Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1873-05-15

constantly occupied with them. How hap.
ny We used to look forward to the future,
for Stephen was beginning to save money
and bow many were our day dreams
about professional eminence for him, and
fashion sble life in London, partly for
Marion, but mostly for me. have tried
fashionable life in London since, but
never found it as happy as our days in
the dear old Surrey village.
Well, cur happy times did not last long.
Marion caught q cold - the winter came
on, und was soon 60 i'll as to bo taken to
London for advice. Stephen came back
alone. with weary, deathlv-lookiug
face. Marion had broken small blood
vessel on the journey-not anything seri-
Gus in itself, but ominous enough: They
were to 20 at once to warm climate
not day to be lost: Sorrowfully l pack
ed up the necessary things, and went with
Stephen to London the next day to say
good BY to Marion, who had been forbid
den to 20 homo. The same afternoon they
were on board vessel bound for Log
horn. Luckily, Marion was good sailor,
ane well used to ships, for she had made
more than one voyages to Madeira with
her father. Much ass l wished to 80 With
them, and much a. they wished il, too, 1t
was out Of the question. Stephen had
saved but little money, and could hardly
see how he and Marion were to live e,unless
he could make practice somewhere
among tho English abroad, and his taking
mo also was not tc he thought Of. was
to live for the present with my married
sister. 1t was very sore to part with
Stephen, with whom I had lived all my
life it was almost sorer still to part with
Marion, who had been moro than a sister
to me ever since esw her. Stephen and
I we're nearly overcome with emotion
but sho was calm and SILENT with an IN.
tent, wiettui look about her lovely face
that has haunted me all my life since.
can see it now, when shut my eyes,
though it was fifty years ago. Need l say
that never saw her again
went 10 my sisters house and began
tho fashionable life used to wish for. 1t
was not all that / had pictured it, though
it was pleasant enough to occupy me in
the day time; but ut night Ilonged sadly
for my darlings.
Stephen wrote letters full Of hope, and
talked Of returning, after spending two
years in Italy. Marion, too, wrote favor.
ably Of herself, and my anxietr began to
lessen. There was another reason for
this, q: the same time my late husbands
friend, and partner Of my sisters husband,
was ut the same time paving bis addresses
to me; and the tender troubles Of my own
case made me careless Of others. Summer
came around again, and one day as was
half wishing for my country homo letter
arrived from Stephen. Mari.n's COM
plaint1Eas ut a crisis, ana great change
would take place, one way or the other,
in tev days. Twas to 60 home, put the
house in order, and be ready to receive
! them. did not know till after ward that
Marion had begged to be allowed to die
ut home. If the change were for the worse:
it it had been for the better there would
have been no reason for her staying
abroad.
Well, l went home, arranged everything,
end waited for them. Three weeks passed
(the usual interval, and NO letter; a
month, and supposed they wore travel.
ing slowly to avoid fatigue. On the
day Eve weeks after I had received the
last letter I was sitting alone rather late
in the evening, when o quick step sounded
in the road outside, and Stephen came
to the gate, opened it, entered the
honec, and sat down in silence. He was
dressed US usual, and looked tired and
travel-stained but there was no sorrow in
his face, and felt sure thut Marion must
be safe. asked him where she was. lilo
said she was not with him.
ua~e You loft her 10 Italy ?" I asked.
"She is Dead" he answered withou, Q
shadow of emotion"
How ? whereof" I was beginning to
question him, but he stopped me.
"Give mo something to eat and drink, "
he said. II have walked from London,
and I want to Sleep"
II brought him what he wanted. He
bade me good night, and, Us I saw he
wished it, l left him and went to bed, full
If grief, but even mo,e Of wonder, that he,
who truly loved his wifa, It ever /. man
did, couId speak Of her not a month after
death without his voice faltcring or his
face changing in the least. "ro. morrow
will solve the question" l said to myself.
as weary with crying, l telt sleep coming
over me. But tomorrow did not solve
tho question. He told mo, as before,
without emotion, what he wished me to
know, and from that moment he spoke NJ
moro ON the subject. In cverv respect
but this, he was my own Stephen of old
as kind aud thoughtful az ever, only alter.
ed by rather absent and abstracted man.
uer. l thought at first tbathe was stunn,
ed by his loss, and would roal,zo it moro
painfully afterward; but months passed
on without change. He used Marion's
chair, or things of her work, or sat oppo
site to her drawings, not seeming to notice
them: indeed, it Wis as if she had dropped
out of his life entirely. and lett him as be
was before he knew her. The only differ
ence was that he. naturally q man o.
sedentary habits, took great deal o.
exercise, and l know that he kept lauda
mum in his bedroom.
At this time my lover was press
ing me to marry him, and with much diff
Guilty | consented to tell Stephen about it
though l had no intention of leaving him
10 my surprise he seemed pleased.
told him that would never leave bin
alone, for all the husbands in the world
but he would not hear me.
IL think it is your duty to marry him
Margaret" he said. You love him ant
have taught him to love you, and yo,
have no right to sacrifice him to me-"
"ay first duty is to you Stephen.
will not leave you alone"
II ses that must explain to you" h
said, after pause. "When you leave m,
i shall not be alone"
@Who will be with you ?" l asked, won
dering.
Marion"
l started as if l had been shot, for
thought he must surely be mad; but h,
continued quite calmly, and a. usual, with
out emotion:
"She died at mid day. Till night di,
not know wha: l did. l felt stunned an,
and broken and dying myself; but ut last
worn out a. | was with watching and 81,
ting up, l fell asleep and by Gods mer
.. cy che came to me ih my dreams, and toll
me to be comforted. The next night sh
: came again, and from that tune to thi
> has never failed me. Then I felt that
!, was my duty to live; that if my life wa
! valueless to myself, it was not to you; 9
:. l came. dare say it is only freak q
= my imagination. Perhaps even produc
an illusion by an effort Of my will; bu
=. however that is, it has saved me from gt
: : ing mad or killing myself: How does sh
. come Always rs she was in that fir,
:. summer that 70 spent here,or in our carl
= time in Italy always cheerful and beaut
fu', always alone, always dressed Us sh
= used to dress, talking as she used to tai
~ not an angel, but herself.