Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1881-09-22

still wish to give II to me.
at Is as deathless as my love-" said
Leslie softly. Tell me why, little
friend
81 don't know why should" said
Wilma, the stern pallor Other face grow
ing no less; but you have shown me
the truth never dreamed dwelt in hui
man form. | Will trust you with what
no mortal but my dear uncle, Ralph
i Barrinton, knows ana loves me for"
! odd you think ever was married?'
she questioned. "Was," she said,
scornfully,as Leslie turned white, 81
am not now, thank Heaven When |
was fifteen ! ran away from boarding
school with Leon Fontaine. No matter
all he did: but he drank, gambled, tor
tured me, broke my heart--for ! did
have a heart then--stalved me till my
little child, my innocent baby, died of
cold and hunger in my arms, and was
buried in the Potter's field"
Two tears dropped here from eyes
that burned like fierce white flame,
then she was ice cold and distant as
ever
81 could not bury her." she said, with
|
whole soul on his lips, cried pa sion
i ately:
Don't distress yourself; your con-
fdence is sacred; come to me-"
His arms were opened to her, his ten
der, worshiping eyes wooed her, but
she put him, steadily, gently aside.
NO" she answered low, mot there;
let me finish. Leon died by his own
hand in den of wickedness, Infamous
in itself shame to his manhood and
an insult to me; then | must have
starved, but Uncle Ralph found me-
pitied me, loved me. have hated al
men; loved to distrust and distress
them till now"
"And now ?"-Leslie Murdoch s voice
was winning and sweet-"my own love
my wounded dove, come find refuge
upon my heart and let me teach you
how love can atone for all the hear
pangs. As Heaven is my witness, you
shall never regret it,"
With infinite sadness she shook he
! head.
"No," she said solemnly, II shall
never be any mans wife. Your friend
f, if you still wish, never any more"
y In vain he reasoned, pleaded and be
: sought her; she was more sweetly win
= ming than he ever knew her, but a rocl
! could not have been more intlexible.
:, When, at last, he babe her goodbye
:. he said, softly:
:, "Dear little friend, | will help you
y bear your burden. Bless you for you
y confidence. Goodnight"
r He kissed her hand reverently an,
:, was gone.
- One year, two years. The season wa
), at its gayest at the old summer resort
\ "Island Home" had risen, phpnix-like
e from its ashes, and was more beautiful
. and tempting, more sought after thai
ever. Wilma Rarrinton was there, wit
a new, softer light in her face, less ster
! and cold than two years before. Hoy
= true a friend Leslie Murdoch ha
proved. Only once had he, while teach
ing her anew the sweet lesson of belle
in life and humanity, asked her love
e and received the old answer:
81 shall never marry"
1t She missed the old companionshiI
e Every nook in the beautiful summe
resort brought suggestions of that haT
:; by time, the sweetest wilma could II
d member Of her whole life AS the los
grew upon her she began, with hear
;; sick longing, to wish for him until sh
n shrank back, abashed and fearful q
this painful, new experience. Yet sh
q was not willing to surrender; pride ha
II held sway too long.
"Oh, for death !" she prayed, "for i
y life he will never know"
She had climbed Promontory Rock t
watch the incoming waves and the dy
l. ing sunset, with unutterable sadness an
e loneliness at heart None guessed wha
lay beneath the serene, marble-whit
g face, upon which years had left so Sigh
II On Impression.
e 81 must CO." she told herself, risin
r at last. 81 did not know how late
= was"
What was it that blanched her chez
u to the hue of death
The waves had risen till every avenu
y had been cut off, In few hours the
would sweep her from her frail foothol
t out into the world beyond.
:, Oh ! it was crue' Life was sweet
after all, when drear2 death stared he
3 in the face The thought of that tende
o love she bad so sighted came to he
II and there was that cold, merciless wa
0 ter creeping slowly up, and the dashin
n sea spray wrenched her quivering form
C Once she cried aloud for help, but oni
i the moan of the waves answered her
AT last in lonely despair, she crouch
ed, shiyering, against the cold rocks
# waiting to die.
: ''Oh, love (" she cried, family; iii
r Heaven you will know"
5 Harkl Was it fancy? A shout,
/ distant CLEAN Of lights came over tn,
t tossing waters. Nearer and nearer tn
: little bark came to the perilous rocks
d once she heard her name called as sh'
:. drifted away for an instant into uncon
V sciousness; then, amid the darkeninj
e storm that was rising, in the rocking
It eddying fisherman's boat she knew
herself folded safely to the heart o
,s Leslie Murdoch.
II "My own, my priceless treasure, al
n most lostp' he was saying as he shell
| .ul Ior IL fnrr,, II ,,,,o M. -,