Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-10-30

that could be done"
Arthur looked down at the figure
before 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"
II do not blame you, Margie,n he
said, gently, but sadly. II only won
der that you can bear me here at all.
/ crave your forgiveness and / pray
God that may not utterly blight
your happy life.
Arthur waited a moment as If to
hear one word of farewell, but the
figure before him never moved or
spoke. Then, gazing intently at his
wife, to imprint upon his mind a pic
ture 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 she
had been playing, and pressed it pas
sionately to her lips. Two years now
passed away. and the following win
ter found Judge Thurston and his
daughter under the gentle skies of
Florence. The judge was suffering
in health, which some said was due
to Margarets unlucky marriage. How
ever 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
Stopping to inquire if any
one were i'll, the kind but gossipy lit
tie landlady began to tell in broken
Italian 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
indeed. She said the young man had
no friends, and that the good doctor
often came away looking very grave
indeed. After that day many dain-
ty bouquet or basket of luscious fruit
found its way to the sick man, while
the landlady 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, she met the
doctor returning from visit to his
patient. The doctor advanced toward
her hesitatingly.
" You are an American, miss" he
said at last.
Eyes, sir"
Margaret answered so pleasantly
that the doctor continued with more
assurance, at the same time waving
with his hand to the room he had just
left
There is a young gentleman in
there, Miss, who is not long for this
world. He is an American, also. 1t
is very hard to die so, Miss so great
from ones people and with
no kind friends"
"You are right, Margaret answer
cd gravely. at is indeed hard. My
father spoke yesterday of going to see
The gentleman. He is out just at
but if / may l will go in
now
After d moments absence the doc
tor returned and conducted Margaret |
INTO the room. The curtains were |
closely drawn, and coming from the
light into the darkness she was blind |
I'd for a moment. Not so with the
sick man. Locking up to greet his
visitor he uttered sharp cry and the
me word "Margie."
Margaret stood as if stunned, and
hen, advancing rapidly to the bed,
The knceled down beside it and buried
ler face in the pillows The poor
loctor, with a confused look, turned
md hastily left the room. There was
A moments silence broken only by
low sobbing. The form
before her seemed to be the wreck of
| once strong and beautiful manhood.
The sick man was Arthur Carlson.
lie raised his thin, wasted hand and
stroked the bright locks on
he pillow beside him. Poor little
dargie, he said family, you will
oon be free now"
Then, Margaret never knew how,
The forgot everything connected with
he past, she only remembered that
he man lying there, was her hus-
)and. At last the proud spirit was
and she confessed what she
lad kept so jealousy guarded in her
,wn breast for so long. ooh, Arthur,
he cried in her agony; ooh, my hus-
,and, only forget the past and try to
i've for the future. God helping me,
will yet win your love"
The white face on the pillow lit up
Ike the countenance of the dyisg who
zee heavenly visions, The excitement
# the moment gave Arthur back his
trength. Raising himself on his ell
'ow, he lifted the bright head beside
i'm until he could look into the love
it eyes. In one moment they read
he mistake of those years in each (
theirs face. Each had loved, each
lad misunderstood.
Great God is it possible But
he momentary strength forsook the
rame of the sick man, and he fell
Jack on his pillow like one dead.
The doctor, still much confused,
lad waited in the hall, from which he