The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1886-02-25


resisted my love pleadings as true woman
should, and my stupidity in not thinking
such thing Us her being married
possible, became moro and more apparent
as l reflected.
She had acted wisely: blindly driven on
by tho hunger of my heart for my angel
Allie.
Ii was all over now, and returned home
n more retiring, stupid, and stolid "old
pachelor,' as they called me, than hac
ever been before.
l was moro contented and happy, be-
cause the motive of silence was understood.
She had not Scmainsa passive through
any disregard for my feelings, but because
il was her duty to do SO.
Whether her heart had been touched by
my simple. earnest appeal, knew not, but
MS matters had turned, it was TO be hoped
not.
"Nevcr again will seek her, never again
write" was my resolve and my fixed
purpose.
The winter passed, and one day Chi
cago daily came to me from an unknown
source.
In looking it over, a marked item was
found, which read as follows:
~DRowSEp "A m ddle-aged man, supposed TO
last evening and lost his life by the act The
body has been identified as that of Edward
Suthern."
The paper was thrown to the floor, and /
paced mp and down the room, making all
sorts of resolves, none of which were kept.
81 would go to Chicago at once" thing
that was not done. 81 would write imme-
diately," thing [ did not do.
IL it was the husband of Lena Suthern
ii Il .,,l. 1l~ l..t III LII.
could have sent the marked paper-perhaps
to her than had.
Picking up the paper again / noticed that
it was an old one, bearing date of six months
before.
Then felt certain it had come frem the
widow.
Only a few weeks passed before my season
of alternate hope and fear came to q close.
A letter came, bearing the same delicate
address as the returned one of my own, and
il read
~Lena suthern viii sec you now. Call at No
- Wabash avenue. A FRIEND"
The nextmorning found me in Chicago,
and after the very slow hours of the fore
noon wore away, l was ushered into hand
some parlor at the number on Wabash ave-
nue. designated in the note.
Lena was there, her beautiful face radiant
with smiles, and she extended her hand to
me as to an old friend.
Il can not express my gratitude to you
for the privilege You have granted, O privi-
lege that is the greatest on earth to me-" L
said. feelingly.
"You have on ideal, as il is the right of
any person to have" she returned, thought
fully.
my life has been wrapped up in one
ideal"
"You told me in your letter of your early
love, and that that love had been constant
indeed, part of your very life-and it
was because You had never forgotten Allie
Floyd, and because Allie Floyd has never
forgotten you, that 1 wrote you to come
to me-
my Allie Floydv 1 echoed.
Changed in name only"
/ gazed upon the love Aighted face, and
sprang to my feet. With heart overflow
ing with rapture, caught the soft hand ex-
tended to me and pressed it to my lips
again and again; then l sought the crimson
cheek but she playfully warded me of, and
led me to a seat.
Seating herself beside me, Lena told me
the story of her life, which give briefly:
Soon after reaching her New England
home, her sister-one who had not accom-
panied the family in Northwestern trip-dicd,
and, her mother being in poor health, they
went TO Europe, where they remained sew
eral years. Many letters had been written
by the girl to her lover, but no replies came
back TO her. In later years she left her
fathers house as he did not fancy the "bor-
der boy" rs he called him.
Her given name being Lena Albertine,
the second one by preference was dubbed to
Allie, but later the first name was used.
At the age of twenty five, her parents be-
ing dead, Lena, empty hearted, married
musical professor who was ell-to-do and
devoted to her
Two years after the union insanity had
been brought on by a fall which fractured
the skull and from that time until the fatal
leap from the bridge he had been her con-
slant care.
"My emotion ut our first meeting cannot
be described, she continued. "Your search
ing, earnest chances told that my face had
impressed you again.
"Then you knew me when we met at the
hotelY'
"Your letter gave the name."
"And why did you not let me know then
that you were Allie Floyd2"
Il knew my own heart too we'll and be-
sides that, l knew your own impulsive ma
ture. / dared not do it,
''Bless your
"The long letter of affection you sent,
pleading for recognition and telling of your
love for the lost Allie touched my heart TO
its depths, and wept over it as it was read
time and again, and the hardest task of my
life was to return it without one hopeful,
consoling word but the cloud has passed,
and / can confess my feelings now"
A year has passed since the sunlight came
back into my soul, and now my little Allie
Floyd is coming to me forever. Chicago
Ledger.
Protection for the Birds.
The startling decrease in the num-