Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1863-05-29
"Those are harsh words, Fred" a
"Not harsher than she deserves, Heaven


UOSc uTc Il1ISLl WOIuS, IASu. ~.
"Not harsher than she deserves, Heaven
knows!" he calculated, warmly. 81. .s
"What do you know about her ?" ..
"This much: that Singleton trusted her
and she deceived him; that he had as noble
heart as ever beat in a mans breast, and
she tossed it aside, when it suited her, as If
it had been soiled glove or broken fam
1t was she drove him into the army"
"I was surprised, must confess, when
heard of his commission" s.r
Everybody was surprised. Singleton
was an artist, Bohemian, no more fitted
for military life than an angel is fit for a
seavenger. 1t was the death of him. They
called It brain fever. call it a broken
heart. What more could she do ?" ....
"Might you not have misunderstood p
She is so fair, SO young, so innocentlook.
ing"
uous return. 81 have no patience or pity
for mercenary woman" ....- ~.
Hush she is nodding this WAYS it to
you2" ..... .... ..ar. .s
Fred looked UP and returned II gravely..-
How eager Mrs. Goldecken looked, and how
her lovely face flushed under his gaze Just
then the curtain fell upon the second act. A
number of gentlemen strolled into the lob
bies, the bald-headed broker among the
rest.
Mrs. Willing was engrossed with some el-
derly ladies who had just entered the box,
and Constance sat alone in the front playing
nervously with the tassles Of her cloak. She
glanced quickly about her and then bending
forward, made an almost imperceptble. ges.
ture.
Fred stood up reluctantly:
"She wants me-I must 60 to her." he
muttered between his teeth; "and I'd rather
face a battery" ...'.. . ,5
"IIave some pity on her. whispered, as
he strobe off.
In afew moments saw him enter tho box.
Mamma Willing salutcd him cordially-he
was a handsome fellow, and Of unexception-
able family. They offered him seat among
the dowagers, but he bowed and crossed over
to Constance. was surprised to see how
calmly she greeted him. The flush had sub
sided, the leisurely swaying Of the fan was
resumed. She looked up a. him as he !eant
over her chair, brilliant, bright-eyed and
self-collected, and seemed to talk common
places.
With his feelings in the matter, mentally
contrasting, no doubt, the dead with the liv-
ing, this indifference, assumed or otherwise,
could not but be CALLING to him. He gave
one glance at me, his lips compressed, his
eye flashing, then bending over her and whis-
pcring, apparently but few words, he turn
ed abruptly on his heel and disappeared.
The young bride sat still moment Her
head was thrown back, her face as white as
death, still listening, her glittering eyes wan
dering vacantly over tho crowded house. -
Then she got up, tottering, took step or
two, cropping blindly before her with her out
stretched hands, and--fell ~ H'stt a
There was a frightened stir among the Ia
dies in the box, and could see them crowd
about her, bending down and tanning; then
Goldecket, and one Of the ushers coming in
the motionless figure, with its rich dress flow.
ing, and its sunny head dropping like bro.
ken flower, was lifted and carried slowly out,
leaving the box empty Ia ". .e 'a" :
or course the adjacent seats stared; but
the footlights flashed up again, the orches-
ira sounded, and the curtain rising upon the
midnight interview between Samuel and Cas-
par, the grim owl, the death heads and the
mysterious bullets soon distracted the vola.
tile public. @..as ...
Fred Rivers came round and laid heavy
hand upon my shoulder.
"Ipromised to sup with Silverstring to.
night" he said, quickly, "but you must
make my excuses. | couldn't 60 IT now"
"What have you done, Fred?" | asked,
glancing towards the empty box. .tI a.
His eye followed mine he started in sur
prise. @.i t#5. islg" rrl 4
"What has become Of her?" e. ..'
tainted, and was taken out That was
your work, Hotspur.'' a n
"Come out of this" said Fred, hurriedly,
"it is sitting" Ufa'' ait -
A little group was on the pavement, and
carriage drove slowly away as we ran down
the steps. n
Anything wrong3" we asked lounger.
+" A lady tainted, Goldecken's wife, the rich
broker who" 81" ~"
"That will do" said Fred: : adding, as we
walked on, 81 didn't give hor credit for that
much feeling" 0 a #
You should not have tested her so pub
licly. What did you say to her."
Fred burst out hotly: a 1a
"Were you watching her? Did you see
how cool she was, in her purple and fine
linen,' her diamonds and her indifference,
tanning herself like lazy Queen, when the
very sight OF a uniform should have pierced
her like an arrow. Per Baccho! could not
stand it." s4'sa# a.5 1855 's It
:" What news from the South, Captain
Rivers ? said she, smiling 't
"' News madam, returned I, slowly, Il
have but one piece of news for you. Harry
Singleton is dead, and you have killed him."
"With that left her"
And he left me likewise: for with an
abrupt Goodnight" he turned into the de-
pot, and saw no more Of him for month.
Then it was in Washington. We were
brcakfasting at Wizards, party Of us, Me-
lodius Silverstring among the rest.
Slverstring had the morning paper, read
ing aloud occasional tit-bits, hutterinp
through the news in his butterfly fashion.
All ola sudden he halted, with disina
whistle. 81 a aaiE ea = 1o 3sos
l was leaning over his shoulder, and saw
it before he read it. x3.<.r.g a,es,
"On the 18th, at Goldecken Villa, Of brair
fever, Constance Willing, beloved wife o
Ingersoll Goldecken, Esq, in the Goth ycal
of her age" -.
Fred Rivers snatched at the paper and reat
It again, biting his lips nervously and look
inr nn,,s,,~nn
;" "a, ..---~s.o,Iy nuSneo. @aW
Guess whom met at the Capitol jus
now boys!' cried a young officer, flashin,
s.
"Who was II o., n,,ecy;oned half. A. dozen