River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1879-02-13
TIE CONE EssIoSs OF a CORPSE

Yes 1t is just the CID story, As You ard l
! foretold. vou remember when w heard that
| Bertha had married old Gage Don't you
know You said that ii she wanted to be happy,
she hal bcsl keep as far away from Eng me as
possiblc?'
yes rucollect that had misgyngs
| then TIE truth is,that she always loved
| Eugene, and 81. the maria ge-oeremon in
| The worlt could not have made her one with
John Gage.
True enough. Women are the most ex
traordnary beings on the lace OF the earth.
| Eugene is well enough to do in the pccuniary
way, to have married Bertha, and made her
I kanov. Their families liked each other all
around, and l could never see any reason Tor
her accepting old Gage, except that ne Is as
! rich rs CiUsus."
"Wen. there is no accounting for woman's
nature OF such is the kinfdom Of crino-
| line!"
Eugene Lisle had been one OF my few true
friends. We were boys together-had grown
up side by side--sharcd everything between
US for many years, and were far more brother
| ly than most brothers are. But when man
falls in love- and is loved in return, 1t separates
| him from his masculine companions as newt
ably as death Eugene was no exception to
! the rule. He met Bertha Linton, got ac-
/ ouainted with her, and loved her, For while
| they " ere considered to be betrothed; but
erelong John Gage-a retired broker, cold OF
! eve, harsh of voice and slow OF action--lad
| his money bags mt her feet, aud bought her
with their glittering contents,
With a cupable weakness for one who had
The strength TO make such bargain, Bertha
| persuaded her husband TO take lodgings in a
| house where she knew Eugene intended to
take up his abode also. Gage had heard
nothing of Eugene's love for Bertha, and con
scented without fear or suspicion. The young
man came shortly to the house. met Bertha
and, as might have been expected, mutual I'M
| haptainpss was the result.
/ As sat gIoomily thinking of the bright old
/ days before Bertha had ever pierced the poor
! fellows heart with her darkly- splendid glance
! or entangled it i'm the sable mesheo Of her long,
/ graceful pairing those days 10
the present, with its sCatteredfrlends, its with
cred blossoms of hope and its lowering pre-
sentiments of an evil hour yet to GOMEZ was
startled by tap at the door
/ "Come in!'
| The plump and buxom housemaid entered
/ "A boy is waiting, sir, at the door he
/ brought this
! sick, frightened. Can you come immediate
Ily? EUGENE
.Ten the hoy win come, Joanna" | said to
the girl, and began dressing myself to go out
| on the instant \ brisk walk of half mile
| brought me to the quiet little house-half
hotel, half boarding -house-where my old
! friend lived.
/ found him living on the sofa before the fire,
-
the guady figures of which made his face
look quite CHASTITY. His sharpened features
and the blue black crescent underneath his
eyes told of a sleepless night; and his langnid
action, AS he arose and came forward to greet
me, indicated the exhaustion that follows q
mental storm.
Whats the matter now, old fellow {" |
asked, with an assumption Of gayety.
1T is alI up with me I'm afraid. have
been fool, an egregious fool, aud now comes
the eonSequenccs.H
| Don't DC mysterious
| "Wcn, I must tell some one. and you are
the hest man / know for conddant; so had
best give you the whole story. Sit down.
There are cigars on the mantel- piece"
| lit cigar, drew a c2uacious, s0itly-cush-
toned arm chair up to the head OF the lounge,
and prepared myself 10 listen TO his versi n
OF a story, the outline OF which had already
anticipated.
ii touched me to see how he shielded Bertha
from al blame in telling this san .istorY.
I'VE are all human, you k ow, George"
said Eugene. and l am equally hlaIaahle
with her. indeed, | am the most ia fault
+ Then he told the terrible sequel 10 the
romance II had only happened the night
before. John Gage had heard something
that had aroused his worst suspicious, and
there had been fearful scene between him
and his wife He swore that he would leave
no stone untUrued to get proofs Of her ineon-
thence; and when he got them be would
ruin Eugene il if cost him his entire foriuue.
lie had even gone so far as - strike Bertha q
heavy blow on the face, and then had stalked
away, muttefing horrid oaths while the poor
girl. terrified beyond II easure-a little for
herself aud a great deal f0r her lover-ran 10
Eugene rooms and sought a refuge in his
arms lt had been wiser had she sought that
refuge before the altar
This made Eugene feariuily angry: and bis