The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1859-04-27

| utatuS lfoib LILO iuoOuiiSulS uoW, us Il
there was tears in their eyes. And the
moonlight courted the waterfall, and low
and sweet murmured the mimic waves, az
they, too, bent their heads and went over
the fall, and their gentle whisperings were
all of love and devotion. And never Sc
green before was wood, and never SO
green the grass and the grain; for look
ing through the window of that house out
in the country, we could see it fall.
Lena, her hand was in my own, and
head upon my shoulder,) Lena l love
you!
My voice was heavy with emotion, |
thought with love, and my hand that
was holding hers trembled like leaf in
the wind, for was agitated and thinking
of poor Bella.
Poor Bella indeed I wished my heart
was iron, or steel, that by striking would
throw out its ovehashse, exhausting all
its flames in little while. But it was
not, alas it was not!
Mr.. Thompson-sir! That was all she
said, for I stopped her.
Do not curse me Lena, for [ cannot
help it. Long time have worked against
my love; but it will not be crushed. l
worship you, dear Lena! Oh, say you
will be mine! I
Thomas Thompson She paused.
Ay, said 1. Speak, Lena.
Pardon me, Tom, but you are either a
knave or fool.
This from you of all others, Lena. I
said as soon as | could find breath to an
swer her. a
She was silent for moment and then
drawing long breath, seemed to be pre-
pairing to say something unpleasant. AT
length she said: a
Gladly Tom, l would believe you nei
ther, but cannot. Either you are try
ing to deceive Bella and and me, or you
are infatuated with your Premotion hum
bug so much that you are half a fool in
this particular. You are eng aged to Bel
la. She loves you, and really, | believe
you love her, but you do not know it..
Should l accept of your profered hand, it
would not be a month before your Pre-
monitor would tell you we were never to
marry, and then you would be away to
some new found love. No, no! Tom
Thompson-she said, and laid her hand
on my arm and smiled through her tears,
YOU cannot make fool of me, and [ am
not going to be party to act against
Bei.a's happiness. Perhaps you will be
surprised, but [ must tell you that neither
Bella nor | will ever be your wife. You
are
Spare me Lena! I interrupted. Do
not curse me. I am miserable enough
now.
You are, she persisted either fool or q
knave. l must speak plainly, Tom.
The moonlight shone cold upon us
then, and her face was cold, and we both
shivered as if it was a winters night
There was pain i'll the heart Of each, and
such pain as | hope never to endure a
gam.
What was I? A coward, fool, and
knave. | had won the love of as pure
cirl as ever blessed the world, and hat
cast it aside. 1t was jewel cast before
swine.
And in casting it aside. l had drawn
down upon me the scorn Of those d ares
to me of all the world, and without whom
the world was desoated PLAN, with no
| blossom in it.
@ Lena. Lena! | said when ] left he
that highland the words were full 0
pathos, and my heart WAS beating so ter
ribly sad, that it seemed as though m.
life was henceforth to be in darkness.
would fall without Bella or Lena. Non,
would weep for me, at least they woulc
not. and [ cared not whether others dit
or not. o Lena! sweet Lena And
added as l stood by the gate for mo
ment in the moonlight: Sweet Bella, vii
you ever forgive me for this. But alas
| received no answer.
Time passed on again. And as tn
weeks flew by. thought of Bella more
and loved her once again. Oh, how
loved herl and / looked back to my in
fatuation for Lena, and saw that ha'
been blinded by Premoniton; and hear
/ the cold, hollow laugh of my ghost, an
| thought heard its brow shake as it laugh
ed for JOY.
Dear Bella I said to myself man
times and the old love came back to IN
stronger than ever, while the new love
the imagined love for Lena went away
But would Bella still love mes Woul