Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1884-02-08
TIA w Y ER' s SEC B EFT.

Hid Frs seer Ell. D
M ~ was Id d luxuriously furnished
room where d glowing CRATE threw gem
ial light and warmth npon the occupants
that General Langton, lawyer and mill
sIonaire, listening with bated breath and
pallid cheeks to a low and melod ious
voice that told the story Of life. . ..s$
The speaker, d beautiful woman Of
about thirty. yet ten years younger than
Mr.. Langton, reclined in d low cush-
ioned chair, her attitude both speaking
OF the ssse wealth gives, but her face
was full of the deepest anguish as her
dips recounted the story.
Yon love me y she said gently, yet
sadly, ''and love you us never loved
any one before, although am . widow.
That you know, but did not know my
husbands name. BY my uncle's last re-
quest ] dropped it and took his with the
property he had left. me. Do not look
ct me tenderly, 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 divert"
!. "Let your conscience be at rest there"
said her listener, in a grave, yet tender
voice; "you have never given me one
hope, Maude. By what instinct I knew
that you loved me l can never tell.
Something in your eyes-some tone Of
your voice betrayed you. If, asyou say,
something in your past life does sepa-
rate US, you have been no coquette to
torment me with false hopes. But,
Maude, tell me again, whatever stands
between us, you love me?"
A.5"I love you," she said gravely, "and
it is because love YOU that I will not
let you link your honorable name with
that OF the wretch who was my husband.
Twas vary young.-not slxteen-when
he came to make lit to some friends
a country seat near the village. l frat
met Alexander at picnic, where he was
the very life Of The party; everybody's
cavalier; courteous to all; full Of wit and
animation and service to all. I believe
every girl OH the grounds thought she
had captivated bin, his attentions we're
30 well divided ind yet 80 impressive to
each one. He claimed to be no more
than q salesman in q large wholesale
house with a good salary, but he had the
manners Of q gentleman Of education,
and the most perfect beauty of face and
form that | ever saw in q man. 1t was
not long before it was evident that he
wished to win my love, and he had All
easy task. such love as child Of six
teen can give gave him. He was the
impersonation Of every hero of poetry
and fiction with whom my limited read
ing had made me familiar. Schoolgirl
like I had made an ideal hero, and fitted
this, my first admirer, with all his imag-
mary PROJECTIONS,
"From the first, Uncle Richard dig.
liked hin, pronouacing him false and
shallow, and assuring me that my per-
sonai attractions had not won his heart;
but the fact Of my being an heiress to a
large property had gained me the pro-
testations in which BID firmly believed.
cit is painful story to me now, Ger
aid. Let it suffice that have lived in a
world Of pleasant dreams while Alexan-
der remained at Grassbank. When he
left me he carried my promise to be his
wife at Christmas! +.
Il think if my money had depended
on Uncle Richard, my marriage might
have been prevented by his threatening
to disinheirt me, but both from my
father and mother | had inherited
money that made me independent in q
pecuniary sense Of his control or consent.
Most grudeingly, however, uncle did
consent. after searching inquiry shout
than that his employers thought him
foot SH4o nu1 S,7cf thu "a ha for
tune hunter. Even then my dear I'M
Gle would have protected my fortune by
settling it upon myself; but with the
reckless generosity of extreme youth 7
refused to have thjs.done. Never, T was
firmly Convinced would my adored Al"
exander wrong me in any way.
For a year after the splendid we'd
ding that made me Alexander's wife
was very happy. [ was too ignorant of
value to understand that we were living
far beyond our income--enjoyed to, the
utmost the Injuries around me-the
constant gay ETY. that was in such strong
contrast to the school routine from
which I had been released.
s'Then began life of neglect, often OF
quarreling, when I objected to nv hus-
bands course of conduct-his drinking,
his extravaganza and his late hours.
Still / found my own pleasures in socie-
ty;
ut was four years after my marriage,
when / was thunderstruck py Alexander
asking me to request loan of money
from Uncle Richard, with the informa-
ton added that every penny. of my
property was gone. T., ..s=
"Since then have known that large
portion OF it was lost at the gaming table.
Long before this / had lost all love
for my husband. Respect had died out
when I knew the dlssipated life he was
leading, and foolish as was / could not
continue to loYe 4 man whom despised,
refused the GRAND and brought down
ia torrent Of such great abuse that real
{. ~ expected that Alexander would end
1 BY striking me. 49,. a,..
"Day after day the request was re-
rewed, but would not Weld. Upon
4 my marriage, Uncle Richard had sold
the city residence and taken a. perman-
emit abode at Grassbank, where, knowing
my husband to be an unwelcome guest,
I / never visited him.. IJwrote occasion.
q ally, but the love Of years, like that of a
father and child, had been SO sadly
strained By my persistence in marrying
Alexander that even our corresp on
D dence was lang lid and commonplace.
. Il would not, therefore, write to him
to ask favor that | knew would not
4 have been necessary without criminal
\ reeklessness Of expenditure, and such
& refusals made my husband more furious.
Then came an overwhelming blow. Al
exander forged a check and drew Sc. OO0
Of Uncle Richards money from
the bank. I don't think
my uncle would have prose.
cuted him had he guessed who was the
u forger; hut hs handed the whole mat.
4 Tor ever fn The law 40 annr, !. M e WOO