The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1888-03-22
SELECTED.
A MAD MARRIAGE.
[ New York Morning Journal

man and he knew it. lie rad read SO
many philoSophc books that he fanced
he was Il rcmaik aby fine judge of human
nature OF one thing he was sure, and
that was that he was never going to fail
in love,
He told Hester this in confidence, fol
she was an old friend, and as he thought
held very much the same views ON love
that he did, He explained to her one day
his views. He said he wanted to marry
to have some one To entertain his guests
and as a companion and Il friend. They
were suited to each in taste and, and a,
neither was capable of falling III love
there WAS no reason why they should moi
get along very well together. These were
the terms on which he asked Hester tt
become his wife.
Her sister Christine, who had marriet
for pure love, urged her TO reject such {
proposal, but to every ones surprise
Hester accepted Paul and all his curious
conditions. SO this strange couple were
married and lived together more like
friends than man and wife.
They were unhappy from the start and
Paul was the first to notice how pale and
haggard his wife was becoming since the
marriage.
lie acknowledged one DAY that they haC
made great mistake, and that a separa
ton might be the best thing for them
after Ill, but agreed to wait and see how
things turned out for while longer.
" hen Hester was alone, and her hus
band had gone out, saying that he would
be late that night she gave herself up It
painful Thought
All her attempts to make Paul happy
had been vain all her Efforts To WIN hi
love futile. Though he had asked mel
not To SIT up Tor his return sHc resolHet
to do so. Her memory went PACK to hel
sisters marriage, which had been made
for love alone.
Hester was not given to weeping bu
in those lonely hours she cried long ant
miserably. Strive as she might to VIII
his love, Paul did hut grow more weary
of her-that was the burden OF her grief,
| The clock striking IL rouNed her
Would she be fair in Pauls sight VIII
her cyelidS swollen with shedding tears
She ran up stairs and balhed them, thel
rearrangcd her hair, conceallng as lar Il
possible the traces OF her a@llall ION.
"lioW late ne Is. Nhere mas ne @oue'
she asked herself. NE tells me no NOR
of his dolngs-perhaps even less-thal
he did when we were only friends. bo
! VIII be patient ana surely some oay
shall be rewarded
One O'Clock and he had not come Sin
was beginning to feel seriously uneasy
Some accident must have befallen him
or he would surely not stay out 50 late
And her fancy drew her a picture OF hcI
husband, bleeding and half-dcad' bein:
carried to hospital.
Two o'clock. Certainly some desperate
thieves had noticed that he carried
watch, had followed and surprised him
aud on his resisting had thrown him Il
the ground. subjrcting him to saNag
kicks and most brutal ill-n>age.
She went to the window, opened 1t
| looked out and listened. There was TIN
steady tread of the policeman on his beat
but no other sound. Every house look
ed blank and dead.
When three struck she was standing Il
her front door listening with STRAINED
sense while before her doomed like SOM
dread spectre the vision of future with
ut Paul Oh, for some KIND soul Il
speak to- some one who would sugsts
cheering possibilities to account Tor hi
absence. -,
She went in again. 50 uhherNtd VIII
dread that her shadow, cast by the LAM
high on the wall, made her start ant
| trelnplc
Al last step coming down the desert
ed street, which was not the policeman
regular tramp. and yet IL dla NOT soau'
like PaHlS brisk tread. would 1t pas
the house: She pressed lrr hdhus 10 ne
breast H. it drew nearer, NO liner
wa the click of the gate latch IL wa
ne 10, 1T Sm"t ',S ;hn III l"r i, th" doar
came tle Soull,i VI Il'e MY III '''1 L..
neNtci Sto"u ~ '''V 'aoi - a''7 'i
sen WIN one ,n,, nei =, lac Inv ""''
MAJ ~ Ni ne, az, n"' o"i t'i -. o,d ,ho
iieSI -. ,iS 49,, ~, s,ra,
SP'an w. "''' az, IT., - Sho tria,
eo anu roulu so"teTS n,,i''H b.. ,,a.d al
~ c.,il - $50, ~. .I,,,,idar
lorMaru on Ms s''o ,',', .to os iay,,,
he'' S'te 'a,' i,, 'V Wv" ,msho~d ba.bin
Tn ', fac. Vii Vim coid water She sat NJ
''e' az H's -, ~, ~ nv, i',.l,. y
"' ,,n ,,'N T,i a. i,, n,. .ai6 yitb a sob
,,.,.. ~ thi,'r .o,nstbin,r terrihl
~ bo-,,,,,,'I ~ ,.1,r 60 lat.s''
~, ~, ho,.n hnan walking tbo
- all Whv did vnu sit mn
Testers evcs were still intent on hi
featnrrs