Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1877-09-12

ana he comprised heaven and earth for
their wishes. All, we'll, we'll so noble
a beng never lived before. Greater
love hath no man'-hath no man" She
paused a moment again, her voice trem-
bling. How strange" she resumed,
presently, that | should he telling this
50 calmly Oh, it ,eds a storm-it uas II
storm y and her old hands clasped and
unclasped n%ervously. What a dark
and dreadful time of horror, and now
so tranquil! But l will tell you. You
always do seem so like what my own
children might have heen-all but Mr..
Stephen, mean she said, with a quick
laugh that restored her to herself, "One
day we were in a boat together, alone
upon the little river. How | remember
1t all the green boughs meeting over
head, the green shadows underneath,
the sunlight sitting through, and his
face, his proud, pale, passionate face, as
he said some simple words that let me
know, not that he loved me, not that
he wished to know if | loved him-as if
that had always been understood-but
that he expected me soon to be his
wife. | loved him-oh, how | loved
him y said thv old lady, c~lasping and
unclasping her hands again. But
some evil spirit seized me. How did
he know | said, but that | was already
plighted to Ralph?" We had hung close
TO the shore, beneath the great boughs,
and looking up as | spoke, | saw Mark,
the second brother, sitting in the boughs
oh, SO strange his face looked then
| beckoned him mischievously, and i'll a
moment he had parted all the leaves
and sprays, and was threatening to
spring and swamp the little boat if we
did o let hin4 in. That night, at the
home of the three brothers, there was a
fearful contest the cause. All this
soft sweet summer night who could
believe it? and could | ever have be-
lieved | should sit here calmly and tell
of it to those who were not born? They
had grappled Ralph was killed his
eldest brother was found red-handed.
When Mark came home from his ram
bic, the officers were carrying that
brother to prison. He never opened
his lips concerning 1t from that day"
said Mrs. Dalrymple, with Il sob in her
voice. He employed no lawyer, al
though the court appointed one he
refused to plead guilty or not guilty. |
will hurry. He was sentenced to
death his sentence was committed
to imprisonment for life. As for me,
| would not believe it | never be-
lieved it"
"Never?' said Mr.. Stephen, hoarsely.
"Never. sent Mark to procure me
admission to the prison; he came back
saving it was refused. | wro e; Mark
brought me back the letter unopened.
His brother, he said, would have no
further communication with us. At
length as if worn out with my impor-
tunitv, Mark eXacted of me "A pledge of
secrecy. There was no need, There
was no need. He told me that with his
own eyes he had seen the blow struck,
and had gotten away that he might not
be used as evidence. But did not be
lieve it then. | gathered all my ready
money; | went to the prison and gave
it to the keeper, in my ignorance, think
ing it necessary. 1t was the day Of the
sentence. ] was taken to the cell and
left. He stood up hurriedly to meet
me. So changed. so changed! White
as death, but his great eyes burning
and he held out his arms to me. | wait
ed one moment, one fatal moment.
Tell me first | cried oh, Just say
Yourself that you are innocent His
arms fell. You too! he said, and he
folded his arms upon his breast, and
stood there, his head fallen, surveying
me from under his eyebrows. You
too!' Oh, | don't know what there was
- Il. ,,-,,i. hat I ell ,,,,n,, tha iAar
fainting dead away, and [ never saw
him again. Nothing made any differ
ence to me then. Mark was very ten
der to me in those days. | felt as if he
ought to hate the sight of me. 1t was
five years before | married him. |
never loved him; but he was nearer
than any one else. | s%houldnever have
married him but for messages of some
thing little short of hatred that he
brought me from prison. Why do |
tell you all this, my dears?' she said,
suddenly stopping. And Mr.. Stephen
too? Only, perhaps, because you are a
part of my life now-you and he-and
this life is as real to me now IS that.
That? No, that is q dream; as the dy-
inc do not weep, 50 the old do not suffer
in RELIEVING the past. 1t IS no longer my
story; there is no sacred secrecy about
it; it is the story OF that young girl of
whom | spoke to you. Wcll-to go on.
Perhaps it was because he knew | did
not love him; perhaps he wearied of
me; perhaps to see me only recalled to
him his crime. We've were not hap
Nv together. We lived a long live of
Indebtedness. Yet, being his wife, |
tried-yes, | tried-never to fail in my
duty. | bore with him faithfully in