San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-08-29

imagine. | have been to Paris myself
with my uncle years since"
"Fairest cousin" say l, eff you have not
been even to Boston should still love youl
Come and see Paris again with mer' And
then she would laugh at me and send me
away. All, yes! had come even to mar
riage, you see!
soon found she had the usual woman's
faith in those conventions. gave her
ARTISTS Wives" She said she had read
it. She laughed ut Daudet and me.
talked to her of ruined geniuses l had
known '.:ya~.., AIt she said n "'.:Hnl
genius was no worse than ruined wo..lal.
One cannot reason with young girls
Do not believe l succumbed without a
struggle. | even tore myself away and
went to New York. 1t was not far enough,
| fear. soon came back
She lived with an aunt, an adorable little
precision, with a horrible, strong minded
aunt, and sucha life as led between them
for a whole month.
call continually. bury her in flowers.
l take her TO the theatre, aunt and all.
And at this the aunt seemed greatly sur
prised; but | disapprove of American
familiarities. No; my wife-and wife she
must be-shall be treated with punctilious
respect.
Never was | so laughed at and argued
with in my life as was laughed at by that
dreadful beauty and argued with by that
dreadful aunt.
The only rest was in pictures Marie
would look at pictures always, and seemed
to have real appreciation of them, almost
an understanding, of sort. So that be-
gan to hope dimly and family to hope,
that she might grow to care for mine To
have wife who would care for ones art,
who would come to ones studio-but then
tn, models! l paint from the model al
most entirely, as | said, and l know what
women are about models without Daudes
to tell me!
and this prudish New England girli
Well, she might come to the studio on
stated days, and perhaps in time l might
lead her gently to understand.
That should aver live 70 commit matri-
mony!
But fate rules all men.
think that girl refused me nine times.
She always put me off with absurd excuses
and reasons; said l didn't know her yet,
said we should never agree, said was
French and she was American, said cared
more for art than did for her! At that
earnestly assured her that would become
an organ grinder or bank clerk rather
than lose her, and then she seemed down
right angry and sent me away again.
Women are strangely inconsistent!
She always sent me away, but | always
came back.
After about a month of this torture I
CHANGED to find her one soft May twilight
without the aunt, sitting by a window in
the fragrant dusk.
She had flowers in her hand-Aowers l
had sent her-and sat looking down at
them, her strong, pure profile clear against
the saffron sky.
came in quietly, and stood watching in
rapture of hope and admiration, and
while watched l saw great pearl tear
roll down among my violets.
That was enough.
l sprang forward, l knelt beside her,
caught her hands in mine drew her to
me, | cried exultantly: "You love mel
And I-ah, God, how love your
Even then she would have put me from
her. She insisted that did not know her
yet; that she ought to tell me. But held
her close and kissed away her words, and
said: You love me, perfect one, and love
you. The rest will be right"
Then she laid her white hands on my
shoulders and looked deep into my eyes
81 believe that is true" said she, "and
will marry you, Edward"
She dropped her face on my shoulder
then-that face of fire and roses-and we
were still. !
4
1t is but two months time from then; \
have been married a fortnight. The first !
week was heaven and the second was helllI
Oh, my God! my wife! That young Diana to \
be, but have borne it a week. l haveI
feared and despised myself. have sus-l
pected and hated myself. have discov-f
cred and cursed myself. Aye and cursed
her and him, whom this day shall kill!
1t is now 3 o'clock. l cannot kill himt
until l. for he comes not till then.
Let me think.
First to kill him. That is simple and
easily settled.
Shall kill her?
If she lived could ever see her again?t
ever touch that hand, those lips-thatI
within two weeks of marriage No, shei
shall die!
And If she lived what would be beforel
her but more shame, and more, till she
felt it herself?
Far better that she die!
And |?
Could | live to forget her? To carryt
always in my heart black stone across
that door? To rise and rise, and do greatt
work alone?
Never! / cannot forget her!
Better die with her, even now.
Hark! Is that q step on the stair? Not;
yet.
My money is we'll bestowed Antoine isl