearness of death in her eyes, laid her hand on his as he touched her tenderly and whispered: “Ye’d bettker be cornin’ wid me, docther, dear. Thlngs'll be stralghter—there.” It was not the first time he had thought of It. Really, the inner voice questioned as he listened to the report of the bead nurse, what good was his life to the world anyway? Here he had gone halfway across the continent this bitter January to attend at a great operation, and the man had died after all. He was not necessary In the hospital. There were a dozen better men. His wife—but he turned from that thought Instinctively. His sister—she would forget he had lived or died at the sight of a Lafayette plate. The head nurse had finished her report. He looked at his desk piled with mall. “I can’t read It tonight," he decided aloud. “The top one came yesterday by messenger,” the head nurse said. “It is marked ‘lmportant.’ ” And she retired softly. Dr. Jardlne broke the seal. “Dear Brother"—the note ran—“l have heard of some extraordinary old Staffordshire op In Ulster county, and I start In ten minutes. Cornelia Frye knows It, too. so you see there Is no time to lose. I may be back before you return from the west, but In case I do not I Inclose keys. We have moved In your absence.” [He smiled at the we.] "The new apnrtment Is 19 East Eighty-fourth street. The Janitor of the old one was Impertinent. It Is on the second floor, to the left. Your room is at the end of the hall. Your affectionate sister,

"MARIA.”

The note was so characteristic, the situation so fitting a climax to hla wt>ek of work and strain, that hla

seust* of humor wan touched. “Per- I feet," he murmured to himself us he j sent for u cub. At ID East Eighty-fourth street the cabmuu hud to work with voice ami hand to rouse his fare. "I never knowed auy geuTiuau so far gone before d In the moruing,” he : observed to the area ratlings. Unconscious of the impression he had left behind biro. Dr. Jardlne stumbled up the front steps. “Jardlne, sir? Out, I believe, Bir,” said a sleepy hall boy. "I know; I am Dr. Jardlne.” The boy stared, suecuinl>cd to the voice of authority and dozed aguln. In the room nt the end of the hall the principal object of Interest to the weary man was the bed, a four poster, with curtains, surprising enough to one who wns used to "Sleeping on an Iron cot. “Confound Marla!” he grumbled. “If she starts collecting untlijue furniture as well as plutes I am lost!” The four poster wore a very Inviting air despite Its unexpectedness. Dr. Jardlne slowly pulled oft hts shoes and divested himself of coat and waistcoat. “I must lie down a moment,” be murmured, “and—think—this—over.” And the bed received him Into Its depths. He dreamed. A weird procession passed before hint like the figures in a frieze—and every one was his wlfel Now she was laughing, now dancing, now weeping, now stern as the angel outside paradise, always gazing at bint with unseeing eyes. He struggled to reach her, but could not. Ho beard ber retreating footsteps—retreating, yet sounding always nearer. Striving to solve the puzzle, be awoke. The footsteps continued, not loud and ominous as In bis dream, but light, flitting steps. They reminded him of some one he had known. For a moment he stared, bewildered, into the darkness of the curtained bed, the steps seeming to echo from his dream. Then he remembered. Marla was In Ulster oounty. Who was the Intruder? He parted the car-

talus a finger** breadth and - looked out The room beyond was dimly lighted. Trunks stood open, with books and clothing in orderly plies beside them. The clink of silver came from the room across the ball. "Looting the place, by Jove!” the doctor whispered. He half arose, but at the sound of returning steps he sank back, his eye at the curtain parting. “Of all things In heaven and earthl” Instead of leaping out he drew the edges closer. “A woman I” A woman it was who had entered the adjoining room and who proceeded with a businesslike air to store an armful of silver in one of the yawning trunks. Dr. Jardine watched her, amazed. Her back was toward him, and he noted its graceful lines as she lifted and bestowed her booty. She looked a lady. Gradually he began to feel like a peeping Tom rather than an outraged householder. How should he announce his presence? Would she faint? What should be do with her? What would Marla say?

At last she lifted the little shaded lamp and turned straight toward him. Not four feet from him she put the lamp down and sighed like a tired child. He wondered afterward how he lived through that moment. That she, the woman he still loved, who bore his name, who had forsaken him—could Bhe have become a common thief? Incredible! It was a nightmare. The curtains stifled him. He tore them apart. The woman saw a pale, gasping face fronting her, the eyes horror struck, as of one looking on a ghost. An Instant her own matched It; then she fainted. “Molly!” he cried and sprang to her. She revived readily. He remembered she had never been a fainting woman. She clung to him. "Robert,” she whispered, “that horrible man!” Then, watching his face, she let go her hold. "Robert! Were you he?” He nodded, unable to speak. “What did you do It for? It was too dreadful! I thought it was a burglar! How did you find me?’’ “Find you? I opened my eyes and saw you!” “Of course, but how did you know I was here?” “What do you mean? How did you know I was here?” he demanded.

“Are you trying to make a joke of It?” she cried. “You creep Into my rooms like a thief”— “A thief!” he echoed. “Your rooms! Aren’t they mine? They knew my name downstairs” “You are more ungenerous thau I could have expected," she Interrupted. “Whose name could I bear but yours? You are strangely forgetful!" “Noy” he answered; “no, Molly, I never forget. If I only could! I shall go mad solue day remembering!” Then, pulling himself together, he said: “Forgive tills business, Molly. It’s queer enough, but It’s some mistake of Marla’s. She has taken a new apartment, and—and evidently this is not it I thought it was. Maybe l made a mistake myself. I was dead tired. Anyhow, I’ll get out. I can go somewhere, of course."

“It Is hardly worth while,” she replied. "It will soon be morning anyhow. Jenuy and I have been packing all night, or, rather, I have, since she fell asleep taking down pictures. We sail tomorrow on the Oceanic.” He did not answer. The excitement had faded from his face and left it white and haggard. She came closer. “Robert, I would never have gone to you. I had injured you too much. I know now It was my own fault—my owu jealousy. But that does not matter. We shall Boon be separated, perhaps forever. Fate orOod has brought us together for a moment first. Forgive me!” Two hours later there was a knock at the door. Dr. Jardlne and his wife looked nt each other with eyes in which laughter and* panic mingled. “And you are a respectable widow lady!” he mocked. But it was only old Jinny who appeared upon the threshold. Her hands and eyes went up In happy gesticulation.

“Thank the Lawd,” «he cried, “the two ntubbornes’ folks in the wo’ld have done come together again! An’ Mis’ Molly, the’s a tel’phone fer the doctali from the horspltal. Mis' Jardlne's jest raisin’ New Yawk because he ain’t come home, an’ ” “But I have come home!” cried Dr. Jardlne. “Where's the telephone, Jinny?” In n moment he returned, laughing. "This Is ID East, Isn't it?” he Inquired. "Well, my sister Marla ‘Jest natcbelly,’ as Jinny would say, wrote ‘Bust’ when she meant West. I never thought I should live to bless the absentmludedhess of Marla, but heaven knows I do now with all my heart and ■oul!” And, though Molly was silent, she felt for the first time that she truly loved her sister-in-law. ,

DR. JARDINE WARCHED HER, AMAZED.