Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1886-01-07

clutches 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 ne to pass
few weeks.
shrank from the ordeal, dreaded
gay people, but finally yielded TO his
mandate.
And here | was at the Sea Breeze
House, and had not been there more
than day when was presented to
Violet Melberne.
knew her at once, strange as it
may seem, for | had never forgotten
that one swift glance into the dover
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.
| mad never forgotten her. | 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 me
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 nay own.
Then she turned away, and l knew
(of course it would have been absurd
to imagine otherwise that she had
not recognized me.
Doubtless, she had long forgotten
that / ever existed. All, well, what
matters
/ 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 betrothed 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, scmeho ", | could never quite give
her up as the ideal woman in dreams.
Also2
only in dreams is a ladder thrown
From the lowly earth to the vaulted skies.
And l always awoke--on my pillow
of stone.
We met quite frequently after that,
and somehow she seemed 10 seek me
out
l found her mind rarely cultivated
and her tastes similar 10 my own; l
began to think that old Stephen Mas
seth was to be envied
Time flew by, and Violet Melberne
and were almost constant compan-
ions.
But nobody thought anything
strange of that, for / was only Ber-
nard Layne, the cripple, and she the
belle of the fashionable watering
place. But was very miserable, for
[ knew at last thai | loved her with
my whole heart. 1t was 1.-The desire
of the moth for the star" and l knew
1t.
Old Masseth was coming for his
bride, they said. l tried to steel my
heart for the awful ordeal before me,
when | must look for the last time
into her beautiful eyes and touch her
white hand in mute farewell.
Full Of bitter anguish l took my
clutches one lovely evening and limp
ed slowly down to the beach. |
wanted to be alone, with no eye upon
my sufferings; l must face my own
heart and fight my battle alone.
1t was lonely spot where at length
| halted, and throwing my clutches
aside, sank down upon the sand. Ali
about me, a wide expanSe Of water;
overhead, purple and golden sunset
sky everything hushed and calm as
though Gods hand ley upon it,
And there, all alone with my bitter
sorrow, l wrestled with love which
had come unbidden into my heart.
Unbidden, for what had to do with
love-
And the sun sank in COLDER splen-
dor-but absorbed ia my GRIEF / did
not observe that the tide was slowly
rising. A dash of salt spray in my
face aroused me at last. | glanced up
and half started TO my feet in my ex-
element, forgetting that could not
stand unaided, for there all around
me the green waves were crawling
and writing like serpents.
l glared about me in horror, a low
groan escaping my lips as l saw that
my crutches were gone-swept away
by the hungry waves. l 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
It's loss. closed my eyes as the cold
water grew higher around me, and
knew no more.
| Was | in heavens My head was pill
lowed upon a soft breast, a sweet face
stopped over mine and sweet lips were
murmuring over and over:
"Oh my .ove-my love Oh Ber-
Har, live for my sake'
violet" l cried softly, "am l dead
or dreamlng}'
Neither
sat up and looked about me. Over
head one qlittering yellow star shone
down, all around beside was night
and gloom; the tide had receded-
there a few feet away lay my crutches
stranded and safe. A little boat rocked
! To and fro upOn the waves. a dark