Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1889-06-27

irregularin shape and length, these COW
cred with sod from the prairie. Here
through the changeable weather Of
May and into warm, beautiful June
live the three, the woman protesting
all the time she is strong enough to 90
on, but growing gradually Trailer,
weaker. a complete contrast she and
her husband. lie is tall, brawny,
handsome Young fellow, animated by
intense admiration Of his wife and
takably her inferior socially and in-
tellectually. She delicate, dreamy
eyed, wrapped up in her baby and her
memories 10 his almost utter exclusion.
One day the child sickens, grows vio-
lently i'll, dies. Her grief is silent but
intense. She will neither eat nor
sleep, just sits still as stone in the
little ''dugout," and looks and stares
at the wee waxed thing that lies there
in. So when her husband rides into
town to buy the little coffin he calls in
TO see the doctor and asks him to come
out and visit his wife. At sunset he
digs the grave-such small grave!
All around is isolation, prairie, sky.
The woman crouching on the ground
near the dwelling is the only other
mourner The task done, he goes
down into the "dugOut" and comes up
again with the little nailed-down box
in his arms. Tenderly he lowers it;
softly he lets fall upon it each shovel
full of earth. He is blind with tears.
The fresh brown mound smOothed
over, he goes up to his wife. She
does not seem to see him. She is look
ing straight ahead.
"Corryw
Don't she SAYS savagely. I've
lost him-and now it! / wish / was
deadw
Hurt. irresolute, he stands still a
moment. Then he goes within and
sits down by the bed where tho baby
has lain. She is grievng still, then,
for the man who failed to come to her
the day set for their wedding! Tilted,
deserted. yesl That was why in pique
and pride she married him, tho ignor-
ant gardener Of her wealthy uncle,
and had gone away with him to Iowa.
They had not pr0spcrcd. She held no
communication with those at home.
This year, after their baby came, they
decided to seek fortune farther west.
And now-now the baby was gone
and her new loss had brought back the
old one.
Hark! A voice SPEAKS without.
"Is any one i'll here? There was a
request on my slate--'
A cryl Such a queer, wild cry it is
that cuts across the strangers words.
The man in the "dugout' leaps to his
feet, as does the woman without
Through the doorway, against the
patch Of sunset sky he can see her
standing with one arm outfuug.
"Willie! she cries again; "Willie!"
The doctor from town speaks hOarse-
~ one word only--her name. There
Is absolute silence for a little while.
Then he bursts out tiercely, passion
atcly:
"Why couldn't you have waited
did You no wTongl When left you
the week before we were to have been
married, aud Went up To the city | got
into trouble. | was no saint ! never
pretended | was. There was a drunk
en- quarrel. shot man. was un-
known, and gave false name | was
held to wait the result of his injuries
held two months. couldn't write
you the truth of the affair. My part
in it was too disgracefuL | wouldn't
lie. So / was silent till | could tell
all and ask YOU to forgive me. The
man recovered. | was discharged.
/ went straight TO Naucetou. heard
You had married some clod-hopping
idiot and gone away with him