Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1885-10-02
MY WIFE LUCIE.

TO begin with--she was very pretty.
T don't know where to show you am
other just like her. She was straight
and round in figure, with a. fair face,
golden hair.san soft, white hands. She
had brown eyes, regular features and
mobile red lips. On rainy day Ger
tain fine tresses of her shining hair
would escape from the remainder and
curl about her temples in little gold
terdril rings. Her voice was quiet and
melodious, and she wore violet dress
es. This is as we'll as I can describe
her.
And lam afraid that this is about
all Iknew OF her when we were mar
ried. We met first out west. I was
alone ina strange country. She, also
was alone. She was q music teacher
living in boarding house. She was
gentle and sad. / made her acquaint-
ance. I loved her. I promised to
make her happy and we were married.
My western tour being ended I'VE came
back east and settled at a romantic
little place called Daphne Dell. We
had been married just ayear when my
story commences.
Iwas young, just startingin life, and
very much engrossed in my business.
Neither wns l u particularly demon
strative man, and, as Lucie was very
quiet and composed in mien, I think
we hardly appeared like newly married
people.
[ had all confidence in my wife. 1t
was her neatness, frugality and good
Judgment that won me, together with
her beauty. All home affairs-the en-
ployment OF g. servant, and bills--Ileft
entirely to her management. It was
great rest to leave my countingroom
and return homeward, for l was sure
to find everything right. If Lucie had
any annoyances She never confessed
them, and never took home my bust
ness trouble.
AS Isaid, wehad been married year,
when one evening came home as us
ual. It had been 81 fine day, but, as |
left the cars q great drop OF rain splash
cd ON my nose. | had ten minutes
walk before me aud commenced the
task rather briskly.
Daphne Dell was within half an
hours ride Of the city, / had thought
it better for our health to live out of
town, and then to me, at least it was
infinitely pleasanter, Lucie, too, had
seemed to like the place. She came
and examined it before I made the
parchase-said ! it was pretty and
would do very well.
The rain came down smartly as
reached my garden gate. AS I entered
the sitting-room found Lucie hurried
ly,puttingy away some papers. =
~"The rain is blowing up from the
west. You had better shut the parlor
windows, Lucie,'' l. said, as L went to
the closet to hang upmycoat, and get
my dressing gown &s 81 81 1 =. 2 :.
Eyes, WllS she said absently, rum
maging IN a. drawer. The storm
struck say agely against the pane. She
went and shut the parlorswindows and
then came back to the drawer. :,
When she lookeel the drawer through
she looked over the table, and finally
went to the escretoire. tlya fG5s Ey,-.
What are you hunting for, Lucie?"
said 10 '..@ss:' .4a.@ :t, " 1ffss
- "Never mind" she said, carelessly;
III guess it will come. Supper is ready,
Will,
We went to the dining room. She
poured out my tea, and chatted OF
her garden and the Incidents of the
day. She had planted mignonette
under the windows that it's fragrance
might come to-. her while she was sew
ing, she said. The Misses Granger had
called, and the man had been to graft
the pear trees. Pleasant ordinary.
chat that suggested thing ofthe mys-s
terry to come. a5 . I$ 3:..s& 5
! The rain continued; all night, but
the morning was clear. I felt myself g.
very happy man as stepped from my
door into the balny spring air. The
tulips. were in blossom, and the Gro
,cusses filled the whole garden with
their fragrance. I walked leisurely
along the path, Unattached theg gate and
went out.at - 'F&.a&#~45s p - ."'"'
4 A few steps distant, under the or
chard wall, lay a sheet of paper. It
looked like something that should not
have been there, and I went and pick
ed it up. zxlst.,.,ss xss - yr4s3 u; nd;
1T was a single square sheet Of I'm
rSaied paper, and the handwriting upon
:; TWAS my wife AS, T looked at It. q,
word here and there caught my eye.
With arrested attention, Ieo commenced
a careful examination OF the sheet.
With some difficulty / read as follows:
My Dearest p ercy. " our entrea ties
and my own heart will not longer al
low me to remain silent. My beloved,
/ am so MISERABLE These clandestine
letters OF yours which reeeive.are my
only comfort insthe world. I feed on
them, They are The only brightness
which Eliminates my dark way. My
4 life MS almost insupp portable: You
know that, II do not love my husb band;
thatT never loved him. y on, only,
N know the VII Ole army 81 circ umstances
4 under whicks I married him. We'll, he
4 is my husband and I try TO be q
Il good wife, but this existence is like
some dread ful Nigh tlnare dream, PER-
q. It does not Seem IS? it It could be
/ me who lives and breaches and an
sWers to my hi amer am 30 desolate
B and oppressed SO desp airing! have,
tho feelinG, sometime that am under.
\ d spell, thattInY tfacul ties are paralyz--s
4 ing and that shall lose my mind in
this dull, void living. Only when FOUR.
4 letters come am alive. i feel that
YOU love me, and q live and feel and
y am exq uisitely 5happ and miserable,
9th togeth ssS
|8s$ my HUSBAND az long az perform
h my daily duties he is cont ented He
q knows not hing OF feelings He con-
ii ~