St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-11-04
A LAST REQUEST,

tive years dSO was tHSdStu W Iuitli
Martyr. She Tilted me when it became
known that my grandfather, instead of
| making me his heir, had left his money
| to charity. Since then / had tried to
stamp her memory out of my heart,
and though I was engaged to
Evelyn Lee, the face of Edith was per-
petually rising before me.
When l saw my first love again it was
at charity fair. She looked thin and
pale, thought, and her face flushed
when she saw me. She was presiding at
one of the booths, and as she seemed
anxious to talk to me l sat down.
81 suppose you have heard OF my
fathers death?" she began. HE
told me in his last hours
that he had believed our-our
affection for each other only childish
romance, and so took your letter and
ring from my desk and sent them back
to you. He was ambitious for me to
marry we'll. He did very wrong-but l
forgive him. II wanted you to know
the TRUTH" and her lips quiyered. 81
"Thank God, it was not true" cried
with relief. "Why did not know this
sooner. I am engaged to the best girl
in the world. 1t is very hard"
"Don,t make me regret having spoken
to you," said Edith. II only wanted
you to know the truth"
'What a fool have been," l sighed.
Just then l saw Evelyn's face. She
was coming for cup of coffee with her
brother. She smiled, as l thought,
strangely.
"You see L have kept my PROMISE"
I cried with forced gayety.
She smiled again.
SHOW pale you are" said, going TO
her side.
81 am tired" she answered. Keep
ing shop all day is not easy work, eve
if it is for charity
at is that; nothing else," I said to
myself.
ii she had caught the words, she
could not have understood. She saw
Edith Martyr before.
This fair is too much for Evelyn.
She is worn out" said her mother to me
one day soon after. II wish it were
over. Try to bring her home early to-
night, Edward"
And with a conscience not so clear or
wandering thoughts and vain regrets as
it should have been, set forth to DO
my duty, vowing never to fail
in love or care for the dear
girl who had promised to be
my wife, and who loved me SO truly.
[ would not even see Edith Martyr
again, vowed to myself. had been
| fool, but / would not be rascal. AS
walked along the streets l was so
wrapped in my own thoughts that did
not notice an unusual cOmmOtion,
| which grew greater as ! approached
| the building where the fair was being
held. About the door was great
crowd-not crowd OF pleasure-seekerS
"a terrified, excited crowd, restrained
from forcing an entrance into the falr
by dozen armed policemen.
"What has happened?" asked as
forced myself forward.
"a floor has fallen in" answered the
officer addressed. =.
II have lady friendin the building"
I said. "Can go in?''
..Stand back" was the curt answer.
l ran to the other doors. All were
besieged; all guarded. Finally l re-
membered a window at which thought
it possible to creep in. Stealthily |
made my way to it. 1t was open. L
sprang to the sill
"Come back!" shouted some one be-
hind me.
But paid no heed to the cry as I
dropped to the floor within.
Ali was tumult and CONSERVATION
there. Many of the visitors had left the
building, but those who had charge OF
tables had remained. The injured
were being taken from the debris
under which they were buried;
and, alas! saw that the
floor that had fallen was that of the de-
partment in which Evelyn had been
placed. Trembling and horror-strlcken,
hurried through to the room into
which the wounded were being carried,
for only part OF the building was IN
danger.
TRere-oh! the woe Of that moment
there, I found her. There was no
hope. I saw that at a glance. Her
sweet face was not disfgured, and she
turned her dear eyes upon me tenderly.
81 am so glad you have come, Ed
ward!' she sighed. II want to tell you
something. That girlthat brunette
know she is not hurt, for l saw her
awhile ago. She brought me some
water. You must marry her, Edward"
"Oh, Evelyn" sobbed.
I was very miserable after that. l
thought my heart was broken, and l
suffered from remOrse that almost mad
dened me. said tnat would never,
never marry. And / meant it at the
time. Nevertheless, Edith Martyr has
been my beloved wife for many years
now. When told her what Evelyn's
diving request was, she said she thought
dying requests sacred things, which
should never be trifled with. And so
didn't trifie with Evelyn'S, but married
Edith, as the dear, dying girl told me to
do and we have been very haDDV.