The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1881-04-07
WRECKED.
By RECLLCRA.

81 hEl LII tAs
"Grimes," said Mr.. Lemar, "see
that everything is in readiness for our
departure within an hour"
Thus dismissing his faithful servant
who had been his playfellOw in youth,
and who. in later years had proved
himself fast friend to his young
master, Russell Lemar paced modify
up and down the room for some time,
as if in deep thought, then stopping,
he exclaimed:
IL must. 1t is the only alterna-
tive!''
He threw himself down by an open
window, while troubled, defiant
frown darkened his handsome features.
An acquaintance of a few weeks since
would scarcely recognize, in the hag-
gard countenance of the man before
him, the gay, manly Russell Lemar.
His lips parted, and tender smile
softened his visage as he breatAed the
name
Beulah!''
As if in answer to his call the door
opened, and a tall, beautiful woman
stood before him.
'.Jane tells me you intend leaving
in few moments. What has called
you away 50 suddenly?
At the sound of his wife's voice, an
inward struggle was reflected upon
the mans courtenance-a struggle
between innocence and guilt. At last
he Replied
II have been unexpectedly sum.
moned to Leland, and my business
will probably detain me for several
weeks
As "coming events cast their
shadows BEFORE" Beulah SAW, with Il
prophetic eye. that these weeks would
pass Into months before their reunion,
and unconsciously a sigh escaped her.
A spasm Of pain seemed for a moment
to contract his features, and rising.
he placed his arm around her III his
old, lOver-like way, and WAS Whisper
ing words OF hope he dared not feel,
when Grimes interrupted them with
'Hosses w;itin'. Mister!'
A moment more, and Beulah stood
alone on the balcony, straining her
eyes to catch one more glimpse OF the
who was soon lost to her view among
the tall naples OH either side Of the
winding avenue.
Let lis now, gentle reader, revert to
the tine when Beulah Monroe and
Russell l.emar were ;ls UT unmarried.
Wiser than the majority Of young per.
S0nS, they resolved to wait until the
golden wheel If fortune should unrOll
for them a competence which would
justify their union. BY application
and dauntless enegry, Russell gained
the position of head clerk in the rs.
Establishment Of Holt & Co, 1t was a
great trial to Beulah to give up the
luxury of her own home to encounter
she knew not what from stern poverty.
Yet she was too true to her own heart
to resist its pleadings: and though
leaving, perhaps forever, the affluenct
toned, she did not falter when she
looked into the determined contenance
of Russell Lemar.
They were married, and, being of
congenial natures, their honeymoon
did not wane in the time generally
allotted to it, but presented rare phe-
nomenon in the matrimonial heavens
by increasing in brilliancy with age.
Their lives had moved thus pleasantly
until the opening of orr story.
OF late Beulah had noticed a cloud
often gather upon her husband s brow,
the cause of which she was unable to
surmise. To others he was frequently
sullen and morose. but to her he was
always the same tender lover he had
ever been.
On the evening previous to his de-
parture he had not returned home
until very late; at breakfast Beulah
noticed that his face wore an express
sion so haggard and wretched that it
must have been the offspring of great
mental agony.
The first few days CT her husbands
absence had passed; days heightened
into weeks and weeks into months,
and yet time brought no tidings of
him.
One day she stood YEARLY watching
the rays of the sun playing 81 hide and
seek with the shadows among the
naples. Her eyes rested upon their
foliage, but her thoughts were far
away. SO riveted were both that she
DID not observe anyone approach until
her name was spoken. Turning, she
saw a man standing near, holding to-
ward her telegram. Springing for
ward she seized it, and read as fol-
lows:
"MADAM:-Your husband died at
half.past eight this morning of con-
tagious disease. Being unable to
send the body home, shall see that
due respect is paid to his remains.
H. F. WILCOX
A cry of agony fell upon the air,
and she sank down, insensible. They
bore her into the house, and for weeks
kind Providence rendered her uncon.
scious of the great sorrow that had
fallen upon her young life, and made
her again live over the careless, happy
days Of first love.
-Four years passed, and a great
change came over the life of Mrs.
Lemar. She still wore the sombre
garb that marked her widowhood; but
no longer did the tired, wearied ex.
preston haunt her beautiful face.
During the war she voluntarily
became nurse at hospital, where a
new life seemed open before her.
There had been other shadows resting
upon her young life than the death Of
her husband. Holt & Co., had failed.
and dark rumOrs were circulated con-
corning the failure, few of which
reached Mrs. Lemar and, though she
did not believe them, they had given
additional weight to the burden of
life.
. At the hospital she found she had
no time for idle dreaming, and, though
the sight of so much human suffering
often made her heart sick, she never
regretted having taken her stand at
the post Of labor. The soldiers always
felt a. If the whole glory of the sun
had penetrated the dismal walls when
they heard the gentle footstep which
had grown so familiar to them.
One day u fair.haired youth called
1 her to his bedside and said, hesitat.
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