Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1890-04-23

I buo WIN oiis
at will be best for her." said. al
will set her free. She will grieve
bitterly, | know, but the other lover
will one day blot out my memory.
Tell her died with her name on my
lips-I do. As / die, heart and soul,
here before you, have but one
thought-it is Bettina.
"And you think she does not love
you as well'" he said.
"She loves me even as love her,
l said. "Ah, doctor, it is because |
love her so that l would spare her all
/ can. You will write"
II will write," he said. Stay
come to my Office. / have a nurse
here now who can break the news
tenderly, l believe, if anyone can.
She has waited ON you for a day or
two saying very little. forbade that.
But her hands are soft, her touch kind,
/ think"
Heaven bless her She is gentle
as a mother" l said. eyes, let her
write the letter"
He took my hand in his and led
me TO the room called his Office.
Then he left me moment. and when
he returned | heard the rustic Of a
woman's garments following him.
"This is the nurse who will write
the letter." he said.
"I thank her." said I. BE gentle,
madam my Bettina has a gentle
heart"
"What shall write ?" she asked
almost in whisper.
"Write that I am dead |" I said.
Write that / loved her to the last.
Write that I bade you tell her when
her grief had passed to wed another,
and be happy"
Happy, and you dead !" she said.
And she loves you I"
Madam" said I, I'VE have a pro.
verb in our country that the dead
trouble is better than the living one.
A blind beggar whom she loved, and
who hopelessly loved her, would be
heavier on Bettina's life than the
memory of her dead Bernard. can
do little now, but l can do this.
w rite, madam"
The pen moved over the paper.
Soon she said 81 have written.
Shall read it to you ?"
answered Yes, if you will, mad
am"
She began die, unhappy girl !
Your Bernard has perished. What
is life to you any longer? He is dead.
Had he lived blind, or manned, or
helpless in any way, there would be
hope for you. You could fly to him !;
you could toll for him /; you could be
his sunlight. Alas no such JOY
awaits you. He is gone. He is no
longer anywhere where you can find
him. Lie down and die. That is all
that you can do. He is dead"
She ended in in flood of tears. |
started to my feet.
"Why do you write thus p cried.
"Who are your How did you come
by that voice? Speak ~
Then felt two little hands steal
about my neck and a wet cheek touch
mine, and whisper came: Bernard,
it is |. Did you not guess' DO you
not know your own Bettina ?"
She clasped me closer. l heard the
door close ; the doctor was gone.
"The good DOCTOR" she said. THE
first day of your illness he found Il
letter YOU had begun to me-and sent
1t with word Of your misfortune
and "a letter to one who could bring
me to you if desired to come. All,
heaven bless you, he knew woma n s
heart better than you did When
that letter came my dear old grand
parents were lying dead. l only stay
ed to look upon their graves before l
came to you. You were so feeble that
he dared not let me tell you who I
was at first. To-day you were to
know. All, Bernard, to-day, when
you would have written to me that
you were dead. Bernard, how could
you do it How could you use me
so ?"
ut would have been best for you"
I said.
But she clasped me closer.
My life has been dark one ever
since but Bettina's hand has led me
lay by day, and the good doctors
kindness has been shown to US in
teaching me such work as l can do.
shall never see the sweet face that !
so we'll. But / know its
beauty and its goodness, and the love-
light in the eyes, too well to forget
hem. And | know that / an dear.
'r to her for my misfortune, and l
I'm happy.