Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1878-08-22
NV husbands eve looked into mine

For my sake, darling, keep calm. All
rests with you. Do not let me return to
find dcsolate home, with your blood
staining its threshold.'
"Victor.' said, suddenly, "beforc We
90 on this Journey, tell me of YOURSELF
Of all YOU have been dong"
"Of myself4 What is there to tcil?" he
questioned, with rising passlonin his voice.
"Ofw ha: have been doing shall indeed
tell YOU! Working for this hour, shaving
for it, enduring for it, with but one ambi-
ton IN the wrctched struggle they call
lite-to meet you face to face, to look in
to your eyes as they rested on your work,
to tell you OF the burning brain which
could find no relief III tears, the weight Of
iron breaking the heart on which your
hand has placed it, All! it is a little
hand, white and fair - claspiug it within
his own--"even to lift so monstrrous
weight; vet you placed it Wet, not miss
ing single nerve slender, pretty fingers,
but 0 50 cruel! Elsie, have you no re-
morse2"
Victor, you are the cruel one; YOU do
me an injustice unworthy of yourscf!!"
"Ay. injusticel What do you know of
the worG9 You, who sit here in yolr
beautiful home. and let the world go by
UNDECIDED and uncared for, what memory
had you for the n,au you had doomed.
whose struy: les, whose asonics sou could
watch as, the cat playing with the mouse:
SAW him kiss You last night, the. man
you call your husband, forgetting my
right to the ie-forgetting, in the sight
of Heaven, that you arc my wife. You
rested in his arms, you laid your head
upon his shoulder looking with adorlng
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 the world to
which we are gong. Elsie, darling. you
do not fear meI" his voice suddenly sink
ing from frenzied anger to its old tender
ness.
At any moment he might draw the
concealed weapon from his pocket at
any momenr plunge the dagger into my
heart. \ scream, a struggle, would but
make sure my fate. What was to he done?
.Nictor," said, with cunning match
ing his own, "let us not ole, but live. In
death all is uncertainty; in life we have
eucl other 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
nle9 Listen! We have no time to spare.
Already they are on my track. Tonight
I saw them, but their eyes failed to find
me. Nor do I find it such difficult task.
Yet, il once they seize me, they will bear
me back to the place from which fed !;
but not alive--O, not alive See, Elsie"
throwing back his coat, and disclosing
the long, narrow cleaning blade he had
concealed there. First your heart, then
mine! You grow pale; you tremble. 1t
; will soon be over. 4 moments pang;
eternal happiness"
His arms are thrown tight around me.
am poweress 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 l remember, with a thrill of
horror, it is the last time l shall ever hear
1t strike, when outside sounds a cherry
whistle, and a step l recognize as my
husbands upon the pavement.
Its firm, manly tread is unmistakable.
I can fancy his CHANGING up at the lighted
windows shining forth their welcome for
him. Another momen: his latch-key
will De i'll he door.
"Victor." exclaimed, II hear them
coming. He, the spy, is on your track.
Conceal yourself where you we're before:
/ will mislead him and return to you.
For my sake, he quick
At these last words his hold relaxes.
The old cunning leaps t. his eyes.
Fer your sake" he whispers.
With a sudden spring he is again hid
den behind the folds of the curtain, and
iu that moment my husband entered the
room. and I rushed to the shelter of his
arms; Behind him follow two men.
My darling, what is it," Will ex-
claims. "What has happened? I found
these men watching the house, and they
insist 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, trembling, to
the curtain where can discern, peering
through, Victor's cleaning eyes.
''Traitress!' I hear him exclaim; and
as the men spring forward there follows
4 dull fall.
Poor fellow! He has taken his sad
journey alone. In his frenzy he had
plunged the steel through his own heart,
loyal unto death and madness.
For weeks 7, too, lowered on the
graves brink, but NY husbands tender
love and care won me back to life; and
together we always 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"