Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-01-07

crutches which bore my weight, and
without which | was unable to move
step.
So, drifting about like a faded au-
tumn leaf, [ found myself at certain
watering-place near the sea, where
my physician had ordered me to pass
a few weeks.
[ shrank from the ordeal, dreaded
gay people, but finally yielded to his
| mandate.
And here I was at the Sea Breez
House, and had not been there more
than day when l was presented to
Violet Melberne
| knew her at once, strange as it
may seem, for I had never forgotten
that one swift glance into the flower
like face with It's clouds of sunny hair
AID soft blue eyes, full of terror as
they met my own for that one brief
moment.
[ had never forgotten her. I had
made her the lady Of my dreams, and
sleeping or waking she was never
quite out of my.mind.
saw her now standing before nae
in the sunset-in a trailing white
robe, with knot of purple pansies at
her throat, her while hands all aglitter
with diamonds
And above all, the sweet face lifted
proudly for an instant, while the won
derful eyes met my own.
Then she turned away, and I knew
| (of course it would have been absurd
to imagine otherwise that she had
not recognized me.
Doubtless, she had long forgotten
that I ever existed, All, well, what
matter?
I listened patiently to the gossip
which made free with her name
though not altogether in censure.
She was an orphan, and very wealthy,
and the betr0thed wife of Stephen
Masseth. a millionaire, old enough to
be her grandfather.
That last ought to have crushed out
all my admiration from my heart,
but, scmehow w, l could never quite give
her up as the ideal woman in dreams.
Also?
Only in dreams is ladder thrown
From the lowly earth to the vaulted Skies ,
And I always awoke-on my pillow
OF stone.
We met quite frequently after that,
and somehow she seemed to seek me
out.
found her mind rarely cultivated
and her tastes similar to my own;
began to think that old Stephen Mas
seth was to be envied.
Time flew by, and Violet Melberne
and | We're almost constant compan-
ions.
But nobody thought anything
strange Of that. for l was only Ber-
nard Layne, the cripple, and she the
belle of the fashionable watering
place. But was very miserable, for
/ knew at last that I loved her with
my whole heart. It was 1.-The desire
of the moth for the STAR" and knew
| IT.
Old Masseth was coming for his
bride, they said. I tried to steel my
heart for the awful ordeal before me,
when I must look for the last time
into her beautiful eyes and touch her
white hand In mute farewell.
Full of bitter anguish I took my
clutches one lovely evening and limp
ed slowly down to the beach.
wanted to be alone, with no eye upon
my suferings; must face my own
heart and fight my battle alone.
1t was a lonely spot where at length
[ halted, and throwing my clutches
aside, sank down upon the sand. All
about me, o wide expanse of water;
overhead, purple and golden sunset
sky: everything hushed and calm as
though Gods hand lay upon it.
And there, all alone with my bitter
sorrow, I wrestled with love which
had come unbidden into my heart.
Unbidden, for what had I to do with
love?
And the sun sank in COLDER splen-
dor-but absorbed ia my grief I did
not observe that the tide was slowly
rising. A dash of salt spray in my
face aroused me at last. I glanced up
and half started to my feet in my ex-
element, forgetting that I could not
stand unaided, for there all around
me the green waves were crawling
and writhing like serpents.
[ glared about me IN horror, a low
groan escaping my lips as I saw that
my crutches were gone-swept away
| by the hungry waves. [ sank down
again upon the sand, and gave myself
up to despair. No matter. Life was
not so sweet to me that I need mourn
its loss. I closed my eyes as the cold
water grew higher around me, and
knew no more.
Was I In heaven? Ny head was pill
lowed upon soft breast, a sweet face
stopped over mine and sweet lips were
murmuring over and over:
"Oh my love-my love! Oh Der
mar. live for my sake!"
''Violet," cried softly, ''am I dead
or dreaming?'
Neither"
sat up and looked about me. Oyer-
head one glittering yellow star shone
down, all around beside was night
and gloom; the tide had receded-
there few feet away lay my crutches
stranded and safe. A little boat rocked
to and fro 1lpOn the waves. q dark