River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1881-09-01
ONLY 4 NAME.

Perhaps because personal beauty had
always possessed for me singular fas-
cination, perhaps because of the strange
magnetic current is oft more potent
than reason or judgement, perhaps be-
cause of the simple law of affinities-it
was that when my friend, John How
ard, babe me a hospitable welcome to
his home in England, presenting me to
his wife and daughters as the son of an
old college friend, felt, looking into
May Towards eyes, even in that first
hour the magic power Oflove's awaken
ing.
She was the younger IF the two sisters,
and very beautiful. The elder, though
but two years the senior, had a quiet,
dignifed manner, which made her
seem much older May was the pet
of the family They waited on her as
though she were a little queen among
them, and she received their homage
as though it were her due. That there
was any selfishness in this recipiency,
never entered my mind to conceive,
rs | added myself TO her list of adorn-
ing subjects.
yet during that time | had talked but
little with my divinity. Strange to say
it was from her sister | learned how
dear she was to them all-her sister,
with whom | spent long hours, while
she told me Of their quiet uneventful
daily life. ] dared not talk much with
May herself lest | should betray my
self: and betrayal, / told myself, would
drawn down only ridicule upon what |
held so sacred-tLis sudden new birth
in my soul, which | could neither ex-
plain nor Danish. Yet | was quiet
content that we shared the same at
mOsphere; to hear now and then her
little, rippling laugh; to see her array
ed like some lily of the field, and con-
sumo my very heart in longing that l
might pluck it for my own.
At the end of a week business COM
PEELED me to make my farewell. | was
going To the Far West of America, ON a
mission which would bring me fortune
or reduce me to penurv. Aside from
every other reason, until the experiment
had written itself a success, honor must
keep me silent.
In vain | searched Mays eyes for a
glance of sorrow or regret, as | pressed
her little hand in uttering my good-by.
They were bright and dry. True, in
her sisters darker orbs, read sympathy
and sadness. Had she guessed my Sc
cret? | felt that she had, and 1t was
this which induced me to hold her hand
more closely, as | whispered:
Pray for my return. Pray for my
success YOu know what both mean
to me"
A color, which made her almost beau
tiful. crept into her cheek at my words.
True. she loved her sister so well that
she even blushed for her happiness.
A year passed. and l had succeeded
beyond my hopes. Wealth was in fair
way of pouring into my golfers, and
though | dared not leave the grounds
for months-perhaps years-to come,
though my manner Of living must be
in a measure rude and uncivilized, it
vet was not destitute of comfort and to
a woman who loved me it might have
it's charms.
do not know when the idea entered
my brain, or how 1t grew and grew until
felt to realize it | would sacrifice even
my expectant fortune. 1t was this
Had | gained Mays love2 Had
wakened one answering echo in her
heart to the wild cry of mine? And If
so-if she indeed loved me-would she
not rather, rs it was impossible for me
to 90 to her, come to me? We would
be married instantly on her arrival.
Her father knew and trusted me. Such
4. i. I ha,
with me? Was it not better than vast
ing the best years of our life apart?
Something Of all this, and more,
put down on the sheet of paper to
which at last intrusted my hopes.
addressed it 10 her father. l felt that
it was better to give him time first to
reason and approve, then to lend 1t the
seal of his authority.
II do not know whether betrayed
my secret to you all, l wrote, but ask
your daughter. she, | think, OWNED
it. If not, recall to her my words at
parting. Ask her to intercede for me.
Then | went on to state at what point
would meet her, how Immediately the
marriage ceremony might be performs
ed. and concluded by earnestly entreat-
ing one whom | loved 81 well to lay
aside false scruples, and to overcome
the natural delicacy and reserve which
must arise, for which effort my whole
future life should endeavor to repay
her
The letter dispatched, l waited with
impatient eagerness for the reply. 1t
came ut last-came, and exceeded my
fondest hopes. My darling loved me
She would do as l asked. On such q
dav. at such an hour | was 10 meet hel
nj a point some two hundred miles
distan. from my home.
Her letter was an index of her true
woman's heart. If had not loved be
fore. it alone would have wakened the
sleeping god, but, when turned to the
signature, it was signed "Adele."
Igazed at it with stupefictiOn; then
remembered that the sisters once had
said that they had nicknamed them
selves, in childhood. May and Otto
May, thought, must be Adele, and
Otto the more dignihed Edith.
| smiled at the tn ught that my
darling was already assuming n new
womanlinesS, and laying aside the things
of her childhood. To show my appre-
citation of this, | addressed my replies
to Miss Adele.
In my letter to her father, had not
even mentioned her name. | remem-
bered this as the result of accident, but
was glad now that it had been so. All
little knew the anguished regret this
act of inadvertance would entail upon
me.
For three months, each week brought
me long pages, filed with a record o.
the daily life she led, and showing me