The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1878-01-26

The only thing left for the woman was
to get away as quickly as possible.
81 came on business, Mrs. Redditch-
| had little matter to lay before you
and Mr. Redditch, but another time will
dol did not Know would not have
intrudcd upon your"
And with a heart almost broken, her
pride Inundated and crushed, Miss Max
well closed the door softly and sped away
as if ghost were behind her.
All, yes; the ghost of other days was
behind her, with hollow eyes and voice
less pleadings.
She had lived through so much, had
borne so many bitter pangs, but now all
her past sorrow came to her with new
ness and freshness which quite overcame
her, and while the tears streamed from
her eyes, she clenched her hands tightly
until the nails cut into the flesh, and hur-
ried on.
Now she had no future-no hepe-no
anything. The rich, lucky Miss Maxwell,
whom everybody envied, would gladly
have fed away forever from her lately
acquired grandeur, far, far from the
hateful place where she had spent so
many dreadful years-years whose tears
and agonies were only known to her.
Once she had loved deeply, madly, but a
slight misunderstanding had driven
away the idol ON whom she had cast all
her hearts wealth.
She had learned to look upon him as
dead She had begun to look forward to
another life in which they would meet
and set all things straight between them.
But he was alive and had purposely kept
away from her, and at last had rejected
her advances toward friendship. How
could she live near him, with nothing as
it once was. Oh, this was a dreadful
thought, Perhaps he was married now
it might be he had long ago forgotten
her.
Busy with her own sad thoughts, she
hurried, almost ran, down the familiar
street, not needing the rapid footsteps
beside her, until hand timidly touched
her arm.
The haggard, miserable man hal pluck
ed up heart to come after her, feeling in
his soul that if he let that opportunity
pass by him that Eli his years of prayer
and waiting should be as VAN as in his
"Miss Maxwell"
We'll"
Give me your hand now, will you?
You misunderstood me just now, as you
did years ago. / meant to give it you.
My God, | have dreamed of this mo-
ment, waking and sleeping, always. At
least speak to me-let me touch your
hand again-it is more than I have dared
to hope for-I should have been back
long ago, but fate willed it otherwise
and now, poor and wretched, | had re-
turned to thank heaven for your good
fortune and feast my eyes with the sight
of the only woman | ever loved. /
shall not stay here to mar your peace; |
shall 60 away tomorrow. You will for
give me for coming? l could not help
it; the wish was stronger than my man
hood"
:" Miss Maxwell stopped crying, and
again held out her hand.
Nathan, are you certain that all you
say is true-do you love me@'
Better than life, Drucy-better than
life"
"Then you must not go away. |
could not live through that again"
Nathan's thin hand trembled in hers
the shadow on him darkened.
But do you not know-you do not
understand, Drucy-I cannot stay. /
am poor-miserably poor. | have for a
long time been ill-all | had gained was
swept away, and now | come back
empty-handed with nothing to offer but
my love"
"Ah, Nathan-my love, my love
If you could know how rich that makes
mel Money | care nothing for; | have
enough for us both; but you shall keep
that, and | will take your love in ex-
change. [ shall then be the richer of
the two"
Drucy smiled through her tears, and
Nathan thought she had lost nothing of
beauty since the day they had parted, SO
long before, when neither one had
dreamed how serious that parting could
be, nor how much of life's sunshine it
would rob them of before they should
meet again.
The new house was large enough for
two families, with room to spare, and it
was a grand affair, that wedding up at
Miss MaxwelPs.
Envy will have its fling, and there are
folks in Liscomb to this day who talk at
the sewing society of Drucy MAXWELL
ambition, and fine airs, and cher last
chance"