New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1889-06-05
We were making the wedding-dress

days, but I saw a curious trouble
brooding in Richards face.
knew what it meant on the we'd
ding day, when. as we were pinning
the BRIDES veil, and fastening the
orange-blossoms in her hair, curl
Gus tremblingring came at the door,
and in a moment someone staggered
up the stairs, dashed open the door
OF the room in which we had gather
ed to array Hilda in her wedding
dress.
It was old Mr.. Rivers, his face pale,
his eyes bloodshot. We thought him
intoxicated; but when he spoke we
knew this was not so.
q disregarded ceremony 1 know"
said he, <sbut my excuse is strong.
Miss Hilda, I think you can hear the
news best. You are young, and hope
is yours Whateverhappens. lam old,
and this to me is the end of every
thing. My wife eloDed with Richard
Gale last night. / am going in search
of them; and shall kill him when
find hin1!''
remember how he stood before
us, how Hilda dropped into my arms,
the confusion and excitement of it
all, but vaguely, as we remember
dreams. A little later they came and
told us more terribly news. Old Mr..
Rivers had only gone as far as the
gate, when he dropped in a fit of
apoplexy. In a week he was dead
1T was nobody's business to follow
the wicked pair, and no one took
the trouble to do so.
The old man had not altered his
will, and Mrs. Rivers was very rich
Before long we head that they were
actually married
Hilda never spoke of him. but she
never seemed to like any one else.
| think she was paler and thinner
than she would have been, but she
did mot NOPE.
In a house on the heights, a pretty
place with a garden about it lived
Mr.. and Mrs. Gale. They quarreled
perpetually, and she has lost most
of her fortune. She has taken to bet
ting ON the races; had lot of men
who knew about horses, and helped
her risk her money, always at the
house. Meanwhile, extravaganza
dressing and living devoured her
husbands means.
The servants said that she could
do as she pleased with him; for after
being il-humored all week, she had
only to be merry, and VOW he was
the only man she cared for, to get
anything out OF him she wanted.
He, for his part, as I saw when /
met him at the station or in the
street, was greatly altered for the
worse.
did not tell Hilda that Richard
| and his wife lived in, but she
found it out during her first visit.
I 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 Hilda 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 intoxicated.
She drove down to the station
alone one afternoon. Later I heard
the wheels of the carriage rafting
up the road, and looked up.
The Gales were just opposite the
window. He was trying to get the
reins into his hand. She struggled
| for them, her face was flushed, her
hat on one side. Suddenly I saw her
snatch the whip from it's rest and
give one of the horses cut over the
head. Then there were cries from
the foot-passengers, screams from
the windows, and a crowd in the
road
Amengst:them I saw Hilda, who!
had rushed bareheaded from the
house.
81 have had him brought in here,
dear Georgette,n she said a few mo-
ments later. He is terribly hurt.
You; are.not angry?''
'sIs she here, also?" Iasked.
On, Georgettet cried H1da,
bursting into tears, sshe is dead:
they have carried her home. .
/ pitied him greatly in those days
that followed, and for weeks all be-
ILlelved that he would die. Hilda
lsnursed him. For days he didnot know
her. When he did, the pale shadow
of asmaI seemed to have very little
left of life, and as long as he lived
would be obliged to move about on
tcrutches. Pity had banished wrath
entirely from my heart.
Hewas to be taken very soon.
and was able to sit up and talk.
Hilda was not SO much with him as
before. My husband and I were of
:4ener in thereon.
One Sunday evening sat reading
ITO him. Suddenly he spoke:
"Georgette, = he said, 81 have
something to tell you. IF I should
die without uttering it, I believe