The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1886-04-15
ALICE ARNOLD'S DESPAIR.

Mark saw it before l did. l have
wondered today, looking back. if |
could have controlled myself sufficient
~ to prepare him for the shock il |
had read the newspaper first this
morning. was passing Marks cup
of coffee 10 Jane. the waiter
girl. when | caught sight Of
his face II was as white and
rigid as it can ever be in its collin.
and his eyes were dilated in stare.
horrible to see.
Mark cried, in terror. what is
il. dear? Are you ill?''
was beside him rs spoke. and
saw that his eyes were fixed upon a
certain place in the paper he had been
reading. Then |. too, read the fatal
paragraph, only few lines. but full
of horror for Mark.
..Do not blame herr he said. in a
whisper, shuddering as he spoke. 10,
Bessie! Bessie! my heart is broken.!'
put my arms around him and drew
his head down upon my breast, where
it had SO often lain in childhood, when
my orphaned brother came to sister
Bessie to be comforted in boyish woes.
He was my only brother, though | was
sixteen years the eldest. Little graves
in the cemetery marked the sorrows of
my childhood. as one after another
my brothers and sisters had dropped
and died, until Mark was left. Aud he
| was but four years old when our
parents both died.
We were not poor. owning our own
handsome home. and comfortable
income; SO Mark had every advantage
OF education. studied law, and had
gradually won his way to II position in
his profession And had married, lost
my husband. and returned. after al
| absence Of only three short months, to
resume my place a. my brother !
housckecpcr, only my widow ) dress to
tell strangers had ever been away.
| 1t was just after Mark had finished
his studies and been admitted TO the
bar that he met Alice Arnold. She
had come to Claymont to visit her
aunt, a near neighbor and old friend OF
ours, and We called to welcome her
amongst us. She was about eighteen
years old then. and her beauty won il
il ~ Ia rta III
| Marks. She was the most timid,
gentle creature | ever saw, her color
lifting if you spoke 10 her, her sh,
blue eyes dropping. and her voice low
and almost plaintive in its timidity
Miss Arnold, a strong, energetic Ole
maid. seemed to actually terrify her b,
her short, brusque manner, but sh.
clung to me from the first hour of oul
friendship.
Children generally like me. and she
was little more than child. Yet
when she became more intimate. ant
came often to pass whole days will
me. found that below the frightened
timid manner there was Il clear brain
an intellect that had been CAREFUL,
cultivated. an, a sweet womani'
nature. She was an enthusiastic mu
stefan and u fine pianist, but could no
sing. Nothing delighted her more
than to play for Mark and myself. I,
sing duets, or if was tired or busy, L
hear Mark sing, in his rich barton.
voice. the music he loved.
4 asked myself, after she had endee
her summer visit, If she was a coquette
a cruel, heartless flirt, who would wiz
mans heart only to cast ii aside
And, in my bitterness. then though
she was. In later years ! acquitted
her of the crime | believe she hat
no suspicion that Mark loved her. II.
was always grave and reserved, an,
although he was but twenty-three a
the time. had the air and bearing o
much older Il man. And being reall
SO much his senior, think Alice locke,
upon us both is rather elderly people
and was far more free and contidcntia
than she weuld have been If she ha,
looked upon Mark as young man an,
lover.
But Mark, who never cared befor
for any of our girl friends, gave To Al
ice Arnold all the store Of love hi
heart could ever offer. knew it. fl
Mark had made me his confidential
friend all his life, and seeing her 81
pleasure in his presence, the intercs
She took in all his pursuits, her gentl
acceptance Of his grave attentions,
thought his love was returned, an
was happy in the expectation of
nearer, closer tie between the sweet
loving girl and myself.
But, just before she left Claymoul
Mark, telling her his love, wa
answered by the tidings that she wa
engaged to be married. She VI;
dreadfully distressed. coming to me /
sob out her regret that Mark loved bel
but Loyalty asserting her own love 10
: her betrothed. After she left us Mis-
a Arnold took me into confidence.
N She told me that her neice was Il
heiress, and her mother was fool.
I. Z am quoting Miss Arnold! She said ths
. Henry Parker, the man who had wo
. Alice's childish love, was a show,