Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-07-26

Neither OF mem stated Wnen the mar
riage was to take place, and took no
particular pains TO find out. That night
entered Il train bound for distant
town, where [ intended to locate and
strive 10 forget the heartless girl, as
then thought her, who had treated me
so cruelty.
/ did well in my new home. and.
though the wound in my heart was past
healing. il was not SO sore rs ut first:
time in measure had deadened the
pain.
A year and more had gone by, and
in all that time had never had any It'd
inss from Dora.
One night rs sat alone in my office
wrapt in thoughts of the past, boy
entered and handed me telegram. /
lost no time in reading it, and found it
to be from old Mr.. Merton, and contain
ed these words:
Dora is very i'll and desires to see
you. Come Immediately"
did not stop to think over this
strange message. / only knew my darl-
ing-mine in spite of the past-was III,
probably dying, and wished to see me.
l never once thought of her being an
others wife. would go to her, of
course.
All the bitterness / had felt toward
the poor little girl left me, and the love
for her that | had partially smothered
surged over and through me with re-
newed vigor.
1t was early morning when | started
on my journey, and the darkness of
.rxhf +lrH ,bn,,
| reached my destination.
No one was at the station to meet me,
and, without losing the time to hire
vehicle, started out to walk to the Mer-
ton mansion across the fields. My way
would take me by the old trysting-tree
where Dora had met me so often in the
happy days of the long ago.
My mind was busy Us i walked over
the ois familiar pathway. l thought of
the girl-now probably lying within the
| pale of death-who had wandered over
these very fields, clinging trustingly to
my arm, and uttering VOWS of eternal
love for me. / thought, too, of the man
who had come between us with his ac-
cursed gold and parted us forever, we'll
nigh wrecking my life and breaking the
heart of poor Dora.
| was now near the old tryst-tree, and
in the fast gathering twilight | saw a
sight that sent the blood rushing through
| my veins like 4 current of fire.
Leaning against the trunk of the tree,
clad in a dress of spotless white, saw
the outline of a fragile female form.
1t was Dora. There could be no doubt
about that / knew the graceful figure
too well, and the attitude was lust the
same as she used to assume when she
waited for me in the spot long ago.
Yes, il was Dora. She was not so i'll,
then. us they had thought her; she had
recovered and ha3 come out to meet and
surprise me.
Thus thought rs rushed on to greet
her. There never was such joy as mine.
1t was so great that / often wonder it
did not kill me then and there
was now close to her, but she never
moved.
Uttering many endearing words |
seized her hands, which were clasped
before her, and attempted to draw her
to me.
The hands were cold-O, so stony
| cold, and the great brown eyes had such
strange expression, and the face was
so worn and white that | released her
hastily and recoiled several feet
"My Godn" was my inward ejacula-
ton ''can my Dora have gone mad?
Has her illness dethroned her reason?n
Suddenly she turned, and, fixing her
, great star-hke eyes on me slowly said
Paul, your Dora is dead. You came
too late-I died for love of you. For
get me never, 0, my darling. Farewell,
farewell" and noiselessly approaching
me she pressed her icy lips to mine and
disappeared
Overcome with horror found myself
in bed at the residence of the cid village
doctor under whom had first studied.
He told me that had been found I'M
der the old maple tree in death-like
swoon; that three weeks had elapsed
since then and l had been suffering
from an attack of brain-feyer, and in
all that time / had talked of nothing
but Dora, ghosts, and human cruelty.
''When grew strong he said:
''Old fellow, you have had tough
pull. They came pretty near killing
you, as they did Dora, poor girl. She
died short time before we found you.
She was calling for you all the time dur
ing her illness, and died with your name
on her lips. "-Ne10 York Morning Jour
nal.