The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1889-01-24
Proud Of Ills Choice,

The commissioning UNCOVERED
cottage which nestled st the foot OF
Beech Hill had been taken for the
summer by q young couple In whom
the villagers took an interest unusu-
al even 20 that gossip-loviDg com
munlty. There was mystery lin
gerinK about them, evidently for the
gentleman had an AR Of high
breeding which was wanting In The
wife, although his wife had plquant
and rare lovliness Of both feature
and expression.
20 the station Elsie would be await
ing her husbands arrival, her brill
liant eyes oblivious To all sights but
the handsome, eager face Of him she
loved. Even the lndOleHt loungers,
who spent their time In n half-som-
noleut state, Tousing tO feeble
appearanee Of interest only
at each influx Of new Passen-
gers, grew animated at the
sight Of that bright, lissOm young
figure dressed In the rich fabrics
which made her look like some gay
tropical bird that had alighted
in that sOmbre place.
In the morning it was her great
delight TO take long solitary ram
bIes, and 10 return laden with wood
land spOiIs Of rare ferns aud moses.
Then she would transform her rooms
into bowers, amid which she FOamed
like q new Flora until her tirrald's
arrival.
The farmers wives had learned
TO steal a moment from their work
at their golden butter or creamy
cheese, 20 watch for her. IL seemed
TO brighten the remainder nf the
day TO catch a smile from such
pair Of rosy lips, and many n muir
INJURED God bless the sweet young
face" followed her a. she passed.
30 u went Oh until the summer
waned and faded, and October came.
The sun had passed the meridian,
and WAS sailing Ia n sea Of cloudless
blue. Rarely had the genial rays
shone on a lovlier picture than
that made by Elsie, seated upon a
lichen-covered rock by the road
Above waved the stately branches at
a stately elm At one end puzzled
IimpId brook over a gravelly bed
As Elsie watched &c, aud listened
To its musical ripping flow, gradu-
ally an expression of Intense peace
came into the beautiful face, which
was usually too instinct with "A subtle
inner current Of unrest Ia convey
an impression that the girl aas n
thoroughly happy n one would eN-
pect 10 be.
But her reverie was not &" Ice un-
interrupted.
Suddenly a man approached frnm
out he shadow of the wood. Silent
~ and stealthily he came. lie had
seen the mOtinnlpss fgure, aud IL
suited with the habits nf his life,
thus to draw near aud recOnnOitTe
unobserved, although as yet hs had
not recognized Elsie.
Rut as he came close enough IT,
gain n view Of her, he gave n sur
prised start, and an evil smile curv-
ed his full red lips, half hidden by
his long dropping mustache.
He did not speak, hut waited un-
til the sense Of enjoyment which n
tiger must feel when hIs uncOnciOus
prey Is within reach Of his fatal
spring, though as yet uninjured.
Soon Elsie turned her head and
met his baleful glance.
With n low cry he sPrang to her
feet. Her warm colOring changed
10 a dull palOr. Even her lips grew
white rs she said shudderingly:
"Eben! What has brought you
here? I thought
"Yes," lac interrupted harshly, 81
know. You did not expect, neither
long for the sight Of me. Hut one
never knows what may happen. u
IL a good chance for me, though.
You know my heart Is q very tender
one. Well, how does the young
springald who stole you away treat
his treasure? H. he tired Of il yet ."
With every sneering word Elsie's
great dark eyes grew wider and
glOOmier with horror.
oh, that she could sink away
through the green turf and die
anything so as tn he relieved nf this
iantalizing Ill-omened spe"tre from
the past she had hoped never la he
confronted with again.
The man bent and whispered a
few words In her ear. Hut he had
miscalculated his influence over
her. She drew her slight form up
70 its full height, and pointed to-
wards the road.
"GO!" she said, II will not do n
you say, though you should strike
me dead at your feet"
al can do worse than that" was
the answer In a low savage tone. 81
will scatter broadcast through this
village who you are aud the rela-
lions between u.s.
Elsie grew rs pale n the white
flowers she had fastened la her belt.
But her voice did not falter.
"DO your worst" she said Feso-
lutely. at Il possible for you to de-
stroy my happiness, but you cannot
make me n traitor to him l love y
Than ala fnnt agE. tha a..uhnFst Al
which lay at her feet. and with
bitter impulse tore from IL the wild
flowers with which but a brief hour
before she hal decorated 10, think
ing Of the happiness with which the |
good God had filled her life, aud |
now the whitening blossoms were
fitting embiems of the desOlatinn |
that had come 10 her.
The next day Mortified groups |
were gathered around the cot
tage which had hut lately |
been the scene Of what had |
seemed to be one Of those rare /
unions were husband aud wife are
n 1.-TWO souls with hut single
thought"
Now Il was the center nf a most
shocking tragedy. The noble young
master Of the house lay within 20,
senseless aud motiOHiess, stricken
down by the hand Of an assassin;
and the darkest and mast iRcOm-
prehensible part Of the affair was
that the beautiful and fOndly
wOrshipped wife accused herself Of
the murder.
81 am his destroyer. Kill me.
tOom was her wild crying in every
chsnge of which the human voice h
capable-nOw pathetic, now com
manding; hut the keynote was ever
the same.
The peaeesble villagers looked at
one another In CONSERVATION and
iudecision. IL was difficult to
believe that her words were Aught
but the prOmptings of n mind I'M
settled by her sudden sorrow. hut
II they were true! then Justice re-
sulred that punishment be dealt out
to her, though she be young and fair
~ an angel.
So the poor half-daEed creature
was placed in custody Of the sheriff
until such time as Il cnuld be proved
whether che Sere innocent ar guilty
He WAS thoroughly kInd-hearted.
and he Mt once took her TO his own
house, entreattug his wife To
minister To her wants, and TO
endeaver TO calm her agitation by
the gentle sympathy n good woman
can render to one ot her own sex In |
In her hour of need 80 Pfitctually.