Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1881-01-07

After that WAS obliged to hold my
peace.
One sunny afternoon rs We were
seated under the shade t the trees in
the Hurst garden. We saw ~ woman,
leading little boy hy the hand APP
preaching the gate Suddenly asound
Of painting breath caught our attention,
and some distance behind the uncon.
sciouS figures rapidly ran 4 huge mas
tiff which belonged IL one Of our neigh
borS.
The animals jaws were ticckcd with
foam. and rs he cane blindly forward
his head was lowered a d his mouth
was open \ horrible thought struck
us both 1t the same time The dog
must be mad
Quick rs lightning, Violet rushed to
the gate, and Selling the woman and
her child, dragged them forcihly within.
When We had safely reached the
friendly shelter of the house, the wo-
msn turned to Violet and thanked her
for her timely interference. She WAS
rather young, and thought il She had
been moro neatly dressed she would
have been pretty.
After She had rested and partakcn Of
some rcfreshment which Violet
brought, She rose 70 go.
Can you tell me. she said, where
is We've Hurst, whore Miss Christa-
bel lives"
This is Mievc Hurst and am
Miss ChriStahel," Violet replied.
a sudden anger tanned III the We
mans black eyes. Starting back and
clasping hey hoy III her arms, she en-
claimed
You Miss Christabcl? And have
broken bread in your house "
Then, seeing our look otwondcr, she
eamcd her excited tones, and after
fumhling in her pockcta moment, took
out a folded paper,
Read that, She said, "and see why
| have come across the ocean 10 find
Miss Christahcl.
Violet took the paper from her and
read it, then she handed il to me. II
was copy of All English marriage Ger
titicate, in which the names of the com
tracing parties were Roger nacrc and
Ellen Houston.
saw that Violet was incapable IF
utterancc and took il upon myself e.
speak.
What does this mean" said,
sternly.
at means, she answered, that am
Roger Dacrc's wife Five years ago he
left England and came to America,
and since then ! have never seen him.
But | had friends near here, though he
did not know ii, and heard from them
that he was in love with, and then that
he was going to marry, an American
girl | worked day and night till got
money enough To come here Not
that | love him-no, but | meant TO
show him that he could not wrong and
deceive woman rs easily AS he
thinks
As she spoke both Violet and myself
were convinced by her earncstncss of
the truth of her words.
Thus was Roger Dacre's intended
bascncSs made clear, and Violet saved
from union which would have blasted
her life
He had nothing to say when CON
fronted by the woman whom he had
thought, when he had tired of her and
left her, too poor and powerlcss ever To
do aught to right herself. Much TO our
relief lie soon left America, and We
never saw his face again,
Then violet told me how he had oh
tanned his power over her. He had
come to the Hurst us a guest of Mr..
Christabels, being the son of u friend
he had known iii his YOUTH and her
poor father, in one of those moments
III which his brain yielded to the strange
mania which possessed him ut times.
had entered the young mans room Mt
night and taken n valuable joweled pin
which lay upon the bureau. Mr.. Dac-
re had been awake and had seen it all.
lie had proposed to me before, Z
said Violet, "and | had refused him;
but, Notwithstanding explained to him
how it was, and that i'll II few days
could find the pin and restore it to
him, lie threatened to prosecute my
poor old father for theft unless would
consent to marry him. Thus | became
betrothcd to him, and there she shud-
dcrcdl should have been lis wife
sometime fora Christabel neyerbrcaks
her word of honor"
THANK tod you have been saved
from such fate y ! exclaimed, fer
yeutly, and Violet turned and kissed
me.
I" | thank the good God every day,
size said, for raising up such dear
friend for me. But for you | should
indeed be alone"
Soon after that penned few lines
to Kcath Kimball, informing him Of
what had happened, and Of all that
Violet had told me- did not dare TO
speak to Violet of what had done.
The days passed, until one came and
brought Keath with it. We We're both
III the library Violet and when the
door opened, and he entered unan-
nounccd.
With little cry Violet rose. He
stood for a moment and gazcd at her
looking in her black dress like a pale,
sweet shadow Of her former self then,
unable to control himself longer, lie
held out his arms, while an expression
Of unutterable love and longing sprang
into his eyes.
Violet, will you not come 70 me
now? know all, and that there Is
nothing 10 part us.
And just at ! discrcetly vanished
from thp scene | saN Violet 90 slowly