Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-05-23

petually, and she had lost most of her
fortune. She had taken to betting on
the races; had lot of men who knew
about horses, and helped her to risk
her money, always at the house. Mean
while, extrayagant dressing and living
deyoured her husbands means.
The servants said that she could do
as she pleased with him; for after be-
ing lil-humored for week, she had
only to be merry, and VOW he was the
only man she cared for, to get any
thing out of him she wanted.
lie, Tor his part, as / saw when I
met him at the station or in the street,
was greatly altered for the worse.
L did not tell Hilda that Richard and
his wife lived in -, but she found it
out during her first visit.
l discovered that she went to an
upper window every morning to see
him pass on his way to the city.
Sometimes Mrs. Gale went to meet
him; sometimes he returned alone.
think Rllda always saw him. A sort
of intuition seemed to take her to that
upper window at the right moment.
Mrs. Gale was greatly talked about
of late. They said she took too much
wine-that she was often actually in
toxicated.
She drove down to the station alone
one afternoon. Later [ heard the
wheels of the carriage rafting up the
road, and looked up.
The Gales were just opposite the win
dow. He was trying to get the reins
into his hand. She struggled for them,
her face was flushed, her hat on one
side. Suddenly saw her snatch the
whip from its rest and give one of the
horses a cut over the head. Then there
were cries from the foot-passengers,
screams from the windows, and a
crowd in the road.
Amongst them l saw Hilda, who had
rushed bareheaded from the house.
al have had him brought in here,
dear Georgette," she said few mo-
ments later. He is terribly hurt.
You are not angry?"
SIS she here, also?" | asked
''Oh, Georgette!" cried Hilda, burst
ing into tears, ''she is dead; they have
carried her home"
l pitied him greatly in those DAYS
that followed, and for weeks all be-
lieved that he would die. Hilda
nursed him. For days he did not know
her. When he did. the pale shadow
of a man seemed to have very little
left of life, and as long as he lived
would be obliged to move about on
crutches. Pity had banished wrath
entirely from my heart.
He was to be taken home very soon,
and was able to sit up and to talk.
Hilda was not so much with him as be-
fore. My husband and | were oftener
in the room.
One Sunday evening / sat reading
to him. Suddenly he spoke:
''Georgette,n he said, al have some
thing to tell you. If / should die
without uttering it, believe | should
never rest. When | left Hiida | had
made up my mind that she had a cold
nature-that she did not love me; and
that, though her pride might be hurt,
her heart could not. l thought Stella
warm and tender and devoted to me.
took coarse and unhallOwed passion
for pure love. | was mad for while.
But when | am dead-it will be soon,
/ hOpe-prOmise that you will tell
Hilda that | long ago discovered that
she was my only love, and that when
lost her pure affection l lost the
brightest jewel of my life. l loved
her-I love her still4-I shall love her
for ever Ask her when l am dead, to
believe and forgive me-"
And he covered his face and wept.
"Be atpeace," answered. 81 know
you have her forgiveness"
Great Heaven! and to think that
once had her love-"
And then from the shadows at the
door form glided. 1t came close to
the chair in which Richard sat. 1t
knelt beside him. 1t was Hilda.
"Richard?' | heard her whisper, and
then | left the room.
A year after that Hilda came to me;
her face was radiant.
''GeOrgette, she said, exactly as she
had spoken on that day in which this
story commences, 1--WE are going to be
married, Richard and |"
| only looked at her.
Yes" she said; 4 know it. He has
been very bad to me; and he is poor
and manned, and no longer beautiful;
but love him."