The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1858-06-11
One night as held you thus, my husband


One night as held you thus, my husband
entered.
Katrne," said he, q shall die
tonight die by my own hand. | have
lost my all at the gaming table, whittier
your coldness has driven me. l am sorry
for your sake, and for the sake of our iu-
nocent child but you deserve little else
who could sell yourself for station, when
your being was another's -
know his reproaches were just, and
l sat still in defiant silence, holding you
to my heart For five minutes he stood
silently looking on us. Then he spoke
again with a softened tone:
Katrinc, forgive me. Perhaps you did
not know your heart till it was to late
Let not our parting be in anger | have
done you many wrongs, but have suffer
ed terribly-God will judge me, and he is
merciful. Katrinc, kiss me once before /
die Once let me hold you to my heart.
You are my wife. Your hatred cannot
be so deep that you will refuse me this, my
last request. >
Hanna, | know not what demon ruled
me, but sprang up from my seat and
held you aloft in my arms and cried
eco! do not touch me loathc you
| hate you! But for you my darling would
not have died Before your comming |
was happy Co. You cannot suffer as
| have suffered, ever since your hateful
lips called me wife y
"Then holding you still, | sank down
upon the floor weak and helpless. can
remember nothing distinctly, but | have
faint, indistinct memory of a kiss OF
fire upon my forchead---of seeing your
baby face covered with caresses and OF
being aroused from tn. darknes of my
long fainting by the report Of pistol
Your father was dead.
" Hanna, do not quite hate me. l have
loved ycu, suffered for you, lived in your
life, If my crime was great, the punish
mcnt OF my lifelong remorse is most terri
bic E"
clasped her bowed form in my arms,
and pressed my lips again to her flushed
brow, shuddcring at the thought that terri
bic had been my fate but for tho story
and its warnings. Oh, how much dearer
my heart acknowledged her in the utter
hopeless of her faithful sorry than she had
ever been in what | had supposed the
cold perfectness of character.
There was quick ring at the door,
My mother gathered about her the heavy
fold of her shawl and then turning upon
me the appealing glance of her fearful
eyes, passed from the room. Hunt Henes-
ley entered He knelt at my feet, and
whispered plcadingly of the future his
care should make SO bright lnvoluntarily
| shuddered as | drew my hand from his
clasp,
Mr.. Hencsley," said in low earnest
tone, 81 have heard that tonight which
makes the distinction of this world seem
of little moment in contrast with calm
true love which shall last for eternity. |
do? not so love you. cannot be your
wife"
My words left no room for hope, and
he went out silently into the storm. l
never looked upon his face again.
Before the evening was over, Morgan
Phillips also sought my presence, and his
CrTdHu was W say IdicNeh' SleVhS pSei"@
me, my hand in his, he said
Hanna, my beloved, | dare not ask
you to be mine, but | will not stay and
see you given t, another. l leave you to
your bright destiny.
There was not much pride left in my
heart then, and | said in whisper so low
that only ears of love could catch the
sound:
&" Morgan, stay, for my sake, stay -
ooh what an expression Of beautiful
light and cagerness, of morning sunshine,
broke over his face then. But the rest is
my secret am Mrs. Morgan Phillips
now. ] hear of Hunt Hcnesley some
times, standing among tho proudest and
nobest of the land. But his name brings
with it no regrets. Dearer than the brighl
skies of far-off Italy, are the blue eyes
that meet my own so lovingly; sweeter
than the whole worlds homage, the tones
which murmur, as [ stand among idols
"my wife, my beloved +"