Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1874-03-26


of what was taking place. But so fully
did she sympathize with all my old
hopes and aspirations that soon found
myself at my studies with an energy
and ability 1 had never before possess
ed. The consistency of her sense and
sympathy was even exceeded by that of
her affection, which seemed never to
slumber for an instant. Finally, when,
on my return from an enforced absence
for few days, Eunice from her couch
sweetly handed to me a wee warm minia-
ture of herself, my cup of joy seemed
full to overdowing.
AS Eunice recovered, she spent most
of her time in the grove and garden
which surrounded the house. These, to
crafty Anita's tropical tastes, had
prepared without regard to expense,
and, now that oil of the shrubbery had
gained several years of growth, one
could roam about for days, and still
find new and beautiful combinations
and effects. There, whenever I wearied
of my books for awhile, I sought my
darlings, and always found in their So
ciety exactly the recreation needed.
One evening as I wandered through
the garden in hopes of suddenly sur
prising Eunice and her little namesake.
I suddenly emerged from a group Of
shrubbery and beheld a scene that
startled me. Eunice, who was to me
the ideal of all that was pure and faith
full and noble, sat in O rustic chair, and
at her feet, clasping her hand and muir
muring paassionately, was slight
handsome foreigner, whose features
was strange to me. Eunice, my trust
ed wife, seemed deeply affected-so
much SO that the cries of her little
daughter, who had fallen to the ground
few steps away, were unheeded. Ny
footsteps startled them, and the man,
glancing hastily ct me across his shoul-
der, sprang to his feet and bounded
hastily away, while Eunice, still fearful,
maintained a composure, which astound-
ed me, and gave me searching, tender,
pitying look which completely bewilder-
ed me. For moment or two I was
speechless, and then asked:
"Who was that man, Eunice?"
"A poor beggar, HERBERT" she
replied.
"He was very finely dressed for q
person in that profession" replied.
The suspicion which for the time filled
my mind probably betrayed itself in my
tone, for Eunice arose, proud, handsome,
and angry, and exclaimed:
"Herbert! do you doubt my word?''
Never, in her most tender moment,
had seen Eunice so perfect picture
of purity and nobility. My suspicious
were disarmed in an instant, and,
throwing my arms about her neck,
begged her pardon, and expressed nv
penitence in the fullest terms I could
command, until with her own dear lips
she stopped my utterance entirely.
From that day there commenced a
series Of changes in Eunice's manner,
which by turns embarrassed, perplexed,
grieved and provoked me. AT first j
attributed her strange manner to my
grievous blunder in momentarily dis
trusting her faith, SO I was unceasine
in my apologies and in my endeavors
to make atonement by showing even
more affection than that which seemed
already to occupy my entire thought
and time. But when she admitted that
my mistake had been a fully justifable
one, became convinced that there was
different cause for her change of
demeanor. Though more than ever
devoted to my interests, hopes and
tastes, she seemed to shrink from the
close companionship which had pre-
viously existed between us.
Little by little she withdrew herself
from me until we were little more than
polite acquainances. Pretending that
one little daughter might disturb my
rest by her wakefulness, Eunice arrane-
ed for herself apartments near those
which Anita had occupied. These latter
had been locked Immediately after
Annita's departure, and had never been
entered by any one. Then, though ap-
parently in the best of health, Eunice
complained of indisposition, during
which attacks she had her meals sent to
her room, and our housekeeper remark
ed, casually, that my wife had an
unusual appetite when sick.
| Time after time I cmplored her to
tell me the cause Of her sadness and
strangeness, but every time alluded
to the subject she would look so unut-
terably sad and weep so bitterly that
out of regard for her I finally desisted
entirely. She said that T had never
made her unhappy-that my love for
her had been greater than she had ever
believed could be shown by man to
woman, and she had rather be my
slave than the wife of any other man in
the world. But when, moved bv the
passion of her words and looks, I beg
ged her for her loves sake, to tell me
the cause OF her sorrow, and put it in
my power to remove it if possible, she
would burst into tears-even nv ca
reses seemed to be uncomfortable to her,
As for me, my own life became ut-
terly miserable. The idea of a dread
full secret sorrow in the life of the
woman loved so dearly was insupport-
able, yet there was no escape from it.
Any privation from her society 7 would
have cheerfully endured if could have
thereby restored to her the happiness
she seemed to have lost entirely, but
the thought that my suffering was
} fruitless Of any good to her only added
} to my misery. lost my spirits, my
appetite, my interest in MY studies, anc
finally my ability to sleep. Night aftel
: night spent on the verantah, or gloom
lily strolling under the old cllestnut'
, about the house, wondering, hoping
praying, cursing-sometimes almos
determined to end Eunice's life ant
mine, and learn her secret after we wer,
both rid of its bljghting effects.
One dark windy night was pacin;
the verandah, long after midnight, whe1
, l was startled by bright light appear
4 ing in the room which had been Anita
: chamber. I instantly determined tia
q thieves, having heard the story whic1
!: every gossip i'll the village knew, ha'
0 selected this night in which to carr
l away some Of the valuable contents q
1 my poor crring wife's apartments. Fo
years her memory had been thing G
s the past, but now the idea that r,,tl
hanls cnnll &o,1al, o,,,r Al,:,,ex 1,,,oo loo