River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1882-05-04
THE RING AND THE ROLL.


OF all the people that make trouble
for themselves, the jealous can take the
palm; and of all the jealous Mr.. Dom
aid Mcdonald was able to get the most
torture from the least material.
When Lucia fell in love with him she
did not dream of this affection, for he
seemed about as indifferently cool and
naughty a man as one could picture.
Perhaps she firted little recklessly
with one and another, les he should
divine her secret; perhaps on that ac-
count he thought the only way to get
her was to take her by storm. She did
not fatter herself that he remembered
her when out of his sight till one day
on the piazza a party of them having
been talking gaily of their possible fu-
lures, and all having left but herself, he
came back, and found her leaning
against pillar and pulling down a
rose-vine.
."What is that you are doing, Lucia9"
he said. docs it require all your at
tention? Look at me, Lucia" and she
thoughtlessly ebeyed "When we were
all speaking of our path in the future,
was there any seriousness in what you
said? Did you suppose l would listen
to a plan for future for you in which
l was not part?"
'You u looking up at him where he
lowered above her dark and superb as
Lucifer.
az. And 1 tell you now, Lucia, you
are going TO marry me, or nobody.
You are to be my wife, or no mans
wife" And many of Lucia's distresses
came from the acquiesence in which
her glad heart stood still d moment
before it beat upon her lovers, in which
her hand lay trembling in his, while
he slipped upon its finger curious
gemmelring Of rubies and brilliants
If she had repealed, if she had CO
auetted or dallied, she might not have
remained in the half-humble light
which made her more like slave thar
a wife if she had obliged him to sue
instead of allowing him to claim, he
might hardly have ventured on such
lordly and dictatorial demeanor. He
hurried the wedding so that she had nj
time to perceive anything but his pas
sion for herself. And now that regre
was too late, all there was for her wai
as straight path, looking neither tc
to the right nor left. as wealthy wom
an in society could walk. But to 6
friendly, beautiful creature like Lucia
who liked everybody and whom every
body liked, this was no easy matter
Nor especially was it easy when some
of her former lovers came along, tt
whom she felt it right TO be particu
larly gentle in view of their regret anc
her felicity.
For Lucia was really happy. She
desired no indiscriminate admiration
her husband was enough for her. Sht
had his alteration, and she knew it, anC
he was her all in all nothing NOR,
grand, and noble, and beautiful, thar
he was possible to her conception of {
human being. She loved him so, tina
If he had trampled her heart out o
her body, she would have thought /
but fit service she rendered him IL
suffering it. And it cost her nothing t.
relinauish all panionship but his
for she wanted no other.
The one hinderance to her happines
was that her husband failed to recog
nize all this, and seemed to have con
slant fear of loss of her affection if sh'
became aware of the existence of any
body else. She knew that his bursts o
anger through suspicion did not meal
that he loved her any the less, but the.
frightened her and caused her unwise
w to conceal any attention, hattery o
kindness that she received. She trle'
to frost her maxner, but it only &c
quired an icy sweetness that made he
all the more attractive, and her hous
was thronged, and her invitations wer'
multitude.
Nevertheless, Lucia almost forgo
herself one day when the servant an
nouneed Mr.. Dunstable. "Tom Dun
stable!" she exclaimed before sh
thought. II am delighted" And sh
held out both hands to this old school
mate, and sort OF cousin, her cage
face aglow, to hear what account b
had to give of himself, asking if he re
membeied this and replying as +
whether she remembered that, laugh
ing over circumstances occurring be
fore her husbands reign, and all 8
once starting and looking about for he
husband, reckoning him and, when h
would not stir, taking Mr.. Dunstabl
over herself and introducing him, wit
another grand mistake, as dear oil
friend who was one of the family, bu
not scrap of relation.
A dear old friend, one of the family
and not a scrap of relationl Nothin
more was needed to kindle Mr.. Mo
Donald's fires. He Was flint and stet
already. wasting her sweetness o
curmudgeon," said Mr., Dunstable
himself. And if for q minute he ha
a mind to give Mr.. Mcdonald some
thing to fret about, in another minut
ne thought he would cut his hand 0
before making Lucia any troubl,
go" he said TO her, when Mr.. Nj
Donald had walked off and left ther
as a great dog leaves a couple of chi
dren that have disturbed him, 'yo
have a jailer-"
II have the best of husbands" sh
exclaimed, "And | adore him. b
sides"
"Besides, mustn't talk to you in tbs
way. Well, | won't. shouldn't liz
him to speak so to my bonny Kate.
am going to be married tc Kate De
yard-the sweetest girl l must com
and tell you about her tomorrow
What hour shall you be alone"
Tomorrow? Lucia had begun
reoollect herself sufficiently to kno
that tomorrow her husbands wrat
would be bright and shining light t.