The Grant County herald. (Big Stone City, Grant County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1883, 1880-11-06

| or insensible.
"Do you want to see his iacei' asked
the doctor, and before l was able to mo
tlon him not to disturb the patient, tn,
latter turned suddenly and, with blanl
stare, exclaimed:
who is there2 Stellar
His whole figure, as he leans hesvil,
on MS elbow, appeared emaciated ane
worn to skeleton; his hair had beer
cut snort, showing out painfully every
protrudlng eminence of the skull; hi.
long beard was gray and wild, the yacan,
stare OF his large, deeply-sunken gray
eyes gave to the whole face an expires
sion OF idlooy which rendered the fea
lures nearly unrecognizable, and yet
Notwithstanding this dreadful change
l knew the man inatantly.
"Nordhotf!" I cried, bending over
him and looking HIM straight In tn.
face, "do you know me2'
A CLEAN of intelligence seemed tor q
moment to pass over his face, but only
tor moment. Then again the same
vacant expression settled on it, and be
again muttered:
"Who is there7 Is it Stellas'
There was no hope. Love, the truest,
most ardent, most passionate love man
is capable of, had done its work here to
the end
By degrees, by questioning the rag
man in whose miserable dwelling Nerd
hoff had found shelter, the neighbors
and some of the associates of his former
life, succeeded IN tracing the history
of the unhappy man back to the time
when he had landed at New York with
his wife-for he had, before starting,
married that French girl.
He had always been lucky man, and
it seemed at first that his good fortune
had accompanied him over the ocean.
He found lucrative employment at the
office Of 9 rich broker, Polish Jew, who
had formerly been small business
agent of Nordhoff's father, and was now
proud and happy to give lift to the
son. AL went on rather smoothly tor
year, until French opera bouffe COM
pany visited New York. Among the
singers belonging to the latter, Stella
found some former acquaintance. She
went to see them, and the demon of the
stage seized again on hAs Despite the
earnest entreaties of her husband, she
passed all of her evenings, and part of
her nights, at the theater, and IN com.
pany with some OF the widest Bohemi-
ans of the troupe. Among these the
women were all very elegant, and COW
cred with jewels they were proud OF, and
which they boastingly showed to Stella.
What is the use of you having mar
ried that fellow one OF those plain
spoken 'ladies' exclaimed. IF he is IN
able even to give you decent outit"
This naughty word was not forgotten
by Stella She loved Nordhoff in her
way, but frem this moment the notion
settled in her mind that he somehow did
net treat her as he ought and as she had
a right to expect.
81 have given up for hlm all my pros
pects,' she thought, "and now | must
cook for him his dinner. It's shameful :
For all he had given Up for her she
seemed utterly blind.
At last the day came when the woman
openly accused her husband Of neglect
ing her.
"You make lots Of money, she.cried,
bursting into tears, land | have no de
cent dress to put on. | see it all, you do
not love me any more
Poor Nordhotf tried hard to satisfy his
wife's most extravagant wishes. lE ad-
dition to his Office work he succeeded IN
getting night employment on one OF the
great newspapers in the great city. Dur
ing year he worked like galley slave
earning about five thousand dollars. But
what was this sum tor woman used {
the extravagances OF Partisan fast lite
Scenes of peevish, worrying complaints
became on her partl daily more ire
ouent. Nordhof was comparatlvel.
happy only while at work ane
he actually came to dread the momen
he had to 90 home. And still he lovee
her with mad cllnglng passion agalns
winch all the dictates OF reason remained
powerless.
One summer evening after dark d
took her out for walk on Broadway
AS they passed the door OF the flith Aver
ne Hotel the throng separated them ior
instant. NordhoA remained few PAGES o
hind. At that moment an eieganti
dressed man who stood At the entrance g
the hotel hall accosiea his wife n IAN
liar voice
"Halloo, Stella! Be there tonight.
Nordhoff sprang forward and selzlr
the man by the arm exclaimed, this !
dy is my wife, SIR Who are you.'
The man thus accosted seemed at hr
inclined to resent the action as we'll
the words. He was much taller and Oh
or than Nordhof, and as he looked dow
On his enraged adversary his expresslt
suddenly changed. He cast one mo
Glance at Stella and then bowing court
I a,,alv ~ Nordhotf said