The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1862-10-16
If i Could Know.

Hermann leaned back wearlly from
his study table, sighed and sat in reve.
rie for long time.
eff could only know that frnit
would come of all this thought and eff
fort" he said, breaking at length into
the panse with speech. eff I could
only know that the seed I am trying to
scatter would find a Judgment in good
ground"
He was silent again. Then a page
in his Book of Memory was turned
by an unseen hand, and he read from
it this passage: "In the morning sow
thy seed, and in the evening withhold
not thine hand for thou knOwest not
whether will prosper, either this or
that, or whether they both shall be
alike good"
He sighed once more, but the sigh
was fainter. Then he bent to his work
writing slowly and with an intentness
of thought that crowded the blood on
the brain. These, among other sen
tenees, came into existence:
"Of what did she die? The physi-
clans certificate has it confession on
the BRAIN But there be those who
know better-those who, living In
closer proximity, understand the case
differently. Was the physician de-
ceived? 4? Possibly. Nay, certainly,
for all his post-mortem examination.
True, there was congestion of the
brain, which, morbidly excited, took
blood faster than it was able to use and
return it and this was the proximate
cause of death-enough for the profes
sion; but the real cause lay far away
behind that; unrevealed to the eye ot
science. Of what, then, did she die
Simply of starvation! Nay, do moi
look incredulous, nor reject the asser.
ton. 1t is true-sadIy, sorrowfnll.
true! She died, as thousands die dai
ly around us, of starvation.
"You reject this, and with indigna
ton. You knew her socially and in
, timately, were with her frequently
during her last illness, and know tina
she took food daily, and in sufficient
quantities to sustain life. But, for al
this, our sweet friend died of starva
ton. There are those who live not by
bread alone, who must have heart foot
or they cannot live. Why are thu
cheeks of so many wives pale anC
wasted The family physician, a
fault, will look serious, and hint at or
ganic arrangement. He will recon
mend change of scene, exercise in th'
open air, more nutritious food-al
merely professional, and not touching
the case. If he could prescribe love
S 81 saw, long ago, that she was fail
ing. At first.there crept over her pur
face the thinnest veil of shadows
Something dreamy and pensive cam
into her eyes. She had strange, ear
If nest way of looking at her husband
tender, loving, but questioning. fish
sat near him, or stood by his side, sh
: leaned little, as if drawn by an in
visible attraction. / noticed, on hi
part, a cold, irresponsive manner
self.consciousness that held him ava
} from all just perception of her state
Of feeling. His thoughts were busy j
~ a world where she was not present
g All the while she was asking for love
and looking for its signs in tenderl
tn spoken words, in fond caresses,
ne kisses not coldly given, but burnin
. with heart-fres. All the while sI
vas hungering, and he kept back til
is is full supply of food.
"Was he estranged from her? Ha
m mf love already died? Had she failed I
ny reach his ideal of a wife? Not s.
,ir s.tt
He loved her-as snch self absorbe
men love their wives was proud
her; looked into no woman's face al
of thought it sweeter than hers. 81
was making all his life pleasant, al
he felt and acknowledged it with hil