The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-02-15
THE LAWYERS SECRET.

THE LAWYERS SECRET.
It was In Mxuriously furhished
room where glowing CRATE threw gen.
ial light and warmth upon th~eoccupants
that General Laagton, lawyer and mil.
lionaire; listening with bated breath and
pallid cheeks to q low and me.odicrs
voice that told the story of life.
The speaker. 8 beautiful woman Of
about thirty. yet ten years younger than
Mr.. Lanxton, reclined in q low cush-
Toned chair, her attitude both speaking
Of the ease wealth gives, but her face
was full of the deepest anguish as her
lips recounted the story.
"You love mi, 2 she said gently. yet
sadly, land / love you as / never loved
any one before, although I am a widow.
That you know, but did not know my
husbands name. By my uncle's last re-
quest l dropped it and took his with the
property he had left me. Do not look
at me tenderly, Gerald, do not shake
my voice or my heart, for when you
know who I am you will not repeat the
offer you made me. and which heaven
isny witness I triel to divert"
sLet your conscience be at rest there"
said her listener, in q grave, yet tender
voice; you have never given me- one
hope, Maude. By what instinct | knew
that yon loved me | can tell.
Something in your eyes-sOme tone Of
your voice betrayed you. il, as you say,
something in your past life does sepa-
rate JUS, you have been nc coquette to
torment me with false hopes. But,
Maude. tell me again, whatever stands
between us, you love me2"
love yon,'' she said gravely, sHsand
it is BECAUSE ] love you that l will nat
let you link your honorable name with
that OF the wretch who was my husband.
/ was Very young-not sixteen-wlien
he came to make a vi it to some friends
living at Grassbank. Uncle Richard has
q country seat near the village. | fir I
met Alexander at q picnic, where he was
the very life ofthe party; everybody's
cavalier; courteous to all; full of wit and
animation and service to all. l believe
every girl on the grounds thought she
had captiyatedt him. his attentions we're
20 we'll divided and yet so impressive to
each one. He claimed to be no more
house withA good salary, but he had tho
and the most per seet beauty of lace 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 an
easy task. Such love as a 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. School girl
like / bad made an ideal hero. and fitted
this, my first admirer, with all his imag-
inary projections.
From the sfirss, Uncle Richard dis.
liked him, ~pronouYclng him false and
shallow, and assuring me that my per-
sonal attractions had not won his heart;
but the fact OF my being an heiress 10 a
large property had gained me the pro-
testations in which ! so firmly believed.
SIT is q painful story to me now, Ger
aid. Lett suffice that I 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 il my money had depended
on Uncle Richard, my marriage might
have been prevented by his threatening
father and mother ] had inherited,
money that made me independent in a
pecuniarysense of his controlo or consent,
Most grudaingly, however, uncle did
consent, after searching inquiry about
Alexander, resulting in no worse report
than that his employers thought him
fast, idle, and just the man to be q for
U hunter. Even then my dear I'M
Gle would have protected my fortune by
settling 1t upon myself; but with the
reckless generosity of extreme youth I
refused to have this done. Never, / was
firmly convinced would my adored Al
exander wrong me in any way.
For 9 year alter the splendid we'd
ding that made me Alexander's wife I
wes very happy. l was too ignorant Of
value to understand that we we're 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 l had been released.
Then began q life of neglect, often Of
Quarreling, when I objected to my hus-
bands course Of cond9ct-his drinking,
his extravaganza and his late hours.
Still ! found my own pleasures in socie-
ty.
ut was four years aflecr my marriage,
when l was thunderstruck ~ Alexander
asking me to request q loan of money
from Uncle Richard. with the informa-
ton added that every penny Of my
property was gone.
Since then ! have known that a 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 ! know the dissipated life he was
leading, and foolish IA | was / could not
continue to love q man whom Idespised,
II refused The GRAND and brought down
atorrent Of such great abuse that I real
" expected that Alexander would end
by striking me.
"Day after day the request was re-
Fnewed, but / would not yield. Upon
my marriage, Uncle Richard had sold
the city residence and taken a herman.
ent ahodeat Gtassbank, where, knowing
my hnsbandt to be an .unwelcome guest.
~ never visited him. I wrote OCCASION
ally, but the love OF years, like that of a
father and chiid, had been 80 sadly
strained by my persistence in marrying
Alexander that even our correspon-
dence was lang aid and commonplace.
Il would not, therefore, write to him
to ask g. favor that / knew would not
have been necessary without criminal
recklessness OF expenditure, and such
refusalg made my husband more furious.
Then came IN. overwhelming blow. Az
SexandersfOrgeda cheek and drew s2.{aO
Of Uncle Richards money from