The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1880-03-04
COMM THRO' THE RYE. u

Gus family seated around the breakfast
and it is high time, bis estates were 60
ing to ruin"
The father did not notice the look of
dismay on the faces around the board.
''There is great deal of nonsensical
talk about his having married one of the
handsomest women living, and two days
after, leaving her and never seeing her
again for year, and since then never
speaking to her, OF only when courtesy
demands; but it is all gossip, for the
Washers were all prudent people and
made no hasty marriages"
But there was one little episode in the
Adair family that the father never was
told, it having occurred while he was
away for several months in Australia.
Paul Washer had won the love of Helen
Adair, and loved her with the passion of
a strong nature, and upon the fathers
return they were to wed. In his youth
he had loved a girl of magnificent beauty,
but before they were united the mask
fell from her and he saw that she was
unprincipled, and could be true to no
man. After fierce fight with himself
he conquered his passion, and when he
saw Helen Adair, her purity, honesty,
and piquant beauty, charmed him ard
took entire possession of his heart
Sylvia Forester had declared that no
other woman should ever wed Paul Wash
er, and as he was obliged to go to Rome
to settle some business, she tricked him
into marriage by putting notice of Helen's
marriage into the papers, having letters
| forged, and managing that his valet
should receive letters giving accounts of
the marriage. None but mad man
would have doubted, in the face of so
many proofs, and he, out of his mind,
driven to despair, was led by this wicked,
handsome woman to the altar; but when
| he became aware of what he had done,
! he saw that he had been indeed mad for.
| living or dead, married or single, his
| whole soul was bound up in Helen
Adair, and it was only two days after his
marriage that he heard it was all ter
rible mistake and that his own folly had
! separated him from her forever. Gossip
| this time told the truth, and an insane
| desire to see once more the sweet face of
his idol caused his return to her neigh
! borhood.
He had been back but four days when
a servant came to Helen's room and said
s'Mr. Washer awaits you in the draw
ing room
Nell" lie said, 'Sylvia is very sick
| and wants you to come to her."
II cannot, Paul, and I don't believe
she is dangerously Ill; remember her
wonderful powers of dissimulation.
eff you could have seen her as did
1 few hours ago, you could not but have
pitied her. Her mother died of this
same trouble" "
81 cannot forgive her, Paul, but 1 will
| go and see her."
| Upon reaching the mansion he led her
| to q room that looked ont into the garden
aud left her for few moments. This
| she knew in a moment was to have been
| her room if she had been his wife, and
the first time she entered it was when
she came to see her successful rival
| The first time Paul met her after his
sojourn on the continent for few years
was IN a field of rye, with her hat off,
hair down, and on her head a wreath of
poppies, singing at the top of her voice
Comm Thro' the Rye"
The walls of the room were hung with
straw, colored silk and border of pop
| pies, and the carpet was of the same del
| lcate color, with bright poppies and
| grain scattered over it.; and over the
mantle hung the picture Of young girl
| dressed in white, looked through her
| veil of halr, with her head crowned with
poppies, which was a picture of herself
| IN her girl-hood. Now it was Paups
| room she knew, as his cigar was on the
table, his gloves and various articles be
| longing to gentleman thrown around.
| She had finished her inspection when
Paul appeared and said Sylvia would see
| her.
The first words. Sylvia said to her were,
You think I am going to die, and you
IRE glad, are you not 2"
IF this is why you sent for me had
better go" said Helen.
''NO, no; don't you see 1 am very sick
and if | don't die this time, it will surely
take me off some day, and you must say
you forgive me-
81 cannot"
"Ihen you are not the noble woman
you are reputed; and it is you, Helen
Adair, that ought to ask my forgiveness,
for you know he was first my sweetheart,
and you stole him from me, and then |
stole him from you. What is in you that
has SO bewitched him? All these years
| he never has spoken TO me but in the
| presence of servants. Once / went up
behind him and put my arms around his
| neck. apd though he said nothing, there
was murder in his face. Night after
night I've crept to his door, and in his
thrashing and tossing could hear him call
| Nell, Nell, and never once have / heard
| him say Sylvia. Oh, / never. never
| would have tricked him into marriage
With me, if l had not thought that
could win him back; no one ever before
resisted me. Please hand me that med
icine."
As she was getting it for her the door
opened, and a beautiful boy, not yet