The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1873-10-23

AND lcna was q widow On nel
wedding day. The villiany of hcl
husband came upon her like q
! thunderbolt. aud she saik down
like one stricken with death.
Days passed ere the came to
her senses, aud then shc was to i'll
to converse. A raging fever fol
lowed, and for many weeks the
fair girl hovered between life and
death. Nature prevailed over dis.
ease at last, and Rena was conva-
lcscent, recovering her bodily
strength, but her spirit was utterly
crushed and despon1ent. As a
consequence hcrthoughts naturally
reverted to the bravo and noble
Henry Norman, Whom she had
scorned on account of his unro-
mantle taste. In searching her
heart she found there the image
Of the young foreman indelibly
engraved, and knew wher too
late. that she married a man she
did not love, and Of whose were-
abouts !she kew nothing. Slowly,
very slowly, did Rena recover
from the terrible shock. lie parents
were both tender and solicitous
of her welfare, knowing that they
too were equally to blame with
Rena in the disgrace that had so
suddenly darkened down upon
the family name.
Henry Norman had been gone
some mouths, having left the
country shortly after the rebuff he
received at the hands of Rena.
Although married to another,
the young wife could not prevent
her thoughts from wandering from
the present to the past, and to
Henry Norman, the man for
whom her bleeding heart yearned
in this the hour of it's great trial.
n \ Three years
later, and I'VE look upon another
scene. Far away, beneath the
burning sun in Australia, a young
man lay in a rude cabin dying.
AT his side, ministering to his
wants in mis- last hours, was Hen.
ry Norman. Who had Leen for
two years resident in this land
Of gold digging among the mines
until now, after more than two
years of struggle, he finds
himself the possessor OF Immense
wealth.
lie sat near the rude bed, watch
ing every movement of the dying
man. fr 'ufit
"Ycs, Henry, am dying; there
is no help for it now. | have
looked my last upon the sun, but
ere it's setting | would make
restitution for the wrong Of the
past.
Henry listened atteniivcly. His
heart was core as old memoir
les came in upon his brain, but
he felt no cnmity toward the dying
miner, and listened attcntivcly to
his story.
"Yon remember tho beautiful
Rena, the lamberman's fur
daughtera"' "'Uo9i' 81 5~a1q
~ d." he answered huskily.
'Well,it's Of her wish to speak.
l wooed and won her hand, and
her promise to be my wife was
a glad omen in INV selfish heart
for with her I was to secure ten
thousand dollars in ready money.
l think / cared more for the mon.
ey than for the girl, since tho day
she became my wife l secured the
money from her indulgent father
and fled from the country. My
business affairs were in a bad way
and the money secured by my
was moro than could
hope to save ont Of our failing bus.
iness, and therefore | fled, leaving
my bride q widow on the very
hour and day OF her wedding.
A greater villain than | have been
never lived, Henry, and 1 know
you are cursing me now for my
evil course; but / must proceed, as
am losing strength rapidly. ] /
know that you love tho girl, and
Ifelt a certain pride in winning
her from you, which | was so
succeasful in doing. l think
hat Rena never loved me; but
she was very romantic, you re-
member, and liked to be wor in
, romantic way. | understood
his weakness Of her nature, and
yus thus enabled to carry my
,lans to n euccessful termination.
After 1 fed, | came to New York
md engaged in reckless dissi-
,ation, until nearly oil the money