Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1879-06-25
The Dalton Mystery.

| knew there was mystery IN Ralph
Dalton's house, shadow over his life, as
certainly as | knew that he loved me and
tried to conquer his love. Ii was miser-
able JOY TO me to encounter him, TO make
him fall in love with me over again, when
knew he had been hiding away, battling
with nv influence over him, striving-and
vainly-to thrust ME out of his heart.
1t was no boy and g'rl infatuation, for
was twenty-three when | inherited Woifs-
ton from my uncle; stately old house,
with extensive grounds, named from some
old-world estate in our family. | found a
housekeeper, and brought with me com
panion, widow of sixty, Mrs. Latimer,
and we settled down in the new house very
happily. There was no lack of pleasant
society, and | had attention from many
gentleman residing near us. But the first
person TO welcome me was Ralph Dalton,
who had been my uncles close friend for
years, and who lived upon the next place
To mine He held for me some private let
tiers. some jewels of my grandmother 5,
and other little matters uncle felt it best To
confide TO private keeping, and after his
trust was over he came again and again
until we loved each other. Then he ceased
his visits. and / met him only by chance,
if persistent effort on my part could be
called so.
What did love in him. He was many
years older than myself-forty | judge
without great personal attraction. His
features were large and gave an impression
of strength; he was tai. and broad-shOul-
dered. | have heard him called an ugly
man, but his large, melancholy brown eyes
were beautiful. He was grave to sadness,
and reserved to a fault yet once the ice
of his reticence was broken, he could con
verse easily and gracefully upon any topic,
passing far beyond my poor attainments in
the scope of his study and the wide range
of his reading. He was as gentle as a wo-
man. and his voice, full, rich and exquisite
" modulated was perfect music. loved
him utterly-I who had been cold TO al
suitors, and self-resOlyed to maintain ever
nv maiden freedom.
What did he love in me I. Something that
was a reflex of his own nobility, for | wa:
commonplace enough elsewhere With
| him | wakened to new thoughts of philan
| throphv, of self-culture, and my Who'll,
soul was elevated and fonnd strength in in
tercourse with him. ] was fair of face
| they told me who wooed me, and | wa
glad if Ralph,s eyes found pleasure in my
/ beauty.
But had not been week at Wolfstor
before I heard of some mystery in Ralph:
| home.
1t had never received pretty name
hut was spoken of simply as " "Dalton's.
The house was large, yet no visitor eve
stopped there Ralph was reputed veal
thy vet he Offered no hospitality, even onc
meal, to his friends.
He found rest and pleasure with us
knowing we conld not visit them, and
think our intercourse was a bright, happy
one to him, lifting him out of some habitua
melancholy, until he wakened to the know
ledge that he loved me, and was terror
stricken.
Just in one flash of his soft eyes, one in
| Election of his harmonious voice, | read hi
secret, and answered it. In moment b,
was zee, He apologized for having forgot
ten the respect due to me, and with stiff
white lips, and i. chOked, hard tone la,
never heard pass his lips before, he bad
me farewell and was gone.
| was stunned, then enraged How
dared he, | thought, win my love to scorl
it, Then | wept for him. | knew my
pain was less than his, because his natur
was deeper, more intense in all things, thai
ffiine.
would not pine for any man, thought
and dashed into every gayety available II
our circle. But my flirtations were wasted
as he did not see them, and my heart wa
sick for a look from his tender eyes.
blushed for myself when stole out at dnsl
and crossed our garden to look in at tn
| window of his study to watch him. liz
was paler, graver than ever, bending owe
| his books for an hour AT time wlthou
turning leaf, or walking up and dowi
with folded arms and bowed head, musiul
painfully. as | could see by his rigid lip
and stern brow.
| had been six month at Wolfston, AM
the snow covered the ground when Mrs
Latimer impaired to me the first piece o
gossip ever heard fall from her lips.
.sYou remember that Mr.. Dalton VIII
came here so often when we were hrs
here." she asked me, as we fingered owe
a late breakfast.
/ nodded assent.
my dear, he has a crazy wife shut u
in that gloomy house of his.
s.Nonsenser' | said, sharply, while M
brain seemed afiame-
..But Mrs. Reynolds told me. Sh
saws that Mrs. Dalton has a whole suit O
upper rooms, two women to wait upon her
every care and indulgence, but that she
a violent maniac.
'But he would not pass himself OF for
single man" began.
"Who ever heard him say whether h
was mar ed or single." was the reply
"He never talked about himself.
Which was strictly true.
So this was the solution of the mystery
This was the reason why, when we met
the woods or lanes, he was restalned an
cold, until, little by little, woke the love
light in his his eyes, the tender tones OF III
voice, and was happy, until some warnin
reused him TO his own happiness, and h
would leave abruptly, as if caught in som
net hard TO break.
A mad wife. Truely | have played
noble part to win the love that belonged |
the poor creature wasting Ter life prisont
! in her own housel was humbled to tll