The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1884-11-07


would have turned away, shocked and
dare rs much as he, and she immed-
lately stepped to Carison's side, re-
marking, in a laughing tone: Eyes.
Mr.. Carlson, 1 will marry you for fun"
.'Margie, this cannot 90 on. What
will your father say and feelP' and her
cousin stormed up and down before
the tents, appealing first to one and
then to the other. but all to no avail.
At this moment the minister, whom
Mr.. Carlson had secured. stepped out
of his tent, and the young people took
the places which had been prepared
for them when q mock ceremony had
been in view.
A silence fell over the little group
as the solemn words of the beautiful
Episcopal service fell upon their ears.
Then rang out the responses: From
the bride, low and defiant, from the
groom, clear and determined.
"That We may 50 live together in this
life that in the world to come We may
have life everlasting" Margaret never
forgot these words. In coming days
| she repeated them over and over to
hCISCi uuIIl SuC dlluUSI pray GU W nave
them blotted out from her memory.
BY the time the ceremony was fin
ished the audience had concluded that
the affair had been planned beforehand
in secret, and that they were the dupes
of the joke. Accordingly, never was
company gayer than theirs that night,
and the merrymaking was continued
into the morning hours.
The camp broke up in a day or two,
Mr.. and Mrs. Carlson parting from
their friends in apparently high spirits.
Arrived at their home, where the news
had preceded them, the culprits were
received with real forgiveness, for, IN
dOubtedly, the match was a splendid
one. Judge TAurston's family had
been known and honored in the COM
munity for years; while Mr.. Carlson
was the junior member of large and
wealthy firm dealing in fine imported
goods.
Two weeks passed after their return
in which Arthur saw but little of his
wife. Judge Thurston's summer-resi-
dence was q number of miles from the
city, and the gentlemen could only run
down over Sunday. On these DAYS the
two were as uncomfortable as possible
in each others presence and avoided
being left alone together.
One quiet Sabbath evening Arthur
came out OF the Judges library with
pale face and set lips. Ascending the
stairs with faltcriug steps, he sought
his wifa's room ana knocked at the
door. Come in;' said low voice.
catering, he saw Margaret sitting in a
low chair with her light brown hair
falling around her shoulders in great
profusion. He had never seen her so
before, and some great mental emotion
prevented his noticing the look of glad
surprise which flashed into his wife's
face IS she perceived who her visitor
was. Mr.. Carlson checked the impet-
uous words which rose to his lips, and
spoke in voice of strained GOODNESS.
''Margaret," he said, advancing to her
side, Il desire 4 few moments CONVEX
sation if it will not Inconvenience you"
The light died out of the bright
face at these seemingly cold words
You have occupied my time so little
of late that | can give you a few mom-
cnts without great Inconvenience, she
replied. without rising. ''You and 1
have made a great mistake. Margie,"
her husband continued sadly. ST take
my due share OF the blame; but even
would never have dared do this if / had
not thought-but no matter what l
thought. We were married for fun, of
course, and now we do not find it SO
muoh fun rs we anticipated. have
been speaking with your father. He
will not hear to divorce, nor is there
sufficient grounds for one if we desired
it. But he agrees with me. that you
and cannot live in this mutual state
OF unhappiness. l would give any
thing if could undo the past, but that
is impossible. 1t is necessary that one
member of our firm i've abroad.
consider the necessity very opportune,
and shall have all my arrangements
completed by next week to sail for
Europe. This is not so hard for me,
for am a man, but for you-God for
give me for what"
You mistake, Mr. Carlson" inter-
rupted his wife Jelly, sit is the easiest
and most appropriate thing that could
be done
Arthur looked down at the figure be-
fore him. The darkness and the wavy
masses of hair hid her face, else he
surely would have seen the white lips
and burning, fearless eyes.
Il do not blame you, Margie," he
said gently. but sadly. II only Won
der that you can bear me here ut ali.
crave your forgiveness, and l pray
God that may not utterly blight your
happy life"
Arthur waited moment as if to
hear one word of farewell, but the fig
ure before him never moved or spoke.
Then, gazing intently at his wife,
to imprint upon his mind picture that
he never forgot, he turned and left the
room.
All night long Margaret sat in the
little, low chair where Arthur had left
her, Only once she stopped to pick up
crushed flower, with which he had
been playing. and pressed it passion
ately to her lips.
Two years now passed away, and the
following winter found Judge Thurs
ton and his daughter under the gentle
skies of Florence. The Judge was suf-
fering in health, which, some said, was
due TO Margaret's unlucky marriage.
However that was, the two were very
dear to each other and were rarely
seen apart.
Several days after their arrival In
Florence, Margaret met her landlady |
in the hall, who. with a tray in her |
hand, was just coming out of the room
opposite. Stopping to inquire if any
one were III, the kind but gossipy little
landlady began to tell in broken Ital-
ian, of the young foreigner who had
come to her few weeks before, and |
who, shortly after, had been taken i'll |
with fever, and now was very i'll in |
deed. She said the young man had no
friends, and that the good doctor often |
came away looking very grave indeed.
After that day. many dainty bouquet
or basket of luscious fruit found its
way to the sick man, while the land
lady often told the young gentleman
of the tall, sad-faced lady who had
sent the gifts. One day, as this same
lady stepped out of her room prepared
for drive, emet the doctor return
ing from visit to his patient The