St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-11-15
HER FAIR FALSE FACE.

It all comes back to me now, the utter
misery and despair that came to me when
knew my darling was false to me-false to
every VOW
When l think even now of that one great
sorrow of my life, and of the woe most bitter
the woman l loved brought to me-the wo-
man whose false love made me what / am
to-day, master of the stateliest home, owner
OF almost countless wealth, but, al asl wife
less and chlldless-a lonely, gloomy man.
1 will tell you my story, and the story Of
others as well, but must tell it in my owl
way, so 1 will begin at the beginning.
l was only twenty-five when first met
Arelie Cameron, and she was then beauti
ful girl of eighteen-a simple, gentle girl, l
believed, who knew nothing of vanity or am
bition, or anything that women of the world
hold dear.
was naturally romantic, and like the
'Lord of Rosna," my greatest ambition was
to be loved for myself alone, not that had
very much to tempt woman with, tut Twas
the youngest son of wealthy family, and
my mothers fortune-a considerable sum
had become mine at her death.
never told Arelie Cameron this; I let her
think me struggling lawyer, and as such
wooed and won her.
/ made her my wife, and took her to a
pretty rose-embowered cottage, and our hon
eymOon was to me dream of passionate de-
light; and if any dissatisfaction was felt by
Arelie, she never gave the slightest sign of
1t to me, but know now that tempest Of
passion and bittern ess was rising within her
towards me, and why-why?
Be cause another had fallen in love with
her beautiful face-another, to whom she
never mentioned my name or her own mar
rage
This learned afterward, and more than
this, for l learned of stolen meetings by
moonlight, of kisses and caresses between
my wife and her secret lover.
believed had tested her love enough,
and went away for few days, my inten-
ton being to tell my people of my marriage.
did so, and received their assurance of
welcome for my beautiful wife, and then
withdrawing heart and pulses throbbing as 1
pictured how the glad light would leap TO
Arelie's eyes when we met-pictured how
her delight at the costly dresses and jewels
4
the beauty and elegance of the new home to
which 1 would bring her.
1t was June; the red roses bloomed fra
grant as they twined round the columns of
the rustic verandah and mixed their rich per-
fume with the faint, sweet odor of hyacinth
and mignonette.
almost ran up the garden path in my
eagerness to clasp my darling to my breast.
No thought came to me then, as / stood at
the door with sunshine around me, of the
horror that awaited me when it would open.
Almost impatiently l rang the bell for the
second time, and glanced up at the windows
to see if my darling's face was smiling down
upon me in all its brightness.
Perhaps she had seen me, and was coming
to the door herself, but no-the footstep was
slow and heavy-slow and heavy even for
Jane, / thought.
Jane was an old servant of my fathers
family whom l had brought to the cottage,
bidding her keep my secret for a while.
AS she opened the door, something in her
face which was very pale, l noticed struck
q chill like sudden foreboding to my heart.
!'What is it, Jane?' 1 said anxiously.
"Where is your mistress? Is she i'll? What
is the matter, Jane For Gods sake speak I"
went to pass her, but she caught my arm,
and brok into tears.
''Oh, Master Guy Master Guyl'' she cried,
''she is gone gone without word to me, but
she left this for you.''
Her hand trembled as she drew out the
note bearing my name. Poor old soul she
more than suspected the fatal truth.
Mechanically opened the letter; but not
even at the first reading did realize what
had befallen me.
The woman | worshipped, the wife had
adored, had fed from her home with another
The words of the note almost stunned me-
A woman whom had believed pure as lily
had penDed them, and the thought that
could have loved a woman capable OF writing
them made my soul grow sick.
81 made a fool of myself" she wrote,
t'when ! became your wife, / would never
have done SO, only thought you were max
ing believe poverty; for / had heard hint of
things you had done before you met me that
did not speak for lack of gold; but find
now. too late, however, for my satisfaction,
that you are really no more nor less than
what l believed was only pretense, and so
have left you. / cannot say much more than
that never loved you, and thatI worship the
lover whom have fed with, and he can give
me wealth and position, for he does not know
or even dream / am wife. 1t is not likely
that you viii seek me. know you too well
AOI IudIs CO al I6fOlE, was gong W say, puI
remembering that means till we meet again,
which l hope from the bottom of my soul we
never shall, l say instead, good-by."
/ rushed up the stairs, but there was very
little sign Of confusion or disorder there. 1t
must have been well meditated on, and no
sudden decision come to. All, Heaven she
had gone calmly, almost systematically.
about her elopement
sat down stunned for the time being.
had loved her, and my love died hard
One moment l felt ] must seek her,
could not live without her. the next seorn-
ed the thought, angry at myself for it enter
ing nv mind. One instant / would follow
her and reclaim her, bring her back to the
bath from which she had strayed. the next
loathcd the thought of her.
The night passed on, and still wrestled
with nv agony, the midnight bells rang out,
and still l sat gazing into darkness Later
still. Jane brought me cup of chocolate,
which drank mechanically, without word.
When morn dawned 1 still sat in the one
chair where all night had reviewed my dis
honor. rang the bell, and Jane game in.
ooh, Master Guy, DO not take it so hardl"
In that one moment, her humble sympathy
was more bearable than that OF an equal
would have beer, for as she spoke the tears
filed her kindly old eyes.
II will survive it, Jane"
'Yes, yes, my boy. Along with your
mothers name you have your strength"
10 L.