The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-06-08
HER FORGOTTEN PAST.

He stood under the spicy pepper trees
looking down at her. his face softened by
a great tenderness. How dainty and sweet
she was. Why was it that he seemed ever
to stand at the portals of paradise, catch
ing Elimnses of the glory within, but never
permitted to enter? And YET she had
promised TO be his wife, this beautiful
girl, given to him BY the mighty ocean that
tossed itz foam dashed spray on the white
beach at their feet
She recognized his true worth, his robil-
ity Of heart; she had given him all the
love her woman's heart had to give, and
yet-and yet
He seemed intuitively TO feel that there
were depths to her heart which he had
never fathomed; that she was capable Of a
more intense, absorbing devotion than any
sentiment he had awakened in her.
At times when his great, unselfish heart
lay bare before her a shadow would creep
into her beautiful eyes and tender regret
you'd culver across her face, like the hut-
torinCs Of 4 memory; but the shadow never
became distinct enough for her to quite re-
member.
ct is as If there VS. something in my
past which I ought to recall. she would
say, nesting closer to him, as If inploring
his protection against the memory. ooh,
that long, blank past Of mine. What is IL
that lies beyond the morning when you
found me On the beach, Jack?" she ques-
toned.
MY darling, would help you 20 solve
the mystery If I could, even though I knew
that the solving Of it would break uy CwR
heart" he replied, tenderly.
as If it could" she whispered, sLylr.
''ToU are the best man on earth, Jack, and
wonder that yea should care for foolish
little girl Ike ine, who has forgotten every
thing she knew before she came to you
name, asse and all; who IS SO much part
y$ your own salG that the words she speaks
are your words; TIE songs she sings, your
songs; the thoughts she thinks, your
thoughts When [ awoke from that dread
ful death Ike stupor into which the terror
OF the wreck or the almost death in the
waves had plunged me, had everything to
learn again, even to my alphabet and the
names Of the household furniture" She
laughed merrily vt her misfortune, but the
shadow deepened il the kind eyes regard
ing her so tenderly.
''Fe- that reason it seems like a most
unlIiEd and unworthy advantage am
taking" lie responded seriously. '"There
viii always be a thought lying like a
shadow between a., dear, that if you could
remember your past you might never have
been my wife"
Il shall never think It, am sure; but I
do wonder what that past was. 1t is so
trying, Jack, to know that part of one S
existence is a blank. It is as if had lived
On earth, died to it. and then come back
again under different conditions, and-well,
it is very annoying to say the least" Then
seeing the shadow on his face, she laid her
hand in his and added, ceRZtngly: But LET
us forget il, Jack, dear, since we cannot re-
member, let us try to feel rs if all my past
was spent here, IN this pretty cottage by
the sea, with the love Of your dear mother
and your dear self to fill IL the crevices of
it. This is the only home have any knowl-
edge of, and though we know that those
other years were spent somewhere, it mat
tiers little TO Us where, since we are all the
world 10 each ether, you and l."
lie clasped her close in his strong arms,
and kissed her trusting, upturned face,
but the ache did not 80 out Of his heart;
the pain of it grew more poignant as the
days passed hy and she became deaTer to
him with the passage of each golden mo-
ment.
From his earliest childhood Jack Lath-
rop had loved thetocean. It had been his
playmate, ccmn2uiou and instructor. It
had flied all Tie requirements of his If
from the moment when. a todlling babe
his mother had found hinl, waist deep in the
green, salt water, laughing il boisterous
his head.
The great, grand, mysterious ocean had
been his friend since then. II had also az
forded the Ileans Of providing for his wild
owedmo.aeg, IGE he was emily a hu2ble fish
g. lad, CREST hearted and kind, bat CT hum
Ole ooCU--t.ou.
The last BEST thing that his old friend
the ocean, had Geue Tor him was the giving
TO him tL.- beautiful girl, who came with
suggestions Of 2 higher, Robler life than
his in every move OF her qGeeaiy body and
every gesture OF her white sLGpsly hands
she must have received a blow on the
head at the time Of the accident, WHEN she
had been washed ashore, for she had tor
gotten every event Of her past life and be
gan her new life under Jack Lathrop;s tut
ton, learning with other lessons the lesson
cause she remembered no better love than
that which she gave to him, she thought it
the best Of which she was capable.
They We're very busy in the cottage on
the beach making ready for the coming
wedding.
The morning Of the marriage day she
said 10 Jacks mother:
= seem to belolgto Jack. He saved ny
all =
once l am his wife hope that 40 accident,
or circumstance, viii ever reveal my for
gotten past l would mach rather have
no memory but that which you and Jack
have SiveE ms.
Mrs. Lathrop kissed her sweet flushed
face, thinking what = darling daughter she
would be, and how Jacks lie, and her
own, were bIest in her dear love.
Their wedding day dawned, dark and
forbiddiRg There had been fearful storm
the night before end the angry billews,
lasAed into fosIn, ran b. O. u-el the beach
almost at Jnss C2sl-Cg s-s asst tAe cot
Ia sc where the nei. 0arl-E asher families
were gathered to join IL Jhe l,aEriSge les
Invites.
The bride, sweet Elsie whose very name
had been a thought OF J ack's, Looked fsjreI
and sWeeter than ever in her pretty wed
ding dress. Her blue eyes shone like sap
phires, and hsr yellow hair crowned her
regal lUtle head ike = eoT0net OF glory
The pink nush OF shy mSdesty EuccCatel
under her clear, Transparent skin, ana Jaek
NaTVsled That 50 beeut.ful a creature coa4d
consent 10 become kis wife.
MY Eife snail a-e che long devotion 70
ba4. rrS --,-a~ XIII co7,+rr-,---a p, b.Ar
happiness that VIII do Jack made this
vow out under she peppers. and the vow
once taken, he felt that it bound him by
sacred fstters.
They were about to go out to the best