River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1880-12-30

some occult sympathy between us, for
the moment he entered the room felt
that a crisis was come.
He was in very weak lhealth and he
sank down in chair, looking pale and
exhausted, and wiped the damps from
his forehead, while his breathing was
very labored; and there was a feverish
glitter in his restless eyes and a red
spot in each hollow cheek.
"How very I'll you look" | said pity
ingly; "let me give you a glass of
wine
"No, | want nothing" he said in a
gasping tone, there's quite fire enough
within me now; | am being slowly
burned up"
Have you seen DOCTOR" | asked,
growing very nervous.
"A doctor" he echoed with mock
ing laugh. ooh, yes, / have seen doc
tor, but he can do me no good. 1t is
YOU who are killing me-"
~ | answered family.
Yes" he answered; 'since the night
YOU tore the heart and soul out of my
body can not live without you, and |
won't"
Twas very much terrified by his Wild
excited looks, but replied with a great
show of firmness: You talk none
sense, Arnold; why, you are married
already"
did not know at the moment wheth-
CIR it was really so, but there was a
vague impression among the company
that such was the case, and it was up
on that authority only that spoke.
"How did you know that-you ques-
toned me when | was under your in
fuence?" he retorted sharply.
II did not, but find it is true. And
under such circumstances, how dare
you address me in such terms?" | ex-
claimed, growing very indignant, per-
haps more in seeming than in reality.
YES" he replied, Il am married to
woman | hate; TO woman | left at
the church door. I was forced into it
by my friends-never mind why; that
would not interest you"
He paused for moment, then lay
ing his trembling fingers upon my
arm, he added: Alice" he had come
to call me by my christian name, "if
anything were to happen to her-if she
were to die-would you be my wife,"
| started away from him, eXclaim-
ing: Don't talk like that, it is too
horrible"
But he followed, and again grasped
Just now that | can not live without
you, and that | will not, and | swear
before God that if you do not give me
this promise, when | leave this house
/ will throw myself over the bridge into
the rivcr-I wear it!'
Men-and women, tOo,-say these
things III moments of strong passion
without keeping their words; but |
knew that he would keep his, the mys-
terious sympathy that had been ere
ated between us told me so, told me
that if he left me with that thought in
his heart, he would not be living man
within the next hour.
1t was nearly dark, Just between the
lights, and his face cleaned out of the
shadows white and terrible, and then |
thought how it would look when it was
drawn out of the water with the long
dark hair clinging about it.
1t is not much to ask of YOU" he
went on, pleadingly. "Why, she may
outlive us both; more than likely;
there is nothing shocking in it-she is
nothing to me, never has been, only
the mockery Ola ceremony links us.
"But what is the use Of pledge,
what satisfaction can it be to your" |
said, still with my face covered, for |
dreaded to meet his eyes.
II don't know" he answered; sit
would give me a sort of hope that |
can'tlive without, that | won't live
without"
Well l gave him the promise. dare
say you will consider it was very wick
ed Of me to do so. l think SO myself
But | thought it was almost impossible
that | should be ever called upon to
fulfill it, and how could hesitate when
mans life seemed to be at stake?
The following morning, as was seat
ed at breakfast, | caught sight of Ar
nold's dark figure passing my parlor
window, and the next moment | heard
his now well-known knock at the street
door. | put down the cup of coffee
that had raised half way to my lips.
while an unaccountable dread stole
over me.
One glance at his countenance as he
entered the room told me that some
thing had happened. He did not look
at me, not even exchange greeting,
as he laid down his hat and took
chair
II have strange news to tell you, Al
ice" he said in voice thick and indis-
tinct with agitation.
For Gods sake don't tell me that"
| could not complete the utterance
of my fears, myvoice died away in my
throat, and with parted lips and rigid
eyes | could only await the explana-
ton.
Meantime he had taken from his
breast pocket letter, which he rose
and offered me- 1t had deep black
border.
L shrank back; would not touch it;
| knew its contents.
"You knew what was going to hap
pen-you have cruelty entrapped me"
| said bitterly
He threw himself upon his knees at
NV feet II swear most solemnly," he
cried, Il did not: it was very sudden,
the letter will tell you so; heart disease
her friends had scarcely a moments
warning"
There was that in his tone | could
not disbelieve, and when, after awhile,
| brought myself to read the fatal let
ter, found his assertions were there
fully confirmed
This makes it all the more horrible
/ cried ''for now | feel as though |
were in some way the cause of her
death
Iimplored him to release me from
my promise, as nothing good could
come of marriage contracted under
such auspices. But he only repeated
the old words, 81 cannot live without
you, and | WON'T
My friend, who could perceive how
ill-assorted we were, did all in her
power to persuade me to break with
him. Leave the company" she said
give no notice of your intention, and
90 home, or take another engagem ent
under another name"
But | felt that / could not break .
vow so solemnly made, and which
fate, whether for good or evil, had so
suddenly called upon me to fulfill.
mo, am wrong; | did not love him,
it was only 4 glamor-whether the re-
suit of supernatural influence or more
superstition | cannot pretend to say
it was mixture of dread, rcpulslOn