The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1888-11-23

1AOW WtElt-OuU 10
too late. l am only suffering the
just penalty of my youthful folly, and
/ must bear it like q man,
During the few succeeding weeks
Williams attended to his duties as
usual. The greater part of the day hs
was on trims running between New
York anu New Haven: -Four nights
ofeach week he spent In New Haven;
when he boarded ut n hotel near tho
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 as soon us
possible, he found the temptation
too great to be resisted. After the
customary greeting. she gently re-
preached. him for not having kept
his promise, and he at pnce tiidde d
stumbling apology for having failed.
He imagined that she looked not 80
well Us when he had first seen her,
and that u 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 a
thrill In her voice, n tender light in
her eyes, and q confiding touch in
the urn which she had placed in his
ns they walked along. that convinced
him that she was far front being in
different; and his resolution to fore
30 the pleasure of her society was
pitt tb flight:
They had ice cream ut Il restaurant
and then went to Miss Blakeman's y
home, which they reached about $50
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 as often as
once. and sometimes twice u week.
Occasionally he took Miss Blake
man OH 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 noble
landmark. n massive soldiers monu-
ment. At that time the hilltop was
not crowned with any work ofart,
iind was without historic nssocia-
tioIs; but tile splendid view uf field
hna f6fest, IF SEA .aftd Of city, and
the great fock itself were there the1f
to delight as now. Miss Brakeman
never tired Of gazing on this scene,
and the genuine enthusiasm which
she expressed whenever she was Mt
this spot, or wherever else the feau-
ties Of nature were spread before her
delighted eyes, amply repaid him for
his little Kindness in taking her on
their ittleexcursions.
Meanwhile, with n 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 ler
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 IL frank nvowai which
would cause both of them puin, and
satwed himselfto drift along. Heput
Jn what his sense of duty prompted,
and trusted that though some FORUM
ate, but not probable combination of
circumstances, all would yet turn
out we'll. The longer he delayed, the
more serious the matter becnme. I'M
til it seemed too late for un sxplanu-
tion. He fealized at last that the
girl loved and trusted him with her
whole heart, and lie knew that he
loved her better than life itself. He
pushed the bitter cup with reckless
selfishness from his Ii ps, and crimin-
ally lived on. He was moody and
and it was with the great
est difficulty that lie could attend
properly to the responsible duties ola
conductor. Frequently he wished d 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 i'm
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
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 banish; and
yet Edith's love was to the fullest ex-
tent confiding: not u tremor of sus.
picion, not q shadow of doubt dis
turbed her. She had believed that
his honor was as immovahle as the
north star. The wonderful wealth
Of a pure wOman's affection. tender
ness and confidence had been lnvisll-
I'd 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, WINS suddenly ovcrspread by
q 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 ut the very mo-
ment when her happiness was great
est. and when it was adorned by such
q rainbow of promise?
While our gentle heroine was in
This condition Of love and forebo,l-
ing, she received u letter directed in
4, to her, strange writing and evil
iently that of IN illiterate person.
Fortunately she opened the letter
when alone in her room, and she
Ound the contents as follows:
Windsor Locks Ct.
July 10 1885
Edieth blachenuns
] wnt to tell yu tlict Joe Williams as yu is
ieepin companie wi.lie now is my husband
md VI ortcr not hav nOtllin more to do
sithe him for nv snke and yuern nllsoc. II
riend kin relic Oh haz tolt inc abut his
ioins and ,locnot hlnme yu for j here yu
'Opns him to l,e singall man il yucr the
lite sort ynll Civ him his waIkin ticcut
md IL lint up to tibet i'll com dOune to new
ravens meseif and se abut this ere bizness
MRs. JOE WILLIAMS
Edith, first startled and then
.al n,i