Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1886-01-07
FROM THAT DAY TO THIS.
BY MRS. E. LURKE COLLINS.

| was standing on the steps OF the
Sea Breeze House when was present
ed to Violet Melberne.
Tall, fair, and stately, with a strange
Iy expression in the deep blue eyes,
which set me to wondering as to her
history.
| am little given 10 watching and
observing my neighbors, specializing
in regard to that which is not my bus
mess
But nobody minds me; on the con
trary, / find myself the receptacle Of
many stray condolences from young
maidens and mstrons, who would as
soon think it improper to conhde IN
sister as in me,
Yet 1 am man, with mans big,
tender heart thrQbbing in my breast;
with a mans natural aspirations to-
ward happiness; with (ah, no one
ever seemed to think Of thSt , man S
earnest longing and desire for love and
sympathy.
Not that those young, happy, care
less creatures were so much TO be cen
sured for looking upon me as one
without the pale of human affections
for l am set apart from others; | am
one with whom the Almighty has
dealt very harshly. At least, in my
hours of suffering and anguish, so it
loo to me.
But, away down in the depths of
my heart, recognize his chastisement
and "whom tie Lord loveth, He chas-
teneth, and scourgeth every son who n
He receiveth."
Yet, it is hard to bear, and there are
times when human nature bends be
meath the burden.
For-I am lame, helpless cripple.
/, who once gloried in my manly
strength, and never dreamed that the
day would come when | would be like
sick girl upon a couch, no longer
able 10 walk, with one limb crushed
and mangled-a hopeless wreck.
had gone forth one morning from
my rooms at the hotel where 1 made
nay home-for / had no ties of kind
red upon earth-and vending my way
toward the Office where was mploy-
ed, went straight 10 my room.
A carriage dasning by-a pair of
maddened, Infatuated horses-a face
like a star gazing at me from tne car
riage window-aud almost beneath
the iron shod hoofs, the bent form of
an old woman Fastening onward, not
conscious of her danger.
The scene called up by memory's
wand flashes Def ore my mind now,
like panorama.
One brief pause, the next instant /
had dartea forward, caught the old
woman from beneath the dead deal
ing hoofs, and bad seized the brides,
holding the maddened beasts by sheer
force of determination, knowing all
the time that it was sapping the life
within me- Then | knew no more.
When | came back to the world
again, l found that the old woman
whose life | had saved las | would
have saved any stray life, of man or
beast were it in my power had taken
me away to the seashore.
She was not the poor creature whom
had fsncled, from her plain attire
and unprepossesslng appearance, but
very wealthy old woman-a widow,
and childleSs.
ShU found that | was quite alone in
the world, and said that | should be
her son, and should never leave her
again.
She took me to Europe as soon as
was able to travel, to seek the great
German PHYSICIAN.
But alas al the efforts Of my kind
benefactress were powerleSs.
The physicians all agreed that l was
deemed to the fate of a cripple.
Itnearly broke her old gentle heart.
out she tried in every way 10 atone
for my affection by love and kind
attentions; and everything that money
could buy was mine. All; if money
could only purchase happiness
We spent two years wandering over
Europe, and there my friend died.
Died, and left me sole heir 10 her great
fortune.
I accepted the gift with bitterness
mingled in my rejoicing, for all the
wealth of the world could not make
me happy.
| was alone now and, decided at
length TO return to America.
My absence had prevented my know
ing the fact that the newspapers had
been filed with notices addressed to
the young man who had saved a
ady'S life at the risk of his own, an
begging me lt still living, to reveal
my name and let her know my fate
erlf had suffered seriously.
When ! saw these notices in the old
copies of the papers, shown me on ms
return, l smiled little sadly to my
self for l reCd between tae lines and
saw the generous, kindly heart of the
grateful girl, who longed to recon
pense the poor wretch whose life had
been laid waste for her sake.
But knew not who she was. and
telta strange perhaps morbid shrink
ing from the subject therefore mad,
no inquiries