The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1884-09-06


P';@t the love is ours, and will help and
strengthen and glorify our lives
always"
"Yes, and some time-some time,
Gertrude. God will give you to me. I
feel it. know it. I can wait. Good
night"
The next day he said good-by to her
in the presence of her husband; white
circle about his mouth and his verted
eyes alene spoke his agony.
He was su ering intensely-it was
yonng mans first passion. He had
never loved any woman save his mother
and sister until now. All his heart and
soul had gone out to this mature and
beautiful and refined woman who was
six years his senior.
He never liked to think of the weeks
which followed. they were so full of
keenest torture and misery. There was
no SAVIOR in 1ife-the city sights and
sounds maddened him, the faces of old
friends were hateful to him. He
dreamed only of the glory Of one
woman's eyes.
letters which all the world might see.
They were life and light and food to
Gertrude. She read between the lines
Her days were not so full of misery and
pain as his. Her love was an exalted
sort of ecstacy, which sustained her in
his absence as well as in his presence.
"He is mine, here, there. in life or
in death" she reasoned. "It is spir-
itual union which does not depend upon
physical presence. Nothing can di-
vide us now, or ever.
She believed in this fully, and was
happy, but she wrote nothing her hus-
band could not see, and she felt sure
Breeze would understand all that she
left unsaid.
Two years had pas ed, when John
Chester went on a protracted land hunt
to L akota. Gertrude had mentioned
the fact in recent letter. By return
mail came one from Breeze, a few
brief. assionate lines, begging her to
allow him to see her. She, tco, was
filled with wild longing to see him,
! but she wrote him calm refusal.
"It is not right, or wise. or best, she
sad. "Come when he returns, but not
| during his absence"
Breeze Berton's jealous hatred of the
man who called her wife, prevented him
| from accepting the conditional invita-
ton.
He wrote less frequently after that,
but he sent her papers and books. She
always felt herself remembered, even
| when six months passed with no letter
| And SO two more years passed away,
and then John Chester's robust frame
became the prey of pneumonia. At the
end of another year he died.
| All that tender nursing and constant
care could do, Gertrude gave. She
slept only by snatches for months be-
fore he died. She sat in torturing po,
sitions and held his head upon her
breast for hours, that he might rest
easier. She lost flesh and color, and
dark circles came about her eyes.
Yet her spirit never faltered, some
strange power sustained her.
After he was dead and all was over,
she was i'll for time.
Two months after John died she
wrote her first letter to Breeze. It was
but few lines announcing his DEATH
and her own subsequent illness.
It brought letter of conventional
sympathy in return. She had not ex-
pected more, yet in her heart was new
feeling. 5 he could not curb her love,
now that it was not wrong, yet she
waited for him to be the first to suggest
meeting.
Eight months went by, and no line
from him. The silence grew unbear-
able. She wrote again. formal
enough letter, and yet she felt that it
would breathe the fire of her soul in
every line. He replied after month
or two, with letter of some length,
but made no reference to any meeting.
II fancy you will soon be besieged by
fortune hunters" he said. "You have
my sympathy
She smiled over that. Ahl that was
it! he feared to be accused of seeking
her fortune. That was why he kept
away from her. Well, she could go to
him.
She had sent no ntimation to Breeze
of her visit, but she dispatched q
messenger with note, telling him of
her arrival in the city, and asking him
to call that afternoon. She found il
difficult to await the return OF her
messenger. She paced her room, say
ing over and over:
ut is like dream-a dream! But
0, he predicted it; he foresaw it He
said God would yet give me to him. "
And great tears broke over her cheeks
The messenger brought back word
that Mr.. Berton was just going to the
matinee with lady; that he read the
note, and begged the messenger to say
} he would call in the evening; that he
was already late, or would write his re-
ply.
Her heart fell. Could she wait until
! evening? And how could he ask it oi
her? How could he bear the interval
, and she SO near?
All, but he was acting as escort for 6
lady.
, She called back the messenger. "Do
you know to what theater he was going ?"
she asked.
why, with the crowd, to hear Ger
ster, / SUPP ose," the boy answered
Everybody goes there to-day"
Gertrude rang, and ordered a car
riage. She, too, would attend the mat
| inee. She swept the house with eager
eyes. And not in vain. She saw hin
with a fair young girl at his side. She
J was very young, not more than 18, and
| he was the soul of devotion.
It was q horrible afternoon to Ger
V trude: one of slow torturing doubt and
3 fear.
!, AT last he came. He had grown
handsomer and grander during the si1
years since they parted. His form
9 was more majestic, his hair darker, hi
9 face bad more expression. He was !