River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1879-09-18
MRS. ST JOHN.
The Romance If Our Boarding
heuse.


..She was the bonnlast h.ithest. hottest
little thing when she came here, bride,
i've wears ago this very month. They
took ms choicest suite Of apartments,
and At tirst her husband seemed to think
there WAS nothing quite good enough Tor
her As tor her, bless her, she was so in
love with her handsome. fascinating hus-
Dund that ! really thint II was all the
same to her If she dined off roast beet or
rose leaves if she drank cofs Ho.y or
atl ,rosia.
such a pft as he ives IN the house.
Old Mrs Mobbcliy and her two spinster
daughters were ,nd in cir praises oil
her. and often had 0 scat in her cosy
little coupe Tor morning shopping ar
IN after DON drive through the Park.
Young Hammom and his wife we're oft
en- in their apartment OF an evening help
ing Mr.. st. John drink MS sparkling
MOscIle, and praisilg - na stlDted terms
Mrs. ST. JOINS rich conlralio voice and
brilliant execution Even Tho general,
who held his head 81 high and ha ghty
who never left bis own elegant apart
ments to iuin thc others III the parior
common 10 all, came dnsn and stood
qui tly in the doorway nn three or fodr
different occasions Wlcn Sis had been in
duced to sing there.
II can see him now, standing there firm
and erect, hut with iar-aW4v look IN
mis- gray eyes, as though tie song ~ the
voice recalled sad memories. But lie
never spoke to heT. Indeed, as soon as
the sweet voice ceased. would quietly
walk away, and thesr visits OF his ere
never observed bl any one save myself
for there we're three doors opening from
the hall into our long saloon parlOTs, and
il was 1T the centre door the gene raj
tosk up his station, and aetweeu that
door and the piano there stood large
eterage hich screened Inns completely.
There was one other who protested 10
admir-. 4lrs. St John a w.dow-Mrs.
Burbank Tall, magnifccntly formed,
dark handsome face, cg,rythng -
far as looks went, in her fav and YET
never liked her. That beautiful gliding
step was too cat-lse; thai sweet voice
to caressingly sweet to ali alike, be il
trend, Or shock headed hesear to whom
she I3iusSt the pittuuce Crtscd, and, by
the way she dways refused
But there was one " % admired Mrs.
Burbank, and thai one was Mrs ST john 5
husband first hogan % notice 1t hen
they had been with ue "a year OF little
over There were two bouquets brought
home nightly now, one tor the wife, snd
one for Mrs Burbank; and once ! 81 a
the widow deity remove letter from the
innocent flowers. Nov taev we're always
accom- panied to opera or eatre 10y the
widow. In fact she rs always with
them 10 not think Mrs. ST. John
ever really t4ncIuo her, but she knew it
pleased her husband To- have Mrs Bur
bank with them and that It's enough
She was such "a child this little wife !
tell YOU ot-oniy eighteen, aud as inno-
cent Of evil as though it had no eXistencs
IN this world of ourz.
AT last Mrs Burbank came one day
and told the size was going away on ii
visit; that she would 10 gone some time,
and could, therefore give mp her apart
mcut Well, 20 she did and ] could not
say I was sOrry
.'F0, time after that every thing went
on all nooth and even and then the little
wifes ace grew sad and pale, dark shad-
ows grew under the violCt-hlue eyes, and
| could have boxed the ears ot her hand
some husband, Tor | knew he was the
caus. IT it, He was never actively IN
kind, only careless, ueglecttnl.
The nightly bouquet was forgotten now,
and sometimes he would forget to come
home ii. the wee sma hours. : nd ont
lhsmaI winters morning, before the sun
was.up, Mrs St John came 20 me, y here
I lay IN my bed, asd Iay down by me
very cold and white and still, her dear
little face close to mine, her arm around
my neck. I dreaded knew not what
and for time neither Of us spoke A
last said
Wv at Is Ii. my DEAR
And the poor child pressed little
closer, and said
Mrs Raymond, ! have been sitting
up for him all night and he never came.
could only smooth the little colder
head with trembling fingers as her moth
ar might have done. and coax her 20 e
with me TO her own room, where [ pu
ter to bed, FIR she as really i'll!
Latter in the day her symptoms b9
came alarming, physician was sent 10
Who pronounced it BRAN fever. ina
night i;tter came for her IN her bus
bands handwriting. / took il to tn
general. and asked him what | should d
about opening it. II was certainly i'm
portaut ne should know of his wife
condition, and wc knew not where To- fin
him
TIE general opened the letter
Thank Cod the ysiti- never saw it.
he had Yltd ruth Us, EuE5raL
.sacL "a eak. plntui, cowatdly le5te
never, ana hope never sr,U read agar
He had made sad mistake in marrying
They we're not suited to each other, Mrs
Burbank was las destiny, his .finlty
and much more Ia the same purpose.
The general and looked al eac
other through mist Of tears A. last
POUNDS madam, SAID the genera
drawing his hand hastily across ms eye
was there ever such 81 villain; hut thl
must he stopped something must b
done
And. we finally decided that Il mu,
he kept from the others in III, house. an
the general WAS "a start ont early IN
NEXT morning. track them if possible, te
ne husband his wite's pitiabIc condition
and + possible reclaim HIM before an,
thms should be known. Bat IN ii
morning the papeTs contained IN accoul
OF $ terrible railroad disaster, and anon
the names 1t the dead was Oscar ;
John We never heard OF Mrs. Burban
then d later. whether she was with hin
whga i've met has death. or if he was q
> his wav To- jena her.
Oscar 81 John was laid away in Greer
woei weeks before his vie could be tel
any lining about II; but When She va
wei ard strong enoug To bear II v
hTese II 20 her as gently as We coulS
and il Vas sad 70 see the little blac K 70
ed igur>, and sad, patient face, and
know she was mourning Tor one 81 III
worshS OF her.
We found shortly after his death, TN
Mr.. St. John had been living far beyon