The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1878-02-21

small table where slls gentleman alone,
by whom, after warm greeting, he takes
a chair.
az am sadly in need of friendly advice,
Paul" he commences. My funds are
low, and my last book having been seized
by the government, will, of course, net
bring me any profits" "My wife's
fortune has gone in unlucky speculations
at the Bomrse | must pay the sum
of 5000 francs, and | haven't actually
the money to pay it. Debt stares me
in the face. The only thing left for sEch
as | is exile. Oh God, what shall do?"
go to America" said his friend
coolly, as he raised glass of wine to his
lips: !" YOU can remain there till it has
all blown over"
"But mywife cried Gustave huskily,
i" can not take her."
"She will go, perhaps"
ooh no, she would never consent;
she would go to her fathers. Oh
heavensl" he exclaimed, 1T is bitter
hour for me"
"Take my advice, my friend" said
Paul, "go home to your wife, and make
a clean breast of the whole affair; tell
her your plans, and she will aid you"
ooh no! it would do no good" re-
Piled Gustave, adding bitterly, you
don't know my wife"
"But after a momeI is thought he
said, with a careless recklessness, as his
face grew paler, Il believe | will co."
and shaking hands with Paul, ere he had
time to reply, he was gone-gone out once
more into the darkness of the streets,
where the wind sang softly around the
corners, and the crowds went swiftly by.
He stood still gazing up into the dreary
blackness, and said yehemently 81 know
what is best to do; I'll end all this with
my life!," and plunging off, in the OPP
posite direction from his house, he was
engulfed in the nights mist.
In the meantime his young wife threw
herself into a chair, and pressing her
hands tightly to her head, cried: II do
not understand; | have failed to keep
him by my side; he loathes me. Oh,
| wish that | was deadl"
O, Lucille. Poor child, you wish that
you were dead, not knowing how near
death is; he is lowering about you con-
stantly! You cried for death, and far
away God heard that cry; and it is an
swered, and the angels record it in the
Golden Book"
Thus she sat thinking of her husband
Each moment she felt herself growing
weaker and weaker. All was silent in
the house. The clock of st. Augustine's
pealed out midnight. She rose and
paced up and down the room, wonder
ing why he did not come. Could it be
possible that anything had happened?
How could she live without him; he had
grown 50 dear to her? Did he still feel
indifferently toward her? Oh, if she
could but win his love! How had she
failed? Why did he not understand her?
She had been told that she was beauti-
full. Did he think her plain? The half
hour struck; she moaned and said
slowly:
"He is always home by midnight. 1t
is strange he is so late tonight"
She lighted her candle, and passed
into her bedroom, commencing slowly to
disrobe. Then, after unbraiding her
long, black hair, she laid down upon her
bed, leaving the candle lighted. She
tried to read novel, but could not; her
thoughts wandered, the hero became her
husband, the heroine herself. She count
ed and recounted the figures on the wall
paper and the little brass knobs on the
chairs. She went over and over again the
incidents of her childhood's pleasant days
days that could never come back to her;
but try what she might, there still lay in
her bosom the presentiment of some
dreadful evil about to happen. The very
air seemed oppressive. The clock of the
neighboring cathedral struck sharply
two, and as she counted the strokes
terror, such as she had never experienced,
took possession of her heart. She clasped
her two hands tightly over her breast to
stifle its throbbing, and listened, sitting
erect in her bed. She heard nothing but
the rumbling wheels of a wagon, which
.oon died away
The candle fared up and went out,
leaving her in total darkness, save the
ghostly flicker of a street lamp Oh the
wall. She had not the courage to
rise and light another; besides, what
would he think should he come and find
her waiting for him? How should he
know she never slept till he was safe in
the house; that even in her dreams his
face was before her with its proud, cold
look? Yes, how should ne know, when
he thought the woman he had taken for
his wife a block of ice? Still she sat
shivering and whispering, ooh, why
does he not Gomez then, locking her
hands together, she family prayed: go
God, bring him safe back to me. Let me
but tell him how much love him. Give
me but the power to keep him by my
side As the thought came to her of
women far less fair than she, with whom
he had smiled and bent his noble head
in homage, she sobbed aloud, and the
bare walls echoed back the sob and still
ed the prayer yet unfinished; but in her
heart she cried: "Give noe but child,
O God, that his heart may turn to men'
While her Imagination pictured his
JOY, the sound of footsteps rapidly APP
preaching struck upon her ear. Yes,
surely, they came nearer and nearer.
She tried to raise herself, but was too
weak. A thrill of JOY ran through her
frame. Now they had stopped i'll front
of her window; then she heard the bell
of the great Porte c0chire ring through
the house; the click of the door as it
closed the steps ascending the stairs; the
key rattling in the key-hole, and her
husband entered softly. "Ohl God be
praised" she said over and over again.
He is safe. He was but a little late
Oh, if | could but see him for mo-
ment, l should be willing to die! Heaven
help me to reach HIM"
She rose and put on her wrapper,
whilst the most agonizing pains shot
through her body, causing her heart to
tiutter against her breast. Barefooted,
she crept slowly across the corridor, past
many doors, till at last she arrived at the
one which led into her husbands
study. 1t was not shut fast. She
pushed it open noiselessly and entered.
There, his curly head pillowed on his
arms, sat her husband, and within an
inch of his hand lay siIver-mounted re-
volver. A dreadful faintness seized her
when she saw it, and the words. 4" am
not too late" came involuntarily from
her lips.
Her husband started to his feet. grasp
1. l.. |.