The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1872-06-21
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thought him the best and truest man in
the world-'my king 1 used to call
him. He soon wearied of me, his latest
toy, and mean as he was by nature he
soon showed himself in his true coIors.
AT first, when knew only one or two
low traits in the character had deemed
without flaw, tried hopefully to re-
form him, and showed him plainly my
horror Of his words and actions. That
incensed him, and / had to suffer in
consequence. 1 was eighteen, Mr..
Lloyd, when / married him, and l lived
as his wife ten years-ten horrible
years! Before freed myself | no longer
dared to show my detestation of him.
| grew cowardly. I lied to him-I was
obliged TO, to save myself. 1 grew to
watch his every movement, and PAN
dered to his wishes with not one dis
senting word, the while / hated him
and loathed myself for my nearness to
him. / smiled in his face while my
heart was breaking. 1 watched and
waited and schemed to get such evil
dences of his abuse and wrong doing as
should free me before the law. He grew
to trust me and to think me entirely
callous to anything he might do, and
so betrayed himself into my hands"
She drew long breath and clasped the
dainty hands tightly. 1.-TWO years ago
the law gave me my freedom. / ought |
to have been free eight years before |
that. would not marry any man, Mr. |
Lloyd, for l distrust all men. / only /
look forward to life so useful that it |
may wash the stains of those dreadful |
years away from me. Strangest of all I
my sad experiences, however, is the
fact that now am irrevocably lost to |
him. This man, who hardly gave me |
decent word for years; who struck me
hundreds of times-always, the coward! I
when there was none to see; who forced I
me to witness his mad orgies with his !
brutal companions, and made me live
in the house with his paramours-thjsI
man is now madly in love with me
again. He haunts me with his profess
sions of love and mad desire to win me
back, and appeals to me by all those
feelings which he murdered years ago,
and which he dares to think me capa-
bic of holding toward him even now.
This is why l am here in hiding, and
this, Mr.. Lloyd, is the life that has
made me seem TO you q perfect wom-
an. Would you like your wife to have
such memories as mine to haunt YOU
and her! L think not! Make yourself
worthy, Mr.. Lloyd, of the love of some
pure girl-there are plenty of them |
around yOu-before ever you offer your /.
self to her. Don't ask of her more than /
you are willing or capable Of giving in I
return. Prove to her, however, as far
as possible, all that she has dreamed I
you to be, and thus save her from the 4
bitter experience of my life. Promise
me this, and you will help me to be
happier"
She rose as if to close the interview,
offering him her hand, with a wistful
look in her eyes. He gave his with a
new feeling of respect for her and for all
wOmanhOod.
az do PROMISE" he said earnestly;
"and in spite of, or rather in virtue of,
what you have confided to me, / still
believe you to be perfect woman. 1
recognize how impossible it is for you
to be anything more to me than what
you now are, but if you will permit me
1 shall evpr be your faithful friend.
You have told me some uncomfortable
but wholesome truths, which, 1 trust,
will ultimately benefit me. I thank
you sincerely. Good evening"
"One word more" she said hurriedly. /
"Please do not refer again to my past
history. / cannot bear itp' with a
plaintive uplifting of her hands. "My
only study now is to do what good 1
can, to shrink from nothing, and so TO
forget 1t is as much as I can or dare
to attempt. Good night" and she
passed from the room.
Burt Lloyd went home the next day.
Two years later, on his wedding tour,
Burt Lloyd surprised his young bride by
stopping at at little Out-of-the-way
country town and calling, in her COM
pany, on the principal of a young ladies'
school-a lovely but somewhat faded
woman, with beautiful eyes and hair,
whom he introduced as Mrs. Harte, and
of whom he remarked, as they drove
away after long call:
"What there may be best of me in
my treatment of you during the COM
ing years of our lives, my darling, you
may ascribe to that woman's influence
upon me. But for her should have re-
mained conceited jackanapes."
And thereupon he told the whole
story.
/ LIFE AND ITS DANGERs.-Life is like
fountain fed by thousand streams
that perishes if one be broken. Thought