The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1881-04-26

the object Of bic 6st boyisb dreans
of the strong fervent love OF th'
man, and the cause Of all the sorrou
hs had ever knows. He had ive'
over their happy married life "he'
he vas the prosperous but not care
full merchant, Who did not give tn
money. settled upon him BY hi
fa, her, the value that one does VII
earns it for himself. little BY little
and he bought and sold recklessly. ant
he found himself on the verge o
fnanc,al ruin just - his wife de
serted him. leaving no clue to he'
whereabouts and giving no reason To-
her strange conduct, save that which
Flora gave.
She bad just come into possession
of . neat little income. and could
have been . help to him then. - vel
~ Q comfort. But she was gone. and
the only thing he could learn relative
to her Vas from Flora, who had beer
q constant visitor to their home
coming to spend the day with Viola,
and remaining through the evening
when it had often become necessary
for him to accompany her home. He
had thought her 20 changed for the
better and was indeed much pleased,
and thought it we'll for Viola to have
Q friend and companion through the
long hous whes hs was obliged to be
away from home.
She had told him, With many Q
comforting word and expression Of
sympathy, that when Viols received
the money she had told her of it,
and said that sbe now iutsnded to en-.
joy herself - she had never before !;
that she was tired of country life and
louged for ut least Q change. But
Flora said that she had thought she
meant with her husband, of courss,
aud not alone. She knew they had
always bssu 20 happy; At least be
had been 20. Viols seemed sad at
times and rather dependent until she
received tho legacy. and this had
frightened her wonderfully. etc.
And this was the only heart from
which hs received q word of sympathy.
He let the old neighbors believe she
had gone of on . visit to distant
relatives. and after giving the whole
affair into tho hands Of . sbre I'd de.
tective, had closed up bis business in
the east and taken the life be now
led. No one. save those who were
obliged to, knew Of his sorrow, and 70
the boys on the road be Vas "Dave,"
kind-hearted. but close
Dave" They knew moth
ing of his past. He had come among
them and made bis way up. and ali
they could ever learn Was that he was
from the east. His father and mother
were dead, and all ties to the old
home were sundered. He heard from
home, but indirectly through the
officer be had employed.
He wondered ut her reason for
going; it Was unlike her. He had
seen 20 many things since, he had
been blinded to then, and he hated
for the thought, that be
would say to himself was ungeneroue
and mean when he thought of her
sympathy, that perhaps Florais old
time jealOusy he thought dead had
lived to come between him and his
wife.
He saw often one picture, Viola
and Flora ut the gate waiting for him.
He had come up laughing and joking
with Flora, and now hs remembered
that panied look in Violas eyes that
he had kissed away under the roses
over the gate. She had worn that
look several times at intervals of
length and he recalled it now and
attributed it to discomfort with her
lot and him.
For three years be had been vacil-
|ating between hope and fear. love
md contempt; the determination to
i've it down and forget it all. and on
the other hand to see her once again
md hear from her lips what ex-
PLANTATION she had to offer. He could
credit the story of her desire
'or change from their quiet life to
he whirl and confusion of Q busy
:ity. for he had loved her - hls pure,
innocent, womanly darling who knew
70 little Of the world aud cared still
ess.
He would hear il al from her yet,
md for this hope be had lived on.
Last night be had been relieved from
he trying suspense. but only to know
md feel an awful certainty.
He had received the intelligence
ast night that . woman answering |
be description given BY him of bis |
rife was lying 1t the morgus. having |
zen lifted from the river this morn |
ng. He bad fastened to the place |
ut 10 the swollen bleatsd features Of |
bis poor creature, be could trace
title resemblance to his wife. She
1as much such . formed woman a.
'icls, but lacked the symuetry and
raceful outlines that had belonged to
be latter. The only thing that
ould reconcile him 70 the thought
hat this Was all that remained 70 hin
{ bis wife, the only thing that could
II bic heart With . sorrow over this
his dead, was the hair 80 like hers.
he little short, amber-colored ring.
IT. were the exact shade and curl Of
,e longer tresses Viola had worn.
1t Was found that the dead had On
red tho adjoining village some three
ears ago. coming from 10 one knew
here, nor could any ono learn
,ght relative TO her past. She had
orksd - sewing girl in the vsalthisr
miles who had given her employ.
snt, and he'd disappsarsd - sud- ID
'nly and nystsriously % she came. Il