Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1878-08-23

And SO Cole Collins Won his bride.
Like a piece of cold, white marble. She
answered the solemn questions nut her
with the calmness that desperation
sometimes gives.
The man who was diving had never
refused one wish of her young life. To
him She owed it; to MIN She sacrificed
il. But il was the spirit ola martyr, not
il bride.
Bless You and reward YOU" he said,
when MI was over; then closed his eyes
With slad sigh Of content, and the
spirit, as if waiting but for this for its re-
lease, fled away.
Aweek later, and Elsie sat alone
in her ownroom, but her white face
and heavy eyes testified to something
Of all She had endured.
Not once had the man 81 strangely
made her hushand-th man whose
name or whose memory brought u shud-
dee-intrudcd upon her privacy. Not
since She had been carried faintlng from
her dead fathers side had her eyes
rested upon his face.
"Oh, God, that might never see II
again!' she sald, aloud, the words wrung
from her III the intensity of her an
guish, as, bulying her head ON the arm
of the chair on which She sat, she sob
bod outright
Is it, then, 50 hateful to you ELSIE? "
questioned sad, musical voice. II 50,
my child, your wish shall be grahtcd. =
And glancing up III sudden terror, El-
sic saw the man Of whom she had
i Snal - StanlinU hpfnrr hGr
A Wild ilecting fancy for moment
/ forever the horrid vision, and listen on-
/ ~ to tho voice whose tones were SO full
Of melody, life might yet be cndurablc.
But oh, to live day by day, TO spend
her hours, sleeping and waking, side by
side with this spectre of ugilness, she
could not, and spite Of herself her sobs
burst out thick and fast.
Elsie" said her husband, 81 know
my sickness had altered me, bat did
not realize how great tho change had
been. But believe me, when Your
father placed Your hand in mine, lie
consigned to me Il trust shall never
betray. Listen! ! ann going away, on
business which will dctain me until You
summon me back. We may never meet
again. 1t rests with YOU, but the chains
shall he made rs light rs i'll my power.
Would that might cast them of from
YOU forever. You will write to me, will
4 you not? You will let me write to you2
All ask is that may hear from you
that may know the step have taken
i bringing You the happiness would
gladly lay down my life To procure.
Was il fancy that his voice broke here
in sob-faney that Il kiss fell as Il
feather ON her brow, a whispered bless
ing on the ail? She knew not; but,
when She raised herhcad, She was alone,
and 4 thrill Of pity ram through her for
the man Size had exiled- the man whose
generous nobility had called that pity
forth--the man whose fate was, perhaps,
harder than her own.
Two years passed slowly by, spent by
Elsie in the luxurious retirement of her
beautiful home. They seemed almost
a dream, made reality only by the let
ters which came, from time to time, TO
cheer her solitude--letters mt first re-
ceiycd shuddermgly, but which She
grew mt last to look for, TO long for, SO
we'll did the writer seem to understand
the want Of her heart. 1t was as though
he touched Il delicate instrument, and
knew how to bring music from each
4 hidden chord.
His letter ran thus:
"IIave you 50 conquered your repug-
nance that you would Welcomed friend
4 for my sake-that You would receive
him for Il short time rs your guest? As
your aunt makes her home with YOU,
! it will be in accordance with the pro-
prietors; and you will not refuse me
the happiness of learning something OF
your daily life from his lips, on his re-
turn. If the qualification of this wish
should cause your annoyance, consider
/ it unmade; but | think you will find
Mr.. Bayard guest by no means trou-
4 blesome.p
I When would this stranger arrive
i this man who knew so well the husband
who was to her an unknown? This was
her daily thought, until one morning,
preparing for her drive, MS card was put
\ into her hand, and She descended in-
stantly to the drawing-room, 10 meet
and bid him WELDON I.
She almost hoped She might find him
old, and ugly, and disagreeable, that She
might do the more. A wish Of Coles !
Ii seemed almost like some atonement
To- grant il.
But, as Size stands upon the TIRES
hold, Size starts, The man who has
risen. ready to receive her, is the hand
eomest She las ever seen. His check
bears the perfect glow of health; his
.yes. dark and lustrous, are bent upon
her, with light beneath which hers
quail: his hair falls i'll short, clustering
ring, round 4 high, white forehead and