The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1885-02-27
MY TEMPTATION.

my desk TO describe my love Tor Amy
Roberts. Some of my readers who have
loved can imagine it; to Others 1t can
not be told.
Robert Ellingham and had always
been rivals. In the same class at the
grammar school we had been. old COM
petitors, and he was alwayst' success
full one. Through our scho.l life we
were friends, and intimate ones.
We met A. at the same pa S;;ySd ter
fathers hou Ind both conce ne
same feeling uf love for her T.
Now we were rivals in earnest ne
panorama of my life passed before my
eyes. 1t showed defeat after defeat at
the hands of my friend in the mock bat
ties of life, and now we were fa59 to
face in the fiercest OF the real lones.
We were madly in love, and Amytstood
by, frightened arbitress of tho, CON-
| test.
At last my time came, and told her
all. fused no appealing langua, /
felt that my boyhood's rival lae peen
before me, with his usual fortune. But
was mistaken.
Amy" ] said, '.you know how long
have loved you. You know that am
poor. ! have no immediate prospects.
ought n""er to have thought Of you,
but = not help myself," and
| stopp
Amy moved closer to my side, and
| seemed to nestle against my arm.
"Go on, dear" she said, "tell me all.
You have been very unhappy"
Unhappy, and very unhappy" I
said; land Auch must remain, unless
-"
"Oh, 0u poor, foolish boy" she
said, az and the little form, I
do nG low, was in my arms.
Soher bingham was beaten at last;
but his al good fortune befriended
h:m her declared absolutely
th~tIr fatpot have her, and he OPP
emily ia IL y friends suit.
sai9 ing qfiend's suit it was an
error, for we were now bitter enemies.
Qu"kly the days passed, until had
/ leave the quiet little Cumberland
village for London, where ! had been
entered as student at Guys.
The two years during which pur-
sued my stud'r were long ones to me,
although Constantly correspondent
with Amy.
But month before went up for my
degree local paper of my native town
came into my hands containing the no
tice of the marriage of Robert Filing
ham to Amy Roberts. was thunder
struck. Was fhis Amy's faith9
On the SAM lay telegram called
mo home to see my father. who was
seriously i'll. More dead than alive,
and dreadfully sick at heart, | began
my journey. Il first vowed never to
look upon A again.
Ellingham a.,I1 had not seen each
other for two years. But now, when l
was Frustrated by that terrible wedding
notice, we wero destined to meet.
| Our train, as we were nearing my
home, camp to sudden stop. The
line was biz d by wreck. An acct
dent had he ened in which man was
hurt. Thr men were bearing him
away to Lyt o by the roadside. The
man was Rolert Ellingham.
How can he to be alone in that
TRAMP But u few days married, and
TRAVELLING way from homer It was
very and was deeply inn
press. -
The near doctor was many miles
| Ie"'..>' the miserable room and saw
the ~ Jnsclous man laid at length on
the only be- Jttage boasted. AT
glance L ore than his wounds
were (. The shock had
thro' ~ =. peculiar syncope
very r. 10 me. left unattended,
few would end lis account with
Mynrld. was a strange one. From
my acqua'' % with MIN know per-
fectl"' r" disease should be treat
ed. not yet passed any ex-
am had no right to resort
to a.y -~at beyond nursing. Yet,
by tb' aside my professional fet.
tiers lid save q life-but what
lifep
...., of m greatest enemy.
| no conte yyas short but severe
4 On st ,one side, considered
that. was The q doctor, and had no
right to IL r. \. Then. in the course
of AZURE, the four hours that would
int re before doctor could reach
hi . did leave me free to win Amy
q ten days' widow. On the other side
humanity pleaded--and prevailed.
rlsked the loss Of my diploma. the
loss of my profession, the loss of my
Amy, and saved my rivals life.
For could not believe that she loved
him. She must have been coerced In
to marrying him. could not under
stand the mystery. Had he died, / be-
lieved she would have married me.
~ am DOCTOR" said. 'Leave the
patient to me-"
All withdrew from the room. exam
ined his Commissions. They were slight.
then dressed the worst Of his hurts,
and sat down for long nights work.
NV pocket-case contained few instru-
ments and morphine 1t was all !
needed.
Every half hour for the next twelve
hours took his temperature; felt his
pulse; and treated him IN accordance
with these indications. The Intervals
spent In thinking.
thought of my destiny, sointerwov-
en- with his; of the seal ! was placing
for ever upon my loss; OF the sorrow
my action was bringing upon myself
and Amy. could have done no more
had my own life been at stake-where-
as his life was my death. The old-fash.
toned clock struck off the hours and
half-hours. calling me to my task.
Was Amy to know OF all thisp
Would heover tell her! forl felt that
was never to see her again. The
loss seemed to me more than Il she had
died, for now she was another's. Had
she died should have held her as al.
ways niue.
Hour after hour passed away. and
with t., ,yrey of the morning he woke,