Turner County herald. (Hurley, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1884-05-22

ana the tender legend that trembles here X 4
would give the best on his bended knee = = Z.
rne whitest soul Of my chiyalry,
For Little 6ifin of Tennessee T., So
THE LAWYERS SECRET E
1t was in luxurrionsly furnished,
room, where glowing CRATE threw
genial light and warmth upon the occu-
pants, that Gen. Langton, lawyer and
ml!ilonalre, listened with bated breath
and pallid cheeks to d low and melodious
voice thai told a story OF life. 1
The speaker, beautiful woman of
about 30, yet ten years younger than
Mr.. Langton, reclined in 8, low. cush-
loned chair, her attitude bespeaking the
ease which wealth gives, but her face
was full of the deepest anguish as her
lips recounted the story.
You love me-, she said gently. vet
sadly, sand love you,as ] never loved
any ono before, although am widow.
That you know, but did not know my
husbands name. By my uncle's last
request I dropped 1t and took his with
the property he left me. Do not look at
me etenderly, Gerald, do not shake my
voice or my heart, for when you know
who am you will not repeat the, offer
You made me, and which heaven is my
witness I tried to avert"
yAet your conscience be st rest there =
said her listener, in grave yet tender
voice; Hyou have never given me one
hope, Maude. By what instinct I knew
that you loved me I can never tell :.
something in your eyes, some tone of
your voice betrayed you. If, as you
say, something in your past life does
separate us, you have been..no coquette to
torment me with false hopes. But,
Maude, tell me again, whatever stands
between us, you love me?" @ys ga s'tia
II love you, " she said .gravely, ssand
it is because 1 love you t1atsI will not
let you link your honorable name with
that Of the wretch who was my husband.
was very young, not sixteen, when he
came to make visit to some friends
living at Grassbank. Uncle Richard
has country seat near the village. I
first met Alexander at q picnic, where
he was the very life Of the party, every
body's cavalier, courteous to all, full of
wit and animation and service to all. I
believe every girl on the grounds
thought she had captivated him, his at
tentions were SO well divided and yet SO,
Impressive to each one. He claimed to
be no more than salesman in large
wholesale house with good salary, but
he had the manners Of gentleman of
good education, and the most perfect
beauty of face and form that ever saw
in man. It was not long before it was.
evident he wished to win my love, and
he had an easy task. Such love as q
child OF sixteen can give gave him.
He was the imperso Of every hero
Of poetry and fiction with whom my lin
tied reading had made me familiar.
School girl like, / had made an ideal
hero, and fitted this, my first admirer,
with all his imaginary perfections.
From the first Uncle Richard dis
liked him, pronouncing him false and
shallofs, and assuring me that my per-
sonal attractions had not won his heart;
but tkesfact of my being an3heiress to q
large property had gained me the prot
estatipns in which I SO firmly believed.
tfIt is "a painful story to eme now,
Gerald. Let it suffice that lived in q
world of pleasant dreams while Alexan-
der remained at Grassbank. When he
left me he carried my promise to be his
wife at Christmas. think if my money
had depended on Uncle Richard MY
marriage might have been prevented
by his threatening to disinherit me, but
both from my father and my mother L
had inherited money that made me inde.
pendent In pecuniary sense Of his cons
troll or consent. Mostgrudgingly, how
ever, uncle did consent, after searching
inquiry about Alexander, resulting in
no worse report thnn that his employ
ers thought him fast, idle, end just the
man to be fortune hunter. Even then
my dear uncle would have protected my
fortune by settling it on myself; bnt
with the reckless generosity OF extreme
youth refused to have this done. New
or, was firmly convinced, would my
adored Alexander Wrorg me in any way.
"For year after the splendid we'd
ding that made me Alexanier's wife I
was very happy. was too ignorant Of
value to understand that we were living
far beyond our income, enjoyed to the
utmost the luxuries around me-the
constant gayety that was in such strong
contrast to the school routine from
which / had been released. rae
"Then began life of neglect, often Of
quarreling, when objected to my hus-
bands course of conduct-hiss drinking.
his extravaganza, and his late hours.
Still / found my own pleasures in socie-
ty, and renewal Of some of my fayorite
studies, especially language and music
was fond, too fond, Of water. color
painting, and made presents to nv
friends of specimens Of my skill in that
line. t-.-s.-5s- s- ~ II
s.It was four years after my marriage,
when was thunderstruck by Alexander
asking me to request q loan of money
from Uncle Richard, with the informa-
ton that every penny of my property
was gone. tg7gst feas ss IN II,
"Since then I have known that a large
portion of it was lost at the gaming
table. fsgS GfF
Long before this had lost ali love
for my husband. Respect had died out
when knew the dissipated life he was
leading, and foolish as was I could not
continue to love a man whose actions
were SO despicable. I refused tile er.
rand, and brought down torrent of
such great abuse thatI really expected
that Alexander would end BY striking
me.
'.Day after day the request was re-.
Moved, but would not yield. Upon
my marriage, Uncles Richard had sold
his city residence and took up perma-
nent abode at Grassbank, where. know.
ing my husband to. be an unwelcome
Z guest, Inever visited him. Iwrote oc-
casionally, but the love Of years, like that
Of father ssnd child, had been SO sadly
strained by my persistence in marrying
Alexander that even our correspondence
was languid and commonplace,
Il would not, therefore, write to him
In aak a favor that knew 5v0nJd ,,ot
have been necessary without criminal
recklessness Of expenditure, and each
refusal made my husband moro furious,
Then came an overwhelming blow.
Alexander forged 9 check, and drew
E2, 600 OF Uncle Richasd's g money from
the bank. / don't think mynncle would
I have prosecuted him, had he guessed
who was the fofgsf; but he handed the