The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1858-11-24

had exhausted my tim wand eaergies, aud
thinking of Margaret hal not preser-
we'd a single me,nente of. har; and now l
wished / hsi one-if only wishssed
leaf or line Of hcr writing. In this
mood chalieeI to east ms aye upon
stray glove, in the bot,rm Of my trunk.
| snatehed at it eagerly, ami, ia tho iui,,
pulse Of the Observation-Disclosures. Projected
that it was wronging Flnra-riessed tito
my lips. Yes, found the place where it
hal been mendel, the spot Margarcfs
fingers had touched, and gave tia k:ss
for every stitch. Then, inceased st myself,
flung it from me, and hurried from tho
room. | walked towards the Place dsi&
Concordc where the brilliant lamps burn
Cd lkoa constellation, and strollel through
the EIys;an Fields, and watched thclights
of the carriages swarming Ike tire-f:ss
up the long avenue; stopped By the con-
cert gardens, and listened to the glorious
g rls singing I'M Ter rosy and golden pavil-
ions the last songs Of tbs season; wandcr-
cd about tho fountains by the gardens
of the Tuilleries, where the trees stood so
shadowy and still, and the statues gleam
cd so along the quavs of the Seine,
whore the waves rolled SO dark below
trying to settle my thoughts, to master
myself, to put Margaret from M.
Weary at length, returned to my
chamber, seated myself eomposedly, ami
looked down at tho glove which lay w!,crs
| had thrown it, upon the polished floor.
Mechanically stopped and took up bit
of folded paper. 1t was written upon
unrollcd it, and read 1t WIS as if had
opened the record of doom! Had the
spparition of Margaret herself risen sud
denly before me, | could not have been
more astounded 1t wasa note from her
and such note full of love, suffer-
ing, and humility-porrel on # = heart
SO deep and tender n d rue, { at the
shallowness of my own seemed utterly
contemplate, in compar son with it. |
cannot tell you what was writer, but it
WAS mole than even my m est cruel AMI
exacting pride could have asked. 1t was
what would once have made mo wild with
ioy-now it almost maddencd mo with
de.p2ir !, who had often talked fine
| philosophy to others, had not q grain of
| that article left to phys;c my own malady.
But one course seene1 plain before inc,
and that was to 20 and drown myself in
the Seine, which | had seen flowing 81
swift and dark.under the BRIDGES. IN hour
| before, when [ stood and unused upon the
tragical corpses its solemn food hal swal
| lowed.
~ am little given to superstition, anil
the mystery of the note excited mo. |
have no doubt but there was some subtitle
connection between it and the near pres
enco of Margarct's spirit, of which | hal
| that night been conscious. But the noto
had reached mo 10y no supernatural me-
thod as | was at first half inclined to be-
licvc. 1t was, probably the touch, the
atmosphere, the inefal'y fine Influence
which surrounded it, Which had pcnctra-
/ ted my unconscious perceptions, and
brought her near. The paper, the glove,
were flu of Margaret--ful of something
besides what we vaguely call mental ASST
| cations full of carnations of the very
love and suffering which she had breathod
:, into the writing,
! " How the note came there upon tho
| floor was riddle which I was too MA ii
bewildered to explain by any natural
means. Joseph, who burst in upon me,
in. my extremity of pam and difficulty,
| solve,l it at once. 1t had fallen ont of tbs
glove, where it had lain folded, silent.
unnoticed, during all this intervening pc
Rod Of folly and rexation of spul. Mar
garet had done her duly, in time; hal
only myself to blame for the tangle in
which now found myself. | was think
! ing Of Flora, upon the deck OF tho steam
| ship, when, in moment Of chagriu, sha
had been so near throwing herself over;
wondering to what fate her passion and
/ impetuosity wo I'D hurry her now, if she
knew; cursing myself for my weakness
and perfdy, while Joseph kept asking
me what intended to do.
"'Do? dor said furi3usly,- shall
kill you, that is what | shall do, if fou
drive mo mad with questions which nsi-
thcr angels nor fends can answer
81 know what you will do said 10.
seph; you vii 60 home and marry Mar
garet.
You GIN lavc no conception Of the
effect of those Words Go home ana
marry Mergaret. / shook rs / have
seen mon shake with the ague. All that
might have n,-what might be still,
the happiness cast away, and perhaps
yet within my reach, the temptation Of
the devil, who appealed to my cowardicc,
to fly from Flora, break my VOWS, risk
my honor and her life, for Margaret -
all this rushed through me unanimously.
At length said, ---
No, Joseph; / shall do no such
thing. never can be worthy Ct Marga-
ret it will beonly BY fasting and PRAYER
that / can mako myself worthy of Flora
q VIII you start for Italy i'll the morn
ings' he asked piticssly.
90 For Italy in the morning? Igroan-
ed. Meet Flora, travel with her, play
the hynocrite. with smiles on my lips and
hell in my heart, --or thunder strike her
at once with the truth what was to
do9 To some men the question would,
perhaps, have presented few difficulties.
But for me, sir, who am not quite devoid
of conscience, whatever you MAY think
let me toll Won, I'd rather hang by sharp
hooks over roasting fire, than be again
sus, ended rs I ras be.wixt two such AZ