Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1881-12-23
/ only look at one entry more. which


/ only look at one entry more, which
spoke of Hilda's happy smiles and ten
der love to the father In the strange
land, and the pleasant little home that
she frightened with her presence, and
then there was the end very soon after.
l closed the book. knew all now, and
wished that / could, like Hilda, forget.
l sat motionless, not needing whether
it was night or day.
Hilda my saint with the holy eyes
| knew why had seen strange vanish
ings of expressions so hard to interpret
in those eyes; why there was an mex
pEcable sadness about them as of eyes
accustomed to tears; why her mouth
held such possibilities of pain. She had
not deceived me, after all. There was
nothing in her past, as she know it, that
could bring blush to her cheek.
And yet | knew, and the knowledge
seemed to build up al invisible wall be-
tween us-a gulf that | could see al
though she could not. How could L
betray her childlike trust in me? On
what plea could break the bond be-
tween US!
Her wedding-dress was made. She
had shown it to me in innocent, girlish
pride, and it was wreathed with white
lilies of-the-yalley- as pure and as
sweet as herself, / had said. | would
write to her; l could not look her in
the face and give her up.
No: it would be dastardly to write,
to give her the stab in the dark, and
not know what she suffered. After all,
she had been sinned against, and the
very memory of it was past, her heart
was pure rs little child's. So the
reader will guess the sequel Love
conquered and we were married. Never
more innocent, girlish face beamed
beneath a bridal vail, never purer, shy
er eyes were raised to receive hus-
bana's kiss.
| was happy; only now and then a
torturing thought would torment me.
Could that certain tangle of nerves of
which the doctor spoke ever regain its
power? A paralyzed limb sometimes
RECEIVERS feeble motion. What hor-
ror if the slumbering brain woke and
the terrible past, with all its hideous-
ness, should dawn suddenly upon my
Hilda!
| found her as good, as gentle, as |
had dreamed, with a tender, loving
heart, and quick, generous impulses.
We did not go to Germany on our we'd
ding journey, although she urged it,
and it was my first negative to her
wishes. | am afraid-afraid of an echo
from the past.
But we vent to Paris, and | dazzled
my simlpe wife's eyes with the pretty
things | bought for her. We went in
and out Of the grand old galleries, too,
and she developed a taste for the old
masters, and knowledge of art that
charmed me. Each day seemed to
bring up from the clear pellucid waters
Of this young life some "pearl Of purest
ray serene" that | accepted with new
delight.
One day we had gone back to our
hotel weary Of the days work, although
it had been all pleasure. | did not
notice the unusual crowd Mt the en-
trance, being somewhat absorbed in
my own thoughts, when | felt Hilda's
grasp on my arm.
ooh, poor man" she cried, che must
be terribly hurt"
Then | saw that several persons were
supporting young man, with ghast-
ly death-like face and closed eyes, into
the nearest room.
run over" youchsafed stranger
near w. Unjust have been blind or
drunk"
At that moment the young man open
ed pair Of large, dark, melancholy
eyes, and looked AT us.
"Hilda! God" he groaned; Eilda,
you are avenged"
And he was dead,
No one seemed to notice the words
no one but |. Even Hilda, who had
heard them, looked only shocked and
full Of pity.
Come, we cannot help him; let us
get away | exclaimed, shaking as
one in palsy.
"How very, very sad" said my wife,
as she laid off her hat. Perhaps he
has a little wife at home, for he said
'Hilda.' There are so many Hildas
Oh, my darling! | am glad / am not
that Hildia. And he looked as if he
had led an evil life, though he was
very handsome?"
/ held her close to my heart, for il
seemed to me Il ghostly hand was
plucking her away.
was not surprised when, on asking
the name of the unfortunate man the
next day, | was informed that on the
letters in his pocket was this address:
'sGraf Rudolph Won Eberstein."
"a hard nut, some one volunteered
"they say he'd swallowed three for.
tunes, and would have soon been in the
gutter, 50 he slipped out of the world
in good time, to save him the trouble
of shooting himself"
His name was Won Eberstein, Hill
da,' ! said, with wild desire to know
the worst.
"Gelman, then" she said, quietly
"Malcom, won't this be pretty for a
table-cover in our new homer"
Then my heart was at rest, and
thanked God and took courage. The
lost year was dead and buried beyond
the power of res direction in this life.