Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1878-06-06

Victor" L said, suddenly, "before
we go on this journey, tell me of your
seif-of all you have been doing"
"Of myself? What is there to teli?"
he questioned, with rising passion in his
voice.
'Of what | have been doing [ shall
indeed tell you Working for this hour,
shaving for it, enduring for it, with but
one ambition in the wretched struggle
they call life-to meet you face to face,
to look into your eyes as they rested on
your work, to tell you of the burning
brain which could find no relief in tears,
the weight Of iron breaking the heart
on which your hand has placed it. All
it is Il little hand, white and fair .
clasping it within his own" even to
lift so mOnstrOus a weight, yet you
placed it well, not missing a single
nerve-slender, pretty fingers, but oh,
SO cruel Elsie, have you no remorse ?"
Victor, you are the cruel one; you
do me an injustice unworthy of your
self"
"Ay, injustice What do you know
of the word? You who sit here in your
beautiful home and let the world 60 by
UNDECIDED and uncared for, what mem
DRY had you for the man you had doom
ed, whose struggles, whose agonies you
could watch as the cat playing with a
mouse? / saw him kiss you last night,
the man you call your husband, forget
ting, in the sight of heaven, that you
are my wife. You rested in his arms,
you laid your head upon his shoulder
looking with adoring eyes into his face!
You whispered words of love
in his ear, but for the last
time / would have killed him, but
that | wanted you alone in that other
world to which we are going. Elsie,
darling, you do not fear me?" his voice
suddenly sinking from frenzled anger to
its old tenderness.
At any moment he might draw the
concealed weapon from his pOcket-at
any moment plunge the dagger, into
my heart.
A scream, a struggle, would but make
sure my fate.
What was to be done?
Victor" | said, with cunning match
ing his own, let us not die but live. In
death all is uncertainty; in life we have
eaCn OCner ana love ~
He glanced with keen suspicion into
my face.
And you love me?' he questioned.
How dare you, then. give your
kisses to that other-the kisses which
belonged to me? Listen We have no
time to spare. Already they are or my
track Tonight saw them, but their
eyes failed to find me. They call me
mad, yet [ outwit them. Nor d. find
it such difficult task. Yet, if once
they seize me they will bear me back
to the place from which [ have fled
but not alive-oh, not alive See, FL
sic throwing back his coat, and dis.
closing the long, narrow, cleaning blade
he had concealed there. First your
heart, then mine! You grow pale; you
tremble. Ii will soon be over, A mo-
ment's pang; eternal happiness"
His arm is thrown tight around me.
| am poWerless even to struggle in
his iron clasp. His words fall kissing
one by one, on the still air. Darkness
is gathering around me-the darkness
of despair.
The little clock upon the mantel
chimes eleven, and | remember, with a
thrill of horror. it is the last time | shall
ever hear it strike, when outside sounds
a CHEEKY whistle, and Il step [ recog-
nize as my husbands upon the pave
ment.
Its firm, manly tread is unmistakable
[ can fancy his glancing up at the light
ed windows shining forth their welcome
HIM A,,nt1nr l. L. Ill
key will be in the door.
"Victor," [ exclaimed, q hear them
coming. He, the spy, is on your track.
Conceal yourself where you were be
fore. [ whimsical him and return to
you. For my sake, be quick"
At these last words his hold relaxes.
The old GINNING leaps to his eyes.
" For you sake, he whispers.
With a sudden spring he is again hid
den behind the folds of the curtain, and
in that moment my husband entered
the room, and rushed to the shelter OF
his arms.
Behind him follow two men.
" My darling, what is it?" Will ex-
claims. What has happened? | found
these men watching the house, and they
insist a mailman entrusted to their care
has entered here. [, of course, have
given them permission to search"
| try to speak, but cannot.
The words die in my throat as [ point.
tremblingly, to the curtain where | can
discern, peering through, Victor's
cleaning eyes.
"Traitress p [ hear him exclaim;
and as the men sprang forward, there
follows dull fall
Poor fellow He has taken his sad
journey alone.
In his frenzy he has plunged the steel
through his own heart, loyal unto death
and madness.
For weeks |, too, lowered on the
graves brink, but my husbands tender
love and care won me back to life; and
together we often visit one solitary
mound in the church-yard, where we
ever place fresh flowers, with the prayer
that he who sleeps at last has found the
journey, even as he thought, but one
step in eternal happiness"
AN American gentleman suffering
from toothache, entered a dentists of
flee in Paris, and dropping into a chair,
I