Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1889-08-16


to me that my soul has been in long
sleep 1t has awakened and knows no
rest. Ny heart cries for you'll love you.
Take me back. Paul"
You were happy enough for many
years without me-" he said.
mo, | was not happy-I was intoxicated
with vanity. / was engrossed in pleasure
4 was given up heart and soul to the
world. / never stopped to think-I never
dared to do sol have lived as in a dream.
/ have awakened from that dream, and
am here, kneeing at your feet, praying
you to pardon me-"
''Do you remember that you robbed me
of my son." he asked-''that you took him
from me, and never thought of my claim
to his love as well as your own"
She bowed her head, while the tears
rained from her eyes.
II am guilty" she said-"oh. 50 guilty,
Paul! pray you forgive me and take me
back"
"You feel that you will not be happy
again unless | do SO, Ismay?"
.'NeverE' she replied.
Then listen to me- The hour of my
vengeance has come at last. What I suf-
fered when you left me, only Heaven
knows. The agony of death cannot equal
the agony of outraged love and despair l
will not tell you of all my pain lest you
should pity me, and | will have none of
your pity; but in my anguish | swore that
| would take vengeance. Now the time
has come when / can keep my vow-when
I can send you from my feet-when / can
refuse your prayer, and tell you that
never, never more shall you be wife of
miner
She bowed her head with deep, bitter
sob. and then she raised her arms and tried
to clasp them round his neck. But he
drew back and caught her hands in his; he
would take no caress from her. He held
her hands so tightly that he left great red
marks upon them.
"Woman-weak, vain, light of purpose,
light of love-what do you know of the
depths of mans heart? What do you
know of the force of his passion. the
strength of his love? Weak, frail, easily
led. ready to sell your dearest and best to
the first bidder, you think you can play
With a mans heart as children play with
BALI You think that you may lay
mans life in ruin-blight it, drive him
mad with despair-and then win him back
with smile and caressw
She raised her beautiful white face to
hia' her quivering lips could hardly utter
a sound.
81 own that l am guilty; make no ex-
cuse. pray you pardon me. You loved
me so dearly once. Paul; for that loves
sake, forgive me now"
He raised his hand with a warning ges-
ture.
''DO not raise an evil spirit within me-"
ha IL. l., ind
me of that lovep
His voice was harsh, his manner stern.
you are so changedp' she sobbed; you
are so altered"
"Who has changed mep Who turned
my bright, strong, glad young life into
livinE death? Who changed love into
hatei Whose fault is it that for long years
have been ready to curse my fate and
die7"
81 will try to make amends" she plead
ed. "Oh, Paul, forgive mel | will be so
humble, so good. | am not the same-my
soul is awake. ! care no more for anything
on earth but you"
1T is too late" he returned. years
ago, no wfely love, no pity pleaded for
me; no voice in your heart asked mercy
for the man you were looming to living
| death. And my only fault was loving
your
Love me again." she said-"try me
| again. If | could die to undo my fault,
would"
| Listen to me- If by my refusal broke
| your heart and mine, would still refuse.
| You yielded to vanity, yield to pride. |
will not take back to my heart and my
| home the woman who deserted me because
| could not minister to her vanity. You
! left me because | was poor. am rich now,
| and refuse to take you back"
She shrunk shuddering, as though he
! had struck her a sudden blow.
"You refuse?" she repeated.
Eyes, absolutely. | never wish to see
| your false face or listen to your false voice
| again"
The beautiful face dropped until it was
! hidden from his eyes. He rose from his
chair, every limb trembling; he could not
have borne the sight of it another moment.
You have sought this interview" he
| said, trying to speak calmly; ''let it end.
! Do not say have hard heart-yOu broke
my heart years ago. l bid you farewell ~
lie heard her cry to heaven to have mer-
| cy On her-he saw her fall with her face to
the ground. He stood for moment half
| hesitating.
''If | speak to her again-ifI touch her
Il am lost" he said, and then he left the
room and summoned his hOusekeeper
''There is lady in the library; she is
| ILL.," he said. BE very kind to her When
she is better send for cab; she will want
to go home"
| And he himself left the house lest any
| cry of hers should reach him and he should
! go back to her
al have had my revenge" he said to
himself; but never yet did vengeance cost
so dear