The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1873-05-15
From Tins.cy's Magazine.
STRICKEN.

iSOnS who wondered why i married
Richard Webper it afterward trans
pired that his relatives were surprised
atnay courage. They could tell me
Tall then; they could say that he had
ever leaned toward dis>nlute life ;
that his associates were OF i'll repute ;
and that industry aud perseverance
found no place in the articles of his
creed. This and great deal more,
they were able to acquaint me with
after | had found out for myself the
character and habits of the man ]
had welded.
/ Nearly fifteen years have passed
since the day he led me to the altar,
but I can remember as though twas
but yesterday the evening = consent.
ed to be his bride. 1t was at the
close of an agricultural festival; there
had been an exhibition Of stock and
farmers produce, and after the prizes
had been distributed there were ath.
letic competitions. a,rn
From mere Joke I promised the
band of village lads who then sought
my smiles that he who won the ma
jority of foot-races and jumping-
matches should be my choice. | was
q giddy girl, just at the end Of my
teens, and far more vain and affected
than even most young persons at that
age. | was proud OF the curls that
clustered round my head, and | knew
the havoc my eyes made among the
lads gathered around me. a,.a
Though you may not think sojudg
ing from my appearance, | was g
beauty then, and the envy Of all the
girls in the village. My eyes were
bright, not luster4ess as now and nay
hair was glossy brown, not an iron
gray as you see it. The superiority
Of my personal appearance was {
theme Of conversation, and, naturally
1enough, source of pride to my pa
rents, ! say this to my sorrow. Hac
been plain gaunt creature / NIGH
have married an homes t, loving, hard
working fellow, instead Of a scamp
A true saying is that which AYERS
matrimony to be great lottery. ]
found it, so;, for embarking youth
beauty, and future happiness in tbs
speculation, | drew a blank. 49,.
!. Although he had been staying il
that little out-of-the-way Hampshire
village but few weeks, and none
knew whence he came or what might
be his business therein bad insinuat
ed himself into my affections, and was
running neck-and-neck race with hi
rivals for my hand ere / became con
scious of the fact. He told me hi
name was Richard Weber; that ht
was of good family; and that he liv
ed upon an income not derived from
hard work. tg These things were Hn
doubtedly true, but all else he SAID
was false, and therefore need not be
set down here, since It's with facts
alone have to deal. dare say il
was the result of my training aud Oh
the batteries he had persistent,
poured into my ear. that / was deat
to the warnings of friends, and was
content 90 receive his protestationt
without making an effort to ascertain
any particulars of his past life. Look
ing back through SO many dreary
years, l fancy then, had l had the
wish, should have lacked the deter
mination to ask him more of his con
nections and former history than ht
was willing to tell me from the first
he exercised a strange fascination
over me. With his well made clothes
his white delicate hands, from both oil
which sparkled a diamond, his insinu.
ating manners, and commanding
hands me face, he was a sutton pos
sessing qualities that far outshone
those of my other lovers.
But what woman can tell the exact
reaeon she loves man? never vel
met any of my own sex who could
honestly say that such an action, such
an expression of the face, or such &
sentence won her heart. The source.
of true love lie 100 deep in woman.
breast to be easily discovered. / an
certain that fifteen years ago loveC
: Richard Webber with all the sinceri
lty | was capable of; I am certain
> that if he were here now, despit,
what has passed should love hin
still; but for the life Of me canno
say why. .....- r ...r --.
This much I know, that when tn,
challenge | had given to my sutton,
was taken up,and | saw Richard nov
running swiftly as hare, then clear
ing fences and hurdles as though h,
had been doing nothing else from hi,