New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1886-06-16
I NEVER TEMPTED HER /. d Z
iHhe American Rural Home.

N3he American Rural Home.
They stood looking at each other.
Her trembling hands were firmly
rclasped in his slim brown ones.
His dark eyes burned with sup
pressed passion and bravely- borne
mental anguish
Her blue ones widened at thehorror
OF their position, and darkened with
the unspeakable despair that had set.
tied on her soul like a black pail.
She wife-the wife of a coarse, bru-
U tai man, it is true-and he, her friend
vi for years.
Without one word, one act, the
knowledgehad this day come to them
that they were dearer to each other
than the laws OF man would allow.
ID lie spoke.
You think am a good MANI"
OFFN do-the best, grandest, noblest!"
nd you know there never will be
oppiness for us together?"
Nor apart!'
After to-day we must never meet
ain!'
74Ae 1dloeu uef STREAMING eyes 20
GThose tears!
ey unnamed him.
DR With a wild impulse, he put out his
MS and drew her to his side, almost
'cely. He crushed her slight form
Ole his heart
" gor' s'''- ''' ~>'A''0' ''"' ~ AAuS'
~. "Manly, mustI tell you to go? Must
~ e you up forever?" she moaned,
itting her arms about his neck, and
Offic opping her chestnut head on his
NA" Iedid not speak, only held her more
sely. He did not say, "Fate is
el!'' or, owe will be happy in our
A++nr w or, "Go with mel" No, he did
~~o empt heriby word or act to break
sA.< )onds that held her to an un-
MI, my husband.
:" l. raised her face He kissed the
Pktlc ives of her hair, her brow, her cheeks,
slOns T. lips. It was as if she were dead,
lad he was kissing her for thetirst and
NEvast time before the coffin lid closed
-iver her cold face.
r She shook as if with a sudden ague.
-. She knew so well what those kisses
Att, meant which she received passively.
~ She knew so we'll what the future
meant for her.
q AS she chung to him she felt as if life
Itself were leaving her!
-, 1t would have been merciful thing.
NE : "Good-bye'' he said, abruptly.
"For all tin1e! she answered.
JOE Then he went away.
AS the door closed after him she
~, sank on the floor, lyingprostrate, with
All her face turned down on her outstretch-
ed arms.
~, "Have mercy upon me! Have mer-
Wy upon mel" she moaned
8, Was she praying to her lover or to
her Maker?
God knows.
\ The little burgh of Crossley was
startled and thrown into hubbub OF
speculation. when it was rumored
that Manly Cresswell, it's most pop
n, ular bachelor and most prosperous
merchant, was going to South Amer
( A a.:
H. "But what for, Cress?"
Al, 1t had been his boyhood home and
everyone was familiar with him.
because want to go" he ans yred
O. all inquiries.
And no one in all thetown hp ,,hy
~ wo'nan-and she dared not q
y: 1t is because he loves nre'@ 7old
as herself, as she lay upon her bed, feeling
or 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 VII . low nerv-
GUS fever that seemed L. Ike AZ oar
!. vitality, for when she r., ,. Y
:. illness, she was no longer! -
plump and rosy matron oaaayyi ,,.e
head OF all social pleasures, and an
sing among the poor.
Grief made her selfish She could
p act bear to mingle with those who
: spoke Manly's name carelessly. 1t
seemed like a sacrilege to her. She
couldnot bear to go to those places
where she had met him most frequent
ly. for 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
ed sympathy and aid, and then the
knowledge would come to her like
keen stilleto thrust, that he had gone
out Of her life forever!
Her only form of prayer now was:
20 God! 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 more than 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