Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1888-11-30
n POST MORTEM REVELA.
TON.
BIZ WILLIAM H. 5. ATKINSON.


What I am about to relate occurred
IN small Eastern city, and, if we des
ignate the place Hartford, it will full,
serve the purposes of this narrative.
There is nothing remarkable in the
town itself, but it enjoys more than 6
national reputation, for the reason thai
it includes within it's limits one of the
greatest of the great American educa.
tional institutions.
A. Hartford University, not more than
a*e Years ago, were two young men
who, both in the college and in society,
stood head and shoulders above the
other students, and who were voted gem
-eral favorites and smart fellows. nv az.
'clamaticn.
There were many points of resem-
biance between Ernest Rockwell and
Felix. Armand; but there were, perhaps.
as many points of dissimilarity. In their
personal appearance they were so nearly
alike that stranger would have been
justified in installing them for brothers.
Rockwell being the younger. But the
TACT that Rockwell was an American and
amanda frenchman with very strong
Gallo accent to his speech, always set
such superstition at rest as soon as new
acai!:sttntances had an opportunity Of
hearing the two friends speak.
H~f they acre friends, and very close
frlelitls indeed. They were in the same
Glasses, clubs, and societies; they pur-
%s'ie7'2 The same course Of studies and be-
-lojiged to the same athletic teams; dur
aans their vacation they had explored the
tEreat West together; their tastes and
fancles ran along the same groves; they
moved IN the same social circles in Har-
ford; they shared the same suite of
rooms.
Felix Armand was fatherless and no
one knew much of his history, for he
seldom referred to his life in sunny
France: But then, he was naturally
re.icent and upon personal matters
spoke to scarce any one but Rockwell,
h.iiehgm. When Armand spent a Sun
raaS away from the college, it was gen
er;lly Known OF understood that he
went away that he might visit his pretty
French mother, who resided in lovely
widowhood at a modest cottage in lit
tie New England town. Quite fire.
qnently Rockwell accompanied his
friend on. these Sunday visits for Ernest
had no home whatever. His mother
was dead and he was practically father.
less Gen. Rockwell being located in
European city, where he held position
In the United States consular service
1t was during their last year at Har-
ford. that the long spell Of friendship be-
tween Felix Armand and Ernest Rock.
we'll was broken. Perhaps it is super
'duor1s to remark that the innocent cause
>of the rupture was woman.
AS though these girls Of Hartford were
not sufficiently numerous and varied in
their styles of beauty and accomplish
ments, the two friends had to fall in love
at one and the same time with the charm
ing daughter of one of Harford's great
men. 1t soon became apparent that the
young lady preferred the attentions of
theyoung Frenchman. and it was equally
apparent that Rockwell was not the
man to take defeat of that kind grace
fully. :
For two weeks after matters began to
take a turn decidedly in Armand's favor,
Ernest Rockwell was sullen and morose
and seo1lld hardly behave courteously to
his old time chum. OF course Armand,
being the winner could afford to be es-
pecially gracious to the unfortunate
loser, but, Armand's pleasant politeness,
etc, only irritated Rockwell so much
the more.
Now, Madam Armand being French
womatk widow without history, and
resident in New England village,
was. Of necessity the subject of much in
teresting gossip, among her neighbors.
Whether she was aware of the
fact matters little. She would
never have taken the pains to
zefute OF confirm anything asserted by