Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1878-06-05
VICTOR.
The Story Of . Mad Lover.

ksppineSs! Certalnly, was "oiluoi-
u ~p At mine, as I sat alone in my pretty
.sv;nq-room, resting back in the chair,
Moving my Berlin work to fall unheed-
I On nv lap. while my eye wandered
tere and there, surveying with fond
hide my possessions. fL.a ..K
Mapv of the pictures on the walls,
no bronzes on the mantel, the clock,
/ chair here aud there, had been pre-
Sents and O. only one short year had
Iassed since came TO my kingdom. l
sd no time to weary.
4 wear ago, and / had then thought
nyself happy girl. l had yet to learn
|he full happiness which comes to every
oyed and loving wife; but I had espe-
Risl cause for gratitude in fact which
night present pain.
| Before met Will, my husband, I had
leen engaged to young man, by very
ew years my senior, when some one
discovered his father and grandfather
kefore him had died inmates of a luna
c asylum.
NJ parents Immediately broke off the
Engagement, and l was too insensible
ot to bow to their decree. For a time
was very miserable, but soon after l
net Will, and learned that into his
keeping had passed the one true love of
nv life, and he held it 80 tenderly, SO
ecredly that soon there was not even
scar to mark the old wound.
But the tears came freely to my eyes,
|or did Will reproach me with them
hen six months after my marriage, l
earned, in the full flush of my happi-
less, that Victor Struthers' sad fate had
vertaken him, and that he, too, had
bllowed in the steps of those gone be-
IRE; that never again the light of rea-
bn would shine within his eyes, or the
ords Of love he SO well knew how to
tier fall from his lips.
These thoughts slowly came back to
ght as I sat alone-the fret evening I
ID spent alone since my marriage;
81 Will had been called away by I'M
|rant business, and would not be back
It'll lale, perhaps not until to-mor-
M.
Once more the tears came within my
|es as ! contrastad my lot with Victor's
shuddered at the fate which would
I've been mine had I followed my first
ed impulse to be his at any cost.
Yet, had not the loss of the girl he
we'd fastened his doom? The physi.
ans said not; but their verdict would
OF satisfy my nervous dread.
And surely-was it imagination p
omewhere within the room the sigh
(as re-echoed.
we had in the month of roses two
Ping French windows, draped with blue
a'in and lace, opened on veranda.
men, as the evening was cool, were
'losed and tasted; but as 1 glanced
ound, with a strange misgiving at my
cart saw the folds of one tremble.
Inc window must then be open; vet
felt no air.
With this thought arose from my
eat, stepping forward to ascertain the
ause, but had barely taken a single
Yep when stopped, my blood frozen,
haole to make another movement, or
'eh part my lips to scream for help.
VII 'he blue surface was mans hand
no rutilans hand, but white and
"A ring cleaned on one of the fingers,
~ on Its lustre my eyes rested, fasci-
T atea as the dove by the serpent.
'nere had | seen that ring before
,a,ewnere, surely, though where, my
1 ~ mind could not reason.
inen summoning all my strength
na courage, with desperate effort 1
lrhed to leave the room. Once nut a
iIsed door between myself and that
IIe hand, whose Invisible owner
su' at any moment step from his
treatment, and I might know what
pest could be done.
now l was blind with terror. and
, ~ scarcely see, though the room
tb oflaillantly lighted. to grope my way
a. last l approached it, and stretched
my arm to open the way to free
nh, ~hen five white fingers, one bear
him AuS, were l8lO on
,a'e, and slowly drew me back into
ne room, '"'o
LOOK at me p said voice. at is
W " work-you need not fear"
,nen realized the truth; and. planc-
up saw Victor Struthers standing
Wy hrst sensation was of relief H;s
-, peerlng into mine, we're lit by the
sol.ness; around his mouth was the
ISL smile; and, though his words were
flnd. 'o'"e lace was only
Could he be mad9
|,e :, nb had recovery come to MIN, DESPITE
I Ipnyslcian's hopeless decrees
ser eJsne ia nervous laugh as 1 an
fic,oss How could you 80 startle me
ke a What a strange way to nav
|bur r isls Surely you could not doubt
ia ! have y, not yet received it" be 70.
though l have walked one hun