The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1857-08-26


her speak in glowing terms of his talents,
and predict brilliant professional career
for him; and this l could not gainsay,
but l remembered quoting cousin Alfred,
and saying that he was hollow hearted
and devoid of moral principle: but as l
supposed at the time that her admiration
only, and not her heart, was enlisted, and
that it was nothing more than mere
girlish fancy, / had forborne to convey
my decided convictions.
q But now l reflected. Can it be, I
questioned, can it be that Edwin Morris
is the noble high-souled man whom my
dear Mimic should love as her husband,
whom she could love if she thoroughly
understood his character? | knew her
intense and overweening admiration of
genius, her almost idolatrous worship for
the refined and intellectual, and under
stood it all. Minnie was deceived, blind
ed. But what could I do? Nothing,
plainly. l had done, said, all that cir
cumstances and my own convictions of
duty had warranted when my influence
would have avaled anything, and now
that the time was passed and Minnie was
on the eve of marriage, could only pray
Heaven for her happiness, and hope for
the best.
Months rolled away. returned home.
A few weeks brought pressing invita-
ton to visit Minnie. Twas but too hap
Ply to comply. 1t was delightful eve
ming in September that / was set down
at her door in the thrifty village of L..
rung the bell, and Minnie herself an
swered it. She he'd been looking for me
since o'clock. 80 Carrie, l am so re-
joiced to see you, so glad that you have
Gomez and she clasped me to her heart
with the old fervor Of girlish affection
still undated. Had I been jealous lest
her wifely love should wholly engross and
exclude all other love, the suspicion must
have fled my mind at once.
"My husband will be home soon. He
has been almost as anxious for ycur ar
rival as myself; quite impatient is he to see
my dear old friend Carrie. He has
heard me quote and describe you so often
as to be quite we'll acquainted with you
already. / know you must like him
though She hesitated, and did not
nlIude then, nor ever afterward, to my
old prejudice, yet l am sure it was then
in her mind.
We were interrupted by the entrance
of her husband l recognized in his
classic features and more manly figure my
quondam favorite of the old Academy
yet he was changed, and though would
fain, yet could not, feel that the change
was for the better. / should have been
puzzled to account for much that trans
pred during that somewhat extended Wis
it, had not possessed the clue derived
from cousin Alfred. Poor Minnie her lips
were scaled as far as any allusion to her
husbands faiings were concerned; her
doom was sealed likewise. Months pass
ed, and she became mother; but the
blossom faded ere two brief months had
passed away.
Again received a letter; it bore q
strange post mark, but l could not mis-
take Minnie's delicate hand writing. l
opened it. They had taken up their
abode in distant city; the letter ran
cheerfully, hopefully, and then again l
hoped.
A few miles from the capital of one of
our Western States, near the banks of
the beautiful Wisconsin, unenclosed by
railing of even the simplest kind, is a lone
ly grave. l have visited it only in dreams
but | have some dried, long grass and
a few withered leaves that were sent me
by one who was a ''friend in need" to my
dear Minnie in her last, her saddest days.
l know her history, l know it all, but my
heart aches, and "my hand declines the
mournful task" of revelation. The shad-
ows of this calm June evening are folding
themselves around me. / will rest my
head upon my hand and think ofmy poor,
dead Minnie and her prairie grave.