The Red Cloud chief., 1879-05-22
HIS TRUE LOVE.

hhu rue Ib-as mn VII 800
this reaches yOu, thousands OF miles will
separate us, and it will be useless for you
TO try to trace me. / shall leave property
enough TO support you and the child, for
YOU have been dear 10 me, but i never was
worthy OF you; and now you must forget
me. have tried in vain TO conquer my
love for Florence Abernetby. My passion
for her is the one true love of nv lifetime.
i can not give herup, and we are going away
together.
The little white-faced woman, hold
ing with trembling hands the blotted
paper, read again the cruel letter-the
letter from her idolized husband, declar-
ing his love for another, and his resolve
TO separate himself from his family for
that others sake. 1t had come hours
before; she had read ii owe and over,
and still she sat there, pallid, weak, not
half comprebending yet the trouble that
had come upon her; conscious only that
her hearts trust and love had been be-
trayed, that she bad lost the presence
dearest TO her on earth. The spring
sunshine, finding its way through among
her callas and geraniums, lay warm
across the handsome carpet; her birds
caroled lightly in their dainty cage; her
baby boy slept soundly in bis Glib; and
outside were all the sweet, soft odors of
springs buds and blossoms, and its
countless hymns of gladness; while she
sat there in Der dumb misery, question
ing If this were all true, if she had lived
to know her idol fa'se and base, and
her life's JOY forever vanished, or if she
were only in the maZeS Of a fevered,
delirious dream.
She was one of those golden-haired,
exquisitely pretty little women, who
seem sent into the world expressly for
men to take care of, one who needed to
be loved and cared for always, and
hitherto she had known no lack of ten
derest devotion and affection. Six years
before Louis Aston had taken her from
the luxurious home of her childhood,
where she had known sorrow but by
name, to his W elegant residence, just
finished and furnished for his bride, and
from their brief, blissful courtship, they
had entered on what appeared an al
most perfect welded life. The young
merchant was the most attentive Of hus-
bands, and Mrs. Aston lived in a
scarcely broken dream of happiness.
After four years came the tiny stranger
asking admi.tance to both hearts, and
then life seemed indeed complete to
pretty R,salie Aston.
But when the little one could barely
utter his parental title, Mr.. Alston's
mien began to change. He ceased to
come from his work with the light
hearted smile his wife had learned to
expect; he forgot sometimes to kiss the
baby boy, of whom he had been so
proud; and his manner constantly be-
trayed a bitter anxiety.
81 must 60 away, Rosa" he said at
last; "some one must 90. or our firm
will be ruined, and who can 60 but me P"
So, for the first time since their bridal
day, they were separated, for he went
away hundreds of miles, and she stayed
at home with little Lou.
All the long winter months she had
waited, lonely, for his coming, and his
letters said often, 81 shall be with you
soon;" but he did not come. He wrote
sometimes of brilliant and unlooked-for
prosperity in his business, and of the
remarkable liveliness and cordiality of
the society in which he found himself.
but she looked in vain for a day named
his return. At last came the terri
~ lCltCI kubt ltlo hCl W hC 1k1A SIN
ned and fallen, and that they might
meet again.
And all the half-dozen years of their
hapH Wedded life, she had been so sure
of his affection! Could it be that in
this stranger he had found the one true
love of his life? His picture hung on
tie wall before her, looking down upor
her -withEtbe beautiful dark-blue ewes
she had loved to watch; and looking
there on that handsome face that wa
bending now to an ignoble one, on tina,
shapely head so dishonored, she cried
out at last, and wept in her agony. And
thus they found her in her helpless woe
and kindly hands and voices ministereG
to her In the fearful hours that followed
"Do you know" queried q kind
hearted neighbor q few days later, ssdo
you know what's the matter with Mrs
Aston? |"
"She is suffering under severe nerv
ous pro stra,ion, !" answered the doctor
wife, who lived across the way, I" ant