River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-01-29

y
my destinations he also made me feel
the power of his, and my heart so long
free and rowing, at last acknowledged
its master. loved him with the whole
strength of my ardent, impulsive ma
ture. and knew that he loved me in re-
turn.
1--WE vera at reception at the White
House one evening, and there in the
sweet-scented, dimly- lighted conserya-
tory. he told me first of his love in
words, l should say, for the
unspoken language of love had been ex-
changed between us often before, and
he felt as assured of my feelings as
/ did of his. I was fully resolved to
accept him, but my insane love of
coquetry urged me to play with my
victim ere l yielded. Alas! | little
understood the nature of the man
with whom | dared to try my silly
arts. Though I thrilled at the avow
al with gratlfied love, pride and am
bition, the ruling passion was too
strong, and / said in my foolish
heart, He shall not find me an easy
conquest, so, as he sought his answer in
my eyes and covered my hands with
kisses, | withdrew them haughtily,
expressing surprise at his declaration
surprise that my friendship should
have been so misinterpreted, and
looked up in his face in the most limo
cent way in the world, but to meet a
look of such mingled astonishlnent and
scorn as startled me, even while it rous-
ed my pride to resent it.
Is this, then, your answerY he
asked haughtily Il have indeed been
mistaken Allow me to wish you good
night, and good bye, and before could
realize it, he rose and left me just as
gentleman approached to claim me for
the next dance.
II was considerably annoyed; but so
secure did feel of my power over hi IN
that | did not doubt he would return on
the morrnw-at any rate | felt conf
dent that word would recall him.
did not dream he was leaving me forev-
er. | passed the rest of the evening in
dancing. chatting and flirting, trying to
Danish the thought Of my ili-used lover
thinking that on the morrow | could
easily make it all right, and went to
sleep that night thinking of the rosy
future before me when | should be
Langdon Series wife.
Late the next morning ] awoke as
my maid entered the room. She brought
me a note which she said had been sent
from Mr.. Series hotel an hour before.
A happy smile of love and triumph
lighted my eyes as / saw the we'll known
handwriting. Though almost half q
century has elapsed, every word of that
note is imprinted on my memory.
Muriel, it began, when | met you,
rhy ideal of womanhood was realized. /
thought you the embodiment of oil my
fa3tidous taste demanded--the perfect
woman, nobly planned, whom I've been
seeking all my to find in her stead
heartless coquette, who, for the graf
itication of an inordinate vanity, can
deliberately play with the strongest and
most sacred feelings of the human soul
is a shock and disappointment which l
cannot survive The future, which a
few hours ago, when felt sure of Your
love, looked so bright, is now dreary
blackness, which L have not the cour-
age to enter. l enter now upon anoth-
er blackness of which / know nothing.
When you read this l shall be dead
"I read no further, but with wild
scream sprung out of bed, and commence
ed distractedly to dress myself, calling
to my affrighted maid to help me quick
ly, that / might go to him. In few
moments | was at the street door. and
nv maid hailing a cab. L was driven
rapidly to his hotel. There all was
CONSERVATION and dismay. ! demand
ed to be shown instantly to his room,
and my wild looks and imperious man
ner none could resist. They OPP
ened the chamber door. There
upon the bed, dressed in the evening
dress he wore when | last saw him, with
even the heliotrope in his button hole
which | had plucked for him in the con-
servatory--see how stunned mind takes
in little details-there in all MS strong,
manly beauty, with an awful pistol shot
wound in his temple, lay my darling,
my hero, my husband that would have
been. Regardless or rather oblivious of
the awed and sympathetic spectators, [
flung myself upon him with wild and
frantic shrieks, adjuring him by every
endearing epithet to come back to me
and forgive me, till exhausted by my
frantic grief, sank fainting upon his
lifeless body.
"When / recovered consciousness,
was in bed in nv own room,
with my mother bending over me.
| was so weak that | know [ must
have been i'll long time. 1t was
some time before [ could recollect
clearly, then ali the dreadful past
rushed over me, and j prayed to die.
1 had been very near death they told
me-Oh, why had been spared, when
life would be now one long and bitter
remorse? But l recovered; my long
beautiful hair had all been shorn, and
so wasted and grief stricken did l APP
pear, that all were moved to tears that
looked at me. My heart was broken,
Edith.
"My father and mother both died
soon after this, and / went to live with
my only brother, who was married and
living in the country. The seclusion
suited me, for L loathed the very
thought of society. Here passed many
very quiet years / tried to find some
diversion from my narrowing memo
ries in interesting myself in the cares
of my nieces and nephews. In course
of years, my brother, and afterwards,
his wife, passing away, l settled down
here, Edith, with your father, and here
I expect to end my days.
Aunt Muriel paused. was weeping
bitterly, but there were no tears IL
those old eyes which gazed into the
distant horizon. The old do not weep,
/ clasped her knees and covered with
kisses the hands which Langdon Serle
had kissed half century ago.
Oh, if my GOODNESS and wickedness
should drive John to do something des-
perate Tie thought made me SILVER
with horror, and sobbed aloud. All,
if he would only come and forgive me
In the midst of my weeping | heard
voice-Johns voicei All, Fate was
kinder to me than to poor Aunt Muri-
| ell.
Miss Muriel, he began, and, turn
| ing, / saw him at the door of the sum-
mer- house, with his manly, honest face
and eyes, which met mine with half
yelled reproach.
I thought of the dead Langdon Serle
and the "Too late" of Aunt Muriel
and knew that / loved John Moore with
| all my heart.
Isprang to my feet impulsively, and
| throwing my arms around his neck /
cried out:
ooh, John-dear John love you
1 love you Oh, forgive me, Johnw
l felt the thrill of surprise and rap