Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-06-26
LOVE BETTER THAN RICHES.

LOVE BETTER THAN RICHES.
The October haze hung like a gauze
of gold about the purple tops of the low
lying country hills. Perched among
them shone the pale stone walls and
ornate roof of a superb country seat.
Behind it rolled and rumbled the glist-
ening river, and before it, almost under
the pretty bay-Windows, ran the elm
fanked common highway.
A man. very young and very hand
some, with brown, dreamy eyes, rode by
that day.
He looked up, and saw lady stand
ing Oh a balcony above him. About
her regal figure fell folds of lustreless
amber silk and foam-pale laces. Her
Spanish eyes, and delicate, naughty
features smiled down upon him from
behind an equisite fan; she wore white
roses on her bosom. and an arrow of
gold and diamonds held back from her
dusky brows the glossy plaits of her
ebon hair
g 1t is Madeline" he thought, draw
ing rein. "She is very beautiful They
told me she is past thirty, but she looks
younger than |, and [ am tWenty-one.
It won't be very hard to obey my uncle
| fancy
The wealthy and eccentric old uncle
who had reared and educated him had
sent Algernon Heath to this elegant
place with a letter of introduction,
ostensibly given that his beloved
nephew might have a week of change
and quiet, but really, privately, and
commandingly, that the said nephew
should meet, WOO, win, and marry
beautiful creature. whose lands and
lucre should be worthy Of his great ex-
pectatlons.
A glance from those brilliant ewes
told the young man that he had reach
ed his destination.
He had never seen the lady before,
but it was fatter1ngly evident that she
knew him, and was a bit merry because
through his ignorance Of the locality, he
had missed the entrance.
He returned her smile, lifted his hat
CALAMITY, wheeled his horse, and rode
back to the gloomy gate of iron, guard
ed by two bronze lions rampant
. | have crossed the rubicon. !" he
thought again, as the big, grim gates
CIdlISCo DC1lIlIo Vic 1ttlS Vi Ills u11CIo 5
favorite black "Methinks when [ re-
cross I shall cary my good relative the
message, 1 came. saw, I conqueredr"
Algernon Heath was only twenty-one.
He had his fancies and his follies. but
he knew nothing of the love that can
make a lifetime of misery or a single
day Of rapturous, blissful peace. He
was doing the bidding of one who had
enervated his fine, strong nature by too
much ease and delicious living-that
was all.
He was welcomed warmly, and his
stay was prolonged unreasonably, and
he left only to return In a few weeks to
claim the Spanish eyed Madeline as his
bride.
Algernon Heath was proud of his
handsome, stylish wife. She was pas
sionately fond of him, and, alas quiet
as passionately jealous.
Why should she not be-this world
worn coquette of thirty, who had shared
the fevered fancy of-his youth; well
knowing that his untouched heart
might some day thrill to claim of a
fresh and true affection? =
But they were reasonably content in
their marital bonds for ten quiet years.
Out of Madehne's fortune her hus-
band had had prodigal share, and she
never reproached him for his lavish
extravaganza. He was always kind.
and true, and devoted, and surely she
could ask no more
Her father died the first year after
her marriage; but Algernon's uncle
still lived, boarding his millions for a
munlficent final bequest to a favorite
charitable institution, it was said and
believed. E
Madeline believed it, and, with the
instinct of jealousy, guessed that the
eccentric old gentleman had planned
her marriage with his young nephew
for purpose of his own. ~
He imagined that rich Young wife
would rid him Of Algernon's extrava-
CANT demands for money!" she thought
bitterly, when she felt death creeping
through her veins. " He. knew his
plans, Of course.~@I f my husband mar
ried me for. love, he will never take
another wife when [ am gone. If he
married ne for my worldly possessions,
| have way to thWart his sordld, heart
less desires" To- zl 5I -F2ains1t
And SO Madeline Heath made just
such a will as rich and aged men often
make who have taken unto themselves
very young, very poor, and very I'M
thinking wives.
And with this jealous bitterness in hel
soul, she died, leaving TO her husband
i he remained unwedded, the whole OF
her fortune; but should he marry
again, he would be penniless as he was
the day he led her to the altar.
y Poor Maddie !" was the only com.