The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1888-11-09

lad understood me-
She threw a stone into the incoming
wave in her turn, then she spoke slowly
and carefully:
Are you going back 10 your rife," she
said
who told you,'' said I, not having voice
for more.
THE princess, think Tho morning
you came into the studio and sho was
there"
seldom entered Suzon's house. One
morning had gone to ask her about pho
tographing picture remembered, and
Princess Mathilde was there.
What did she say," asked.
"Precisely' She said what very hand
some man you were, and what u sad story
yours was"
Abr said stupidity.
"Whero is your wife," Suzon spoke
with careful ciyility. " / suppose you
will join her in Rome?''
Ny wife. mademoiselle. IA or rather
was, In n maison de sante. She suffers
from incurable homicidal mania"
II beg your pardon" said my comrade
softly. and held out her hand ID me-
took 1t as II was offered and let it 60
again.
She did not ask me any more. nor did
tell her or what use was 1t TO say that
three times had that woman tried 10 muir
der me when crazed by drink. TIL her
own people had had her shut up' Or
why should say to my bon Sarcon that I
had only that day received n letter from
the doctor at the asylum telling mo that
my wife had escaped. and he did not
know where She was. could tell him Of
any haunt IN which she was likely TO be
found,
saw no sense in telling AL this to Su-
fs.=1-
ries woman thirteen years older and
finds out soon after. that besides being
addicted to drinking shs Is Of unsound
mild and makes pleasing attempts to
murder him. she and her doinzs are not
subject on which he IS likely To dwell
so held my tongue.
never thought she could find me ont
in my pleasant land. though sic had been
there once with me long ago. ] never
thought that in her mad hatred sh0
would remember how ] invariably spent
the spring months there after my winters
work. But / fancied should find her in
Rome
What are you going to dor" asked
Suzon
Work. :" she said quietly
She never spoke OF II. but / knew sho
painted for her bread and that she had
no idea OF saving money hut lived from
hand TO mouth So ! was anxious about
her. / could not trust myself TO think
about IT. would keep au couraut with
her doinss; that was all could do for
her, though j knew she was horribly
poor, and the life OF n beautiful woman in
Pans IS not easy In that cnse
We will have one more walk before
60" sad 10 Suzon. and she said Yes"
so thc next day we walked up the ter
raced high road, up REd mp TIL VIC
reached the olives and the wheat, and
then the beanfields, and. wandering on at
our own sweet Will, were happy and inno-
cent, God knows.
We sat down ut last on the long grass
at the edge OF the cliff overhauging the
sea, whore q little wind came up to Us
We did not speak Of its being our last
day; We talked as usual, comrade to COM
rsde. while a nightingale somewhere
about kept trying his voice in broken
ecstacies.
1t was like heaven.
/ lay on the grass; Suzon, not far of.
read Leopardi aloud. Why she chose that
philosophie de desespoir, she who had
still la ioie de vivre, do not know But
presently l ceased to hear her voice.
l do not sleep at night, and, like all
people who have insomnia, am utterly
unable sometimes to keep from falling
into deep sleep, especially in the open
air.
And 80 did that day.
And while l slept that woman must
have been creeping on to us. For 1
started, dazed, from my sleep to see Su-
zon struggling IN the grasp of n mad
woman on the very verge Of the cliff!
| OF course knew who it was. / WAS on
| my feet like fash. but not in time; for
before i could reach her saw my COM
| radR frf haF -s,,l
And then two men who had been work
I ing 10 the fields came running and caught
| my wife did not wait TO hear them tell
how they had seen her creep up TO me. not
seeing was not alone. how, jlst she
| held the knife CT my back, Suzon had
\ leaped like cat and caught il from her
/ on her
Alithst heard afterward Now ran
| down that zigzag path TO the shore and
| knett by my LITTLE comrsdei
| thought she was dead for nearly every
bone IN her body was broken and her eyes
were closed In stnpor- croped for her
l heart with my hand q who had never
| tcuchod herr. She was alive, for felt il
star. and then she opened her eyes and
| looked at me.
She knew me. but she did not 1 think.
remember where she was or what had
happened. The poor lips tried to speak
and failed
Try again, my darling, ma cherie,, I
Though did not think she was, for her
back was broken.
Say II again" she whispered.
What:" l wondered. In despair I
| called her by every name i had for her
and had never used except TO my own
/ soul
1 amour"
What you said--I was always-to
| your she Gasped fretfully.
Non cgrna rnde. mon bo,, carcor, 7
said, hardly able 10 get ont the words.
| Bon Car-" the Inurmur died in her
| throat and her eyes closed. Presently /
could no longer feel her heart.
And when l knew she was dead / took
| her in my arms and carried her up to the
little pl steau, fun OF wondering peasants
my wife. But did not see them; went
straight to her house, even to that cham
Der " here i had never thought to enter
and laid her on her bed.
never kissed her. Twas her comrade,
not her lover.
It Is two years since then.
Ny wife is shut mp once more, safely
watched now that 1t does not matter.
tired that can hardly undress at night,
ton tired to sleep.
But this spring / longed so for my old
Already that ! came in spite OF myself IL
II all the same. All-yet to-day I lay face
downward in the beanfields, and il fitted
my head I could not see the young wheat
for tears.
= A Strange Phenomenon
There is a strange phenomenon con-
n