Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1877-01-10

I lilies were nesting upon ner Deau'
,ifn, bosom and in her gold brown
hair. while there seemed to be an
appealing, pathetic grace in ner
youth itself. Mr.. Multum was q
great deal too old for her, and ! nave
always thought her marriage sac,
rifice, although she thereby acniese'
entrance into that ceremonious 30,
cial life which is the key-no.e u
communication between those high
classes who would, If they could' es
tabljsh distinctions that might con-
tinue to exist in heaven.
"There were moro than twenty
teachers of US then, some In Laure'-
vale others in Dresden-ali more VI
loss acquainted. The schools were
to open by a meeting Of the teachers
in Assembly Hail, where we were 70
he entertained by an address rom
some distinguished educator.
ave had all received invitations
to Gladys Arundel's wedding ana
we were SO foolish as to perpetrate q
practical joke, which ], for one' sha',
regret to my dying day. We enclosed
our inyations in blank envelopes ana
directed them to Dexter Ray, 30 ar
ranging It, that when we were all
together In Assembly Hall, they
should be delivered In our presence.
I never wished anything more heart
iIy in all my life, than | wished !
had mine back, when Isaw the ell
feet IL produced. He came In TO AS
sembIy Hail directly from the cars.
He seemed cheerful and happy.
The great bundle OF ENVELOPES were
handed TO him. 1t made my heart
ache to see the shadow that had crept
over his face as he opened them.
lie was very sensitive and the blow
was cruel. He fell down ina kind
of fit. We learned afterwards that
those cards were the first intimation
he had learned that the woman he
loved was unfaithful. For weeks he
Law i'll OF brain fever, and 1t seemed
as though he would surely find such
consolation for sorrow, as lies in the
long, unbroked sleep of death. You
NAV be sure we blamed ourselves
for what we had done, and that we
were very much vexed with Mrs.
Multum. But while he lay raving and
calling for Glayds In q way that
might have melted heart of stone,
She denied that she had ever been
engaged to him and plausibly called
attention TO little instances that had
occurred while they were teaching
together, which endorsed her asset :
tion that she had observed a tenden-
cy to insanity on his part long ago,
and had he been obliging enough to
die at that time, we would all have
made up our minds that he had
never been entirely rational. I'M
fortunately for himself and Mrs.
I Multum also, he recovered. He
came back TO us reserved and silent,
as you now see him, and took his
old place, i think for life. / once
talked with him In regard to the
future. my life," he said, "is a
failure, my place Is here" When ]
tried to rouse him by telling what
Glayds had said about his mind, he
neither denied nor corroborated her
statements, and when i asked If he
had given up his design Of entering
the ministry, his reply was: "When
! consider how low on estimate !
set upon the integrity and truthful
ness Of human nature, ! feel that ]
have no longer "call" to preach,
and since my illness Mrs. We're, IL
seems as If the "gift" were also lack
ing"
Miss Elmer went back TO number 2
with kindlier feeling for her CO.
Iaborcr in tho next room. The door
OF communication was never opened
unless class Rotations rendered IL
necessary and she felt that her strong
est claim on Dexter Rays good will
was the zeal with which she left
him entirely alone.
One bright June day, she went
with the children to the gate when
they were dismissed for their noon
lntermissl0n. The air and sunshine
were sweet and pleasant, and she lin
gered until her attention was attract
ed by the mature beauty of a middle
aged lady, who alighted from a hand
some carriage, and walked directly
past her into room Number 2. Sup
posing the lady to DO the parent OF
soIae one of her numerous pupils,
Miss Elmer followed her In haste,
and politely requested her to be-
seated. She smiled In a way that
quite won the young teachers heart,
rs she replied;
"You will, perhaps, forgive my
intrusion when tell you that, years
ago, when l was young girl like
yourself, ! taught In this very room. .
Miss Elmer replied that she did
not consider the visitan intrusion at
all, and she would even say the lady
might cansider herself welcome back.
my Name" continued the visitor,
twas Gladys Arundel In those days.
! am Mrs. Multum now.n FIJI
Miss Elmer recollected the trite,
sharp tragedy that had 80 nearly
ended in the catalogue OF an insane
asylum. She cast an appreciative
glance toward the door Ofroom No. 1,
and all her cordially vanished.
II have heard q good deal ahonI