St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-06-23
THE LOVERS PROMENADE,
High Bridge, the Resort Of tho Loved
and F0rlorn Alike.
AN UNUSUAL NIGHT SCENE.
Women Who Look Down on the Dark
Waters With Suicidal
Intent.

"The lovers promenade" IhuS mas
the new high bridge been fifty desig-
mated by those whose business calls
them that way 'twixt dusk and dark.
Every night when the dear. pretty little
dicky birds have tucked their diminutive
heads under their wings, and the festive
mosquito begins getting in his deadly
work, the invasion by Cuplds victims
begins. There is something strangely
attractive about the high bridge. either
the altitude-fOr Love loves to dwell
In high pIaces-the weirdness of the
surrounding shadows with their
apparently fathomless depths, or, look
ing back, the twinkling lights of the
city spread out in grand panoramic dis
play for the especial benefit of lovers.
These and the distant swish-swash of
the rushing current, as it hurries on its
downward course and laps the bases of
the mighty columns 2G0 feet below. all
combine to make the place popular with
romantic young misses and lOve-lOrn
SWANS. Some there are, however. to
whom the same scene brings other
thoughts than
THOSE OF LOVE;
thoughts of things that might have
been and can never be. of lost happi-
ness and opportunities forever gone.
Near the south end of the bridge, few
nights ago. there stood a woman. A
long black cloak draped her comely
form from the shoulders down. Bare
headed she stood. Her long, black
tresses. escaped from restraint, lay In
long. disordered coils upon a pair OF
sllaDely shoulders. Straight out into
the thick, black gloom she gazed, as
though there. outlined in the murky
mists, she read her fate. A sad tate it
must have been, for the attitude of the
lone creature was detected, the glance
she turned upon the approaching pc
destrian, as revealed by the fitful
CLEANS of ciouded moon, was hope
less, nay desperate. one.
,s'Why are you out i'll such place at
so late an hour. and without protection
from the evening damp?' was asked.
With all expression almost fierce, she
turned upon her questioner and replied:
"Protection; what do l want of pro-
lection? Pm past protecting. 1 just.
want to be let alone. that's all.
'sBut you'll catch your death of cold"
"What matter if l do? Iwant to die,
Itell you. Do you hear me?" she al
most shrieked. five been looking
down into that cursed black hell for an
hour past, and can't gather courage to
let myself drop. And yet it's no worse
than the other alternative, after all.
Death!' and she laughed a hollow,
mirthless laugh as she tossed back the
long black shroud she wore. "Do you
not think death robes would be prefera-
BILE to these?' plucking, as she spoke,
A HANDFUL OF LACE
from the corsage of the tawdry full
dress costume she wore. death is
better than life. as l live it," She
sighed, while the fierce expression gave
place to one pitifully hopeless. Il am
dead in soul, and yet have not the cour-
age to take the miserable spark of life
remaining in my miserable body"
'sMove on, pleas - and out of the
gloom comes a blue-coated guardian of
the night.
mo standing around on the bridge
after 10 o'clock; it's agin' orders"
Instantly the face of the hunted
creature changed in expression from
almost wOmanly sadness, to one in
which recklesSnesS and vicious cunning
were the most striking characteristics.
''You know me. don't you, Buttons"
she said. as the man in blue turned his
lanterns glare on the pallid face, upon
which now sat smile more deviIish
than the frOWn of three times MUIR
derer.
.sYou're onto me, amt you?" Well,
1 guess I'll have to live while longer
to please you. Coming my way?', she
asked. as the officer showed an inclina-
ton to follow her to the end OF the
bridge. "Well, ira la, then; see you
later" and she disappeared into the
night, leaving a feeling Of relief with
those who had heard
HER FRENZIED DECLARATION.
''She'u work it yet, all right enough"
said the officer, as he shut his lantern
slide with snap. 'She's dead bound
to do it. and she'll get morphine enough
in her some time to carry it out"
'.Do you often run across cases of
that kind?" was asked of the thoughtful
copper"
low i'm town here that took pile o.
watching, but he's all right now. He
tried it once, and caught him just as
he was getting over the rail. He'd left
letter stuck in the bridge rail; letter
to- his mother it was, tellin'
hen he couldn't make it,. and
that sort of stuff, an hopin'
God would forgive him. I came near
taking him in, but he begged so burned
hard and promised to make another stab
at1iving that let him go. He's got
lob in a store now, and l guess he's all
right. Well, | must be getting back
over, or some fellow that wants to fly
MAY steal a march on me. SO long,
scribe. Good night"