The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-06-25
u NEVER TEMPTED HERR

Her trembling hands were firmly
Claspedi In his slim brown ones
Hisdark eyes burned with sup
prsssed passion and brayely-borne
mental anguish.
Her blue mes widened at thehorror
Of their position, and darkened with
tho nnspeakable despair that had set
lied on her soul like q black pail.
She wife-the wife Of a coarse, bru-
til man, it is true-and he, her friend
for years.
Without one word, one act, the
knowledge had this day come to them
that they yer dearer to each other
than the laws Of man would allow.
He spoke.
You think l am a good mann"
II do-the best. grandest, noblest,"
s.And you know there never will be
any happiness for us together?"
"Nor apart"
HAfter to-day we must never meet
again"
She raised her streaming eyes to
him.
Those tears!
They unnamed him.
With q wild impulse, he put out his
arms and drew her to his side, almost
fercely. He crushed her slight form
to his heart.
"Valeria, Icannot bear it'll I must
gol,
MANLY, must tell you to go? Must
! give you up forever" she moaned,
putting her arms about his neck, and
dropping her chestnut head on his
breast.
Heidi not speak, only held her more
closely. He did not say, gate is
cruell11 or, eve will be happy in our
way" or, go with mel" No, he did
not tempt her by word or act to break
the bonds that held her to an un-
worthy husband.
He raised her face. He kissed the
waves Of herah air her brow,h her cheeks,
her lips. II was as If she were dead,
and he wasskissing herr for the tirst and
last time before the cofinslid closed
over her cold face.
She shook as it with sudden ague.
She knew SO well what those kisses
meant winch she received passively.
She knew 40 well what the future
Mcantsfor her.
Az she chung to him she felt as il life
itself were leaving her!
It would have beena merciful thing.
tGoodsbye.!'' he said, abruptly.
For all time!a she answered.
Then he went away.
Az the door closed inter him she
sankon the floor, lyingprostrate, with.
her faceturneddow on her o%utstretch-
ed arms.
Have mercy upon me! Have mer-
cy upon met she moaned.
Was she praying to her lover or to
her Maker
God knows.
=
The little burzh Of Crossley was
startled and thrown into q hubbub OF
speculation. when it was rumored
that Manly C~resswell, its most pop
ular bachelor and most prosperous
merchant, was going to South Amer
lea.
- Ai6V III SICS5! fGEHr 81 HH Il
1t had been his boyhood home, and
everyone was familiar with him.
Because 1 want togo" he answered
oil inquiries.
And no one inal' she knew why
ne went except one broKen-hearted
womat-and she daredsnot tell.
1T is because he loves mel" shetold
herself, as she1laY upon her bed, feeling
i'll unto DEATH. She had not seen him
since that awful day.
That was his last goodbye.
The next news was that Valeria
Crabbe was attacked with a low nerv-
Gus fever that seemed to take all her
vitality, for when she rose from her.
illness. she vas no longer the pretty,
plump and rosy matron ofyore, atthe
head of all social pleasures, and an
angel among the poor.
Grief made her selfish. She could
not bear TO mingle with those who.
spoke Manly's name carelessiy. It
seemed like q sacrilege to her. She
cUuldnot bearsto 60 to those places
where she hadmet him most frequent
u. Tor it seemed, as ifshe would shrek
her secret aloud to a scandalized
world.
She lived in the memory OF her past
friendship for him. So often she need
cd sympathy and aid, and then the
knowledge would come to her like a
keen stilleto thrust, that he had gone
out of her life forever!
Her only form Of prayer now was:
20 Godl Let me see him! Let me
see him.
But she knew her prayer would new
er be answered!
She knew Manly Cresswell loved hon
or morethan he loved her!
He would never come back to her!
He must love another than her! He
must have his own home, his own
wife, his cwn circle of friends, which
she would never enter!
OGodl God! How can Ibear this
sorrow all my lile?" She would moan.
She seemed to be going mad! Her
restless, sleepless nights were robbing
her OF alIbaoom and youth!
She didsnot care! What was the adj
miration of men to her? What were
Fashions DEGREES Or follies?
Hope was dead, Joy slain, youth
lost!
Dutyf What was duty to her?
Ambition! What was ambition?
Religion? God help her, but hersoul
was SO STEPPED in its awful despair,
che had almost forgotten, the story OF
Christ!
Sometimes she seemed to be near
her beloved. Hisspirit seemed tocpm-
inttne with hers, and she could feel the