Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1883-06-22

Wd~-1 Was crazy ABOUT Htl.
Il married her. and | was happy
madly happy. Even now. i'll epite of
all she has done, when l think of that
bliss. it makes ne trembie Ill every
limb. | had worked SO hard. SO con
stantly. that even while paying her
board. | had been able to lay some
thing aside. All. dame, | had no
high living i'll those days: and | ate
more bread than ] did anything else.
But when she left the church she
found waiting for her a complete
housekeeping set Il neat. clean.
cheerful home. had done the best
could. And when We went ont on
Sunday. she leaning upon my arm --
Lord, how proud of her was, How
everybody turned around to look at
us. But. then, You have no idea how
beautiful she was. All. she was Il
wonder--a marvel of Gods creation
i could not describe her:
My friends knew OF her beauty.
while she Was with the sisters. |
could not keep my adventure to my
self told everybody, like the big
fool | was.
She had kept Ter gypsy name.
Her skin was golden AS luandarln'S.
Some fools called her black. They
then ended by nicknaming her La
Tarpiaude on account of her brown
skin: and she was the first to laugh
when my friends called her by that
name.
How happy :. l was; :
But 1 tell you l paid dearly for
that happiness, for l had a terrible
time of it afterwards. Need | tell
you that l kept on working as hard
as ever-yes. working beyond my
strengthen order to pet her, to spoil
her, to get her everything she wanted!
There was one thing which always
fretted me in the midst of my joy.
She was lazy as a dermouse had no
idea of putting her ten fingers to the
least good use-doing nothing all
day put reading trashy books. with.
out even taking the trouble TO mend
her dresses. And greedy and a
liar! 1t was no use not trying to see
it-no Use having web over my eyes!
Though l was really drunk with
love-blind drunk-though she could
make me see stars at midday, still l
could not help seeing how disorderly
her life was. But l used to say to
myself; She will change for the bet
ter as she grows older And | used
to think that if the good God should
send us a child she would have to
take care of it, and that would make
her a better woman. Luckily for
me, we never had a child! What
would such a child have been? o
miserable!
"That happiness lasted two years -
two years that passed as quickly as
two days. Now it is the hours that
drag along as slowly as if they were
years.
ALREADY several times, when
came home, l had not found hel
there; no dinner ready, the house all
dismal and empty and cold. 1t was
very trying. A moment later she
would come in, all out of breath, and
excuse herself by saying that she had
been taking walk with some of hel
girl friends. Still 1 didn't say any
thing. You see, whenever l found
fault with her, she would pout, and
then it was l who was in the wrong
and had to beg pardon.
"But one evening she was out miict
later than usual, and I was at the
window watching for her to come. Al
last I saw her shape at the corner Of
the. street, but at the same time
fancied that she was not alone.
thought I saw a man with her.
knew that man, a man they called
DaltO, an Oalabrian handsome fellow
he was-who used to work at the
wharf with me- 1t was only for 6
moment-like flash! The shadow
of the man disappeared, and La Tar
piaude, bursting into the room like ;
summer breeze, flung her arms
about my neck. l must have beer
mistaken. Men like me are made tt
make mistakes, it seems, and to b.
deceived, when they love anybody.
|
'Next day when I went down t.
the port I fancied that Dalto shunne(
me; anyhow whenever I looked a
him he turned his head away an(
seemed embarrassed. And the SAM
evening he quit work before the res
of us. My blood had been boiling
all day; my mind was full of suspi
eions. The mere sight of Dalto filled
me with silent rage. 1 felt like leap
ing upon him and strangling hin
with my hands. 1t seemed as if ht
knew how I felt, for he kept at ;
distance from me. When I saw hin
going away I could not stand it any
longer. I quit work also and follow
ed him. I had to be cautious abou
it, for he seemed to be afraid O.
something, and every now and ther
stopped to look behind him. l crep
along, edging to the houses 1t was
spring time, but the sun sank rapidly
and it was soon dark. Dalto kept on
auickened his pace; l followed him
and came closer to him.
"And all the while / was blaming
myself. It seemed to me that was
doing wrong in spying the woman
loved-the child 1 picked up in the
snow and made my wife.
"Misere dieu? Dalto stopped, and
creature came to him. 1t was she
1t was La Turpiaude!
"And she threw her arms about hi.
neck, just as she had done with me
only the evening before, when she
came in late.
Il was about to spring forward, but
contained myself by tremendous of
fort. WANTED to know all.
"She had taken his arms AMI was
walking along with him, lolling upon
him, laying her cheek upon his shoul-
der.
Just as with me!-just the same
thlngw
1T was at the Quinconces-among
the trees and flowers. The promenade
was desartpd for tho weathpr WAC Still