The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1888-12-01

thanked her and not led her 10 be.
lieve that / would come again. But
she il very charming; and what would
be the harm of cultivatinE her aI-
quaintancef How ] @isn-but it is
too hta l am only suffering the
Just penalty of my youthful folly, and
l must bear it like a man."
During the few succeeding weeks
Williams attended to his duties as
usual The greater part of the day he
Has oh trains running between New
York and New Haven. Four nights
ofeach week he spent in New Haven,
when he boarded at a hotel near the
railroad station. He went about
the city but little, and did not see
Miss Brakeman. One evening, how.
ever, at the end of the month, while
strolling along the edge of the Green,
he met her, and although something
warned him to leave her Is Soon as
possible, he found the temptation
too great to be resisted. After the
customary greeting, she gently re-
preached hina fer not having kept
his promise, and he at once made a
stumbling apology for having failed
He imagined that she locked not SO
well as when he had first seen her,
and that a shade ofsadness pervaded
her usually joyous spirits. Strangely
enough it flashed through his mind
that his failure to seek her society
had disquieted her: but his modesty
forbade his entertaining this
thought. Nevertheless, there was q
thrill in her voice, tender light III
her eyes, and d committing touch in
the arm which she had placed in his
as they walked along, that convinced
him that she was far from being in
different; and his resolution to fore
GO the pleasure of her society was
put to flight.
They had ice cream at a restaurant
and then went to Miss Blakeman's
home, which they reacheda bout $40
o'clock, Mr.. Williams was SO well
entertained that It was 10 O'Clock
before he could bring himself to take
leave of the fair girl.
Thereafter he called Us often as
once, and sometimes twice q week.
Occasionally he took Miss Blake
man on a drive through the pleasant
environs of the city, or up the pic
turesque and lofty East Rock, on the
summit of which now stands a noble
landmark, a massive soldiers monu-
ment. At that time the hilltop was
not crowned with any work Of art,
and was without historic associa-
tions; but the splendid view of field
and forest, of sea and of city; and
the great rock itself were there then
to delight as how. Miss Brakeman
newer tired of gazing on this scene,
and the genuine enthusiasm which
she expressed whenever she was at
this spot, or wherever else the beau-
ties Of nature We're spread before hef
delighted eyes, AMPLY fepaid him for
his little Kindness in taking her on
their little excursions.
Meanwhile, with a curious feeling
of commingled dread and satisfaction
the conductor noted that she believed
In him: He saw, in fact, that she had
become deeply attached, and this
was his excuse for continuing in her
society. He argued that he could not
absent himself without wounding her
feelings. AS too often is the case
under such circumstances, he shrank
from making frank avowal which
would cause both of them pain, and
allowed himselfto drift along. Hep put
off what his sense of duty prompted,
and trusted that though some FORUM
ate, but notprobable combination OF
circumstances, all would yet turn
out we'll. The longer he delayed, the
more serious the matter became, I'M
til it seemed too late for an eXplana-
ton. He realized at last that the
girl loved and trusted him with her
whole heart, and he knew that he
loved her better than life itself. He
pushed the bitter cup with reckless
selfshness from his lips, and Grimm
ally lived on. He was moody and
wretched, and it was with the great
est difficulty that he could attend
properly to the responsible duties ola
conductor. Frequently he wished that
he had never been born; and the
strong man would sometimes awake
in the middle of the night, and weep
as if his heart would break. When in
the presence of his Edith, the very f.
bers of whose being seemed to be en-
twined with his, he was often sad and
absent-minded, only by a
great effort could he rally from such
moods and appear himself.
At first Edith was not alarmed at
the eccentric conduct of her lover.
She attributed it to the worry of bus
mess or temporary indisposition.
When, however, the depression became
habitual, she besought him to tell
her what troubled him. He made
light of her anxiety and pleaded
Nevertheless she was
not satisfied. A strange forboding
seemed to warn her of unseen trouble
that no thought could Danish; and
yet Edith's love was to the fullest ex-
tent conf1ding: not tremor of sus-
plClOll, llOU IL SuduOW vi uouUU ulo-
turbed her. She had believed that
his honor was as immovable as the
north star. The wonderful wealth
of a pure woman's affection, tender
ness and confidence had been lavish
ed upon this man until it could al
most be said that in him she lived,
moved and had her being. And now
this innocent life, this lovely and low
able personality, feeling for the first
time the thrill of a great and pure
passion, was suddenly overspread by
a threatening cloud that robbed it of
the sunshine which had warmed and
it. Why should one SO
good, so charming, and so capable
of experiencing loves highest joys, be
visited by trouble at the very mo-
ment when her happiness was great
est, and when it was adorned by such
a rainbow of promise?
While our gentle heroine was in
this condition of love and forebod-
ing, she received a letter directed in