Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-06-06
7 love. and I do not love Won y

love, and DO not love you"
II thank you for your frankness,"
| replied. al do not, however agree with
my uncle, and approve of your senti-
ments. cannot understand why he
should be so anxious for us to marry"
at is not difficult to understand"
she answered. s.He wishes to rid him.
self of troublesome ward, as ne him
self desires to marry and leave me to
myself? l will not trouble him. I can
remain as teacher in the convent
where | am studying. This is my
choice.'
"You would not like to see him mar
riedPn [ said.
"Ir' she exclaimed. at would be
nothing"
She did not finish the sentence; a sob
choked her. Then, suddenly turning
from me, she ran down into the gar
den, leaving me alone.
"How she loves him!' / exclaimed.
That evening / went to my uncle's
chamber and related the scene to him.
"You have done bad thing" he
said.
"How so, since have revealed YOU
to each other, and shown you how to
e happy"
"HappyW exclaimed my uncle. 81
tell you that l would be a monster If l
should marry Suzanner'
/ was dumfounded. He made me
promise that Suzanne should never
know what he was about to reveal to
me.
'Do you know how the father of
Suzanne diedP" he asked.
His emotion was terrible to see; he
trembled like a leaf.
81 killed him! Do you hearP He was
killed, and l was his slayer. And I
love his daughter with passion that
is killing me-that is my horrible ex-
piation. Obi yes. l know the duel was
fair. He insulted me. Fortunes
favorite to the last, killed him. For
tunes favorite to the last. l love
his daughter and she loves me. But
we cannot join hands over the dead
body of her father. On his death-bed
he called me to him and gave me his
written testament in which he made me
the guardian of his daughter, who
was henceforth alone in the world;
and as he gave it to me he said:
You have killed the father; you will
watch over the child"
In less than year from the time nv
uncle told me of his duel with SUI
anne's father the battle of Woerth was
fought. Our forces were in retreat,
and we were approaching Nieder-
bronn. | was galloping beside my
battery, doing my utmost to save my
guns.
snake way there! make way!" cried
my guides to troop of hussars who
were crossing our path.
l recognized the regiment by the
color of their uniforms. / put spurs to
my horse and fastened forward. In
the center of the group I recognized
my poor uncle Edouard; he was pale,
bleeding, dying, supported in his sad
die by few of his hussars.
The colonel had received a terrible
wound from lance that had pierced
his breast. l wept, holding my uncle's
hand, which was already growing
cold. l felt his pulse futter. / raised
his head. He gave me a glance which
l understood. | put my ear to his lips.
eff you escape" he murmured, ''tell
Suzanne that | died loving her, but
tell her nothing more. Remember
your promise"
Then his chest heaved twice-and all
was over. l mounted my horse and
galloped away.
Suzanne has never married. She is a
teacher in the convent in which she
was educated. She knows that nv
uncle loved her; but she knows not
how her father died. She is happy in
her memories.