The Dillon tribune. [volume] (Dillon, Mont.) 1881-1941, 1882-03-25
.Wiseellansa.
cHARLoTTE's SECRET.

.cnool.g,rl of SIXTEEN she made the 0reat |
mistake of her life-a mistake which was r.
cause her unutterable sorrow and remorse.
By nature Charlotte was intensely aff.o. |
,ionnte. She had been bereft Of 10th her
narents while mere child, and her guar.
dian l,eing cold. rather reserved man ~
business, the girl had learned to keep back
such demonstrations a. would have dis.
plrased him.
;,,v school. Al sixteen she fell in love = ~
J, vuyht The did-with Gift Dallas. hsr
mus c-,eacler, man OF thirty. who used
Nil the art he was muster Of to win the
affection OF thia p ssionate.hearted girl
vino he knew would come into possession Of
handsome roIerty in due time.
Il wus I'm ensy task to win her. starved
for love a. abe was His low, tender words
AID his caresses seemed q foretasta of
heaven.
By skilful man0uv,ing. he persuaded
her into c0nsenting 10 u secret marriage
walking in tue glamor Of love, she doubt
id nothing. feared nothing.
Cliff Dallas, with his dark eyes and
mysterious smile, VIVA . sort of god upon
earth to the foolish girl whu could not ,ook
Into the future.
At . venteen. with vows Of eternal con.
stancy, and many hot tears she parted 1, ON
her husband and returned home to h,r
guardian.
Dallas returned to England shortly after
when she should have attained her majority.
he would come to claim his wife.
Charlotte felt quite exalted and heroic.
She entered society with feeling Of super.
iority to all the giddy butterflies about her.
A pretty girl and IN heiress could mot DO
long without suitora, and Charlotte had
her share but one after another was re.
fused, until HI. Marlowe, her guardian,
began to think It rather singular that not
one out Of % many eligible young men had
the hearts Of boarding school misses, gave
the matter no further attention.
In the following September they were
married then followed two months Of uu-
alleged happiness.
For charlotte put all unpleasant memo.
ries aside, and devoted herself to her young
husband who loved her 80 tenderly. Every
day she became more assured Of his good.
ness and manliness Strong he was, and
brave, ard grand hearted, yet a. gentle, a.
sympathetic, as dclicate as woman in his
feelingx
After the hr dial tour they settled down
in the old It Omar mansion, which stood
It w,s dreary November day and Char.
Ie had goae into tow, leaving his young
wife alone.
The rain Leaf drearil. OF the windows,
and an ut " nd sob; ell in ftful way
abou Il 9 corners nni down the chimney.
feeling ut gloom u, d nervousness c:ept
into Mrs. st. Omars eart; fee ing
which she vainly IN eavored to throw oil.
shadows were begian ny to tn r in the
long dr,.wing.rcom whcr. Oh .t4e paced
to and fro. li>tel ing for the SQUAD Of her
husband stcp Mt the door.
A tiny bronze clock On q corner bracket
struck two si.vcry ,.otes.
Hin f.l,ast tour! y ghed Charlotte i'm.
patiently. a. she threw lie self down upon
a sofa ami leaned er head upon one arm.
Presently loud peal OF the Goor bell
s'a,tled the echoes IL l. great front hail,
aud, after some delay. III unimpressible.
looking footman in l'v. ry brought in. upon
little silver tray. note Tor his nlistr. ss.
At the sight tn address upon the en-
v-lope, Charl.'tte's h art K We u gr, at throb.
She had bare Slrenyth to motion tho ser.
want f'om the room; and. left alone. she
sank shivering into one Of the velvet.cov.
cred chairs. and stared at the innocent.
looking misslve a. it it hal beeu ghost.
When ut last she gained courage to open
1t, she read tn. 81 worls:
''MRs. ST.. OMAR .-Doubtless this note
will be surprise to y.'u. On ! was supposed
to have perishetl with the other passengers
OF the ill.fa,ed Claudia You will not be
int.r sted to lea in Diet il how l VIVA
saved, md t. lux # calling upon you. 1t
II not. however, my mt n.iou to claim YOU
NJ my wife. for you may a. we'll know that
ours was mock marriage. ard l had n
wife in England At the me it was per.
formed. Therefore, you are truly welded
to the man whose name you now bear.
hut the fact IT, my dear madam, must
have money. You may have notes Of
jewels to the amonn: OF five hundred
pounds in read ness for me when ! call 10
morrow ut three o'clock, or make up oul
mind that your husband shall know the
whole story Of our intimacy.
"CLIfF DALLAa"
The c,lmr ess of desperation settled down
upon her Us she read this dreadful nott
through to the md.
The footman br,ught her second note
this time from Charlie, WHO wrot that
he should be detained IN the city. uud nd
vised her not to wait dinner for him
jaime - abe SAID, quietly. - inner ncet
not be served Your master will not re-
turn unit late. and will have cup o.
coffee my own ROOM"
She went up the grand staircase. he
long, ri r'bes trailing heavily behind her
and her hands 81 sped tightly one witni,
the o her.
A maid brought the requested cup o.
coffee. and hen she was once more ulone.
Seating herself at the writing desk, SIN
penned long. sorruwful, tear-stained let
ter to st. Omar, conies>ing all that hat
hitherto been withheld from him. but as
snring him soleMnly that she had believes
herseit tru J we.ded to Dallas, just o
succeeded IN winning the appri0at'on O.
his wari. In truth. Mr. Mnllowe W. uld mo-
have objected to shifting the responsibility
Of lovely young lady and her property
from his shoulders to those of suitable
husband
Meanwhile, Charlotte had kept up cor
responlence with Cliff Dallas, and once
being in America for few months, be hat
called ON her frequently, = fact which ex
cited no comment, rs he was known t.
have been her music teacher while .
Madame F. seminary
1t was soon after Dallas's second return
to England that Charlotte met harlie st
Omar. Charlotte was tn n about twenty
and st. Omar eight yeats her senior.
Until now she had never fal'ered iron
hoP old ol1onianco Until NOW no man hat