River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1878-06-06
HIS WIFE.
Twice welded. once mated.

OF summer stirred the leaves of the starry,
white Jasmine, which swung as by I'M
seen fairy hand. The night, in all its
4 projections, lay gloriously fair unmarried
by any sound to break the perfect out
lines OF the picture, save the musical
voices. We stood together beneath a
| widespreading magnolia tree--John Van
deleur and |. The moonlight glinted
on his stern white face; his dark eyes
were bent upon lny own; both his hands
erasped mine-grasped them with the
desperate eagernMs of despair.
Jessie he said, at length. breaking
the silence that lay between us two, II am
going away Tomorrow
felt my heart buond madly, and then
stand still, with underlined terror. We
had been so happy all that long quiet
summer, away from the noise and din of
the world, shut in by forests and green
banked lakes and waving verdure. 1t
had been like beautiful idyl, and, like
all such episodes, had to end some time.
! But it was hard lesson that / had learn
ed in the interim. | knew that during
those few short weeks / had learned to
| love John Vandeleur; and | knew also,
by look and tone, and the caressing man.
ner, which stood instead of speach, that
he loved me. But ] felt that shadow
/ stood between us-an lmpenetrable
shadow did not know how impene-
trable until that night, when, out in the
pale-faced moonlight, we stood beneath
/ the magnolia trees. saw him gasp for
breath as his eyes met the look of pain
in mine; he trembled violently, and drop
ped my hands with passionate gesture.
Jessie" he cried, suddenly, facing me
in desperation, 'syou love me. and 10,
! God, love you so! And yet / am going
to break your heart. This summer has
been a dream of heaven to me; wild
hasheesh dream, in which such wretches
4 as ought never be permitted to indulge.
All, we'll, it is over nowl Jessie, say that
you love e-oncc-just oncem
I looked into his dark, sad eyes. 81
do,n / answered, firmly. Ay, come what
might, that was true and earnest and I'M
alterable. He threw both arms around
ne, and, drawing me closer to him,
pressed one kiss upon my lips. No one
else has ever kissed them, no one else
ever shall.
Scan you bear to hear my story to-
night2" he asked, as / loosencd the clirg-
inc arms, and stood before him, trying
hard to calm the wild, tumultuous throb-
4 bing of my heart. Because" he contin-
ued YOU must know it; and ], / shall GO
away tomorrow"
II can bear it." My voice sounded far
away, and faint He pushed the dark
hair from his forehead, and, turning his
face away from my eyes, leaned against
the magnolia tree.
give years ago." he began, in cool
dreary tone, "while travelling in Europe,
met the woman who has ruined my life
| can not tell you how she entangled me
in her meshes. throwing the net around
me with consummate art and skill suffice
it that she succeeded in her schemes, and
| was bound to her, body and soul, in
chains of CALLING iron. You cannot inn
agine what nay life has been since then
until few months ago, when | received
a letter from foreign land, telling me
that she was dead and was free. Then
| met you, and our friendship grew and
ripened every hour, into something that
can never die. To-day, Jessie"-he
paused and clenched his hands fiercely
together -s'to-day received letter from
her--this woman-my wife--do you I'M
derstand2-t telling me the report of her
death was mistake, and she is now on
her way to this country to join me. All
God you cannot dream CT the agony that
has been mine since then! / am wild
with anguish and despair; 1t seems as il
/ should go mad or dlel"
He paused, and once more turned his
eyes toward me. The moonlight was
pallid on his face, and showed the dread
full suffering which was his. / did not
speak; had no words; who could speak
} at such timel
"Jessie," he went on, brokenly, "while
she--that woman Lives, Il am fettered with
, heavy chains. | cannot appeal to the law
for my freedom, for, vile as she is, she OPP
crates within its pale, and justice cannot
reach her. There is no hope, Jessie,
none; we must bear our heavy burden as
patiently as possible, remembering that
|, life must end sometime"
Then he drew me to him for moment
and gazed silently into my eyes. Nc
word passed his lips; he pressed my hand
convulsively to his heart, and, turning,
went away through the moonlight.
All night knelt at my window, with III y
head upon the sill, in trance of woe and
agony. When The morning came, arose
from my knees, and, throwing myself
upon the bed, slept from sheer
exhaustion.
A few weeks later, in company with
nv mother (she was all / had in the
world, started for Europe. hoped
in other lands, and amid new and chang
ing scenes, to find some surcease to my
sorrow. did not knew then bow hard
it is to rid ones self of haunting grief
for sorrow follows, like a gaunt spectre
whithersoever your footsteps tend stalks
{ by your side, claims admittance to your
heart. and will not leave you.
We were on the sea at last--the beauti.
full. smiling, treacherous sea, so clam and
/, blue and peaceful above, but with such
depths of woe and dispair within his
bosom, when the white faces turn upward
to the light, aud the sea moss tangles in
the floating locks, and the coral insect
; builds where the mortal rest remains OF
& those who go down to the sea in ships
For the first day or SO l was confined
to my stateroom, very i'll and dreary and
hopeless. On the evening of the second
day came up on deck, determined to
obtain breath of fresh air. Lying on q
/ pile of rugs, with book in my hand
not Iof tue IeduinS, ut.b ia'itcA 90 on
excuse for silence, familiar voice fell
on my ears. Trembling and agitated,
[ turned my head, and saw standing al
my side--John Vandeleur! He put out
his hand, but motioned it away; | dar-
ed not touch it; felt that 1T was moro
than could bear. He stood gazing up
on me for a moment
"How came you here9" / faltered, at
last.
A spasm Of pain crossed his white face
asher he mli.tered, savagely--a she is
here-on bord For the sake of sparing
YOU the pain ofchance encounters, | was
going to Europe. But we met again, and
| and on board of the same vessel. There
I. = .4rarera fatalitr In II Leslie z