River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1877-05-24
A Living Lie.

This very strange story is told as an
apologize for Anna Dickinson's benefit by
a writer in the New York World; for that
purpose it has no point, but it will do by
itself 1t is painter who tells the tale:
Il have-loved but one woman in my
life, he said. "Her beauty and her char
acter were all my dreams had promised
me- With her passed five years of per
feet happiness, full of quiet joys. | owe
her much of my celebrity ofto-day, for at
her side work was easy, and inspiration
came in rapid gusts. She is now dead
and died loving me.
"Yet," the fond look vanishing and the
lines of his mouth growing hard and rigid
"yet | never think of her without anger.
If try to recall her as / saw her for
those five years, if seek to give form TO
the delicious vision my eyes summon up,
it is only to repeat once more TO myself
that | hate her.
She told me the story of her life soon
after first met her. She had been mar
ried when very young to profligate, who
had spent her fortune and brought his
disOlute life to a close in Italy. Her par
ents were dead, but she had an uncle liv-
ing at country place not far from Al
bany, old and occupying high social
position, and also a married sister living
little way up the Hudson. The sister
was the only member of the family with
whom she had any relations, tor her hus
bands wildness had estranged her tiom
the rest Since his death she had sup
ported herself by giving lessons in music
and painting in rich houses. All this and
much more, she told me, experimenting
il with infinite detail.
married her questioning nothing. She
begged me to allow her to continue the
profession she had chosen. There was
nothing irksome in it, she said; all her
pupils daughters of bankers are wealthy
people, loved and respected her; and
often she showed bracelet or ring they
had given her. Indeed, by this means
she was able to dress far more richly than
my scanty income otherwise would have
allowed her On Sundays she went in
variably TO see her sister. returning at
night with long stories of the children's
health and incidents of the visit and IA
thousand little trifles
One night she fell ill, and learned
after while from the doctor that her i'll
ness was incurable. | was wild with
grief But before all things l deter
mined to reconcile her with her family.
/ telesraphed to the sister, and took the
first train that would carry me to the un-
cleis country seat.
Your niece is dying" | said quickly,
as soon as l was introduced into the pres
ence of venerable old gentleman. Ny
niece" he replied in establishment. /
have no niece"
fastened to tell him who / was, pray
ing him to forget his resentment and to
come with me; but the more urgent be-
came the more astonished he seemed, al
ways persisting in his denial: and at last
he showed me to the door, thinking | was
a practical joker.
With strange presentiment of i'll upon
me fastened back intending to 90 to
the house where my wife had given les
sons. Nobody in any one of item had
ever heard her name. | rushed home
and there found telegram from her sis
ter. She had no sort of knowledge of my
wife.
When / entered the room of the dying
woman she looked at me wearily from
the bed. She was wasted to shadow.
But burst out in my rage.
You have never given lessons. You
have no family. ! have been everywhere,
and no one knows you. Where did you
get the money from, the jewels, the
dressesl'
She looked at me once more, this time
with look of terrible sadness-and that
was all