River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1891-11-26


words from my grizzled old friend and
fOster-father, Israel Smith.
Naturally. | was fearfully troubled
didn't know what to do
well, l asked, impatiently. what
did you do?'
Tackled your wife Told her that
I couldn't sleep, eat, talk or even think.
Asked her u prescribe for me. She
asked me in her turn n long string OF
questions She wanted TO know first
when [ began TO have the symptoms
"A bout three weeks ago said |.
Why, it was just after / met you and
your sister. Ms, Knox"
Smith pufTed his cigar furiously for
a moment before he continued
1t was only q moment later-he
smiled sadly as he uttered the words
that | discovered what was the mat
ter. Your wife turned to me ana said.
very prettily: Mr.. Smith. you are in
love with my sister Before l knew
what had done, had gasped ont: No,
my darling. it i, you
For one brief moment / wanted to
kill Smith
DO you mean to tell me-" I roared.
that YOU called my wife your darl-
inga'''
That's what I said''-T never knew
Israel TO back down from an assertion
yet - suppose that really shouldn't
have quite called her darling. but
couldn't help IT, loved her So
With these last words of his there
came to me sense of the hopelesness
of his passion. aud how / would have
felt if had lost my little wife So.
determined to be generous. no matter
how dear the cost. and with all nv old
friendship for Smith ebbing back in
my veins. ] said:
I'm drcadfu!lv sorry. old man. but
you will get over it.
You lie" asserted Smith. Il won't
get over it. Nol haven't. have you?"
.-Of course not, / protested, and
whats more. never will"
.-You s.c. then"-.ny companion
smiled 81 lly-''the fallacy OK your rea-
soping No more Will I get over il"
/ tried 10 get angry, but it was OF no
use An IRE ,isti5le de ,ir. II laugi
was growing strong within M. and I
was finally forcei to give rein II it.
Israel looked hurt 1t was altogether
too nonsensical-the idea of man
being in love with your wife and
actually travelling a thousand or two
miles q tell il To you.
Look here" / finally manlg'd to
articulate. Il receive e ,eyran from
Aletta this noon, saying that she would
reach here ON the morning vestibule.
What in time are You gong to 10 auout
it,"
Nv companion rose to his feet in a
daze SOFT Of way. and threw his cigar
impatiently down On tn, pavement b.
low
i thought" lac groaned. that
could fluid few days rest zap here. but
it seems that cant You say she gets
her, tomorrow Well. I am going to
pack M INV traps and light out this
very dawy eve Good-bv."
lie $ tretchcd Irawuy hand out to
me.
9 Nonsense ! said. very much in
earnest Tor once in my life: won viii
do no such "a thing Sit down anu talk
r.sibly with me
Smith pushed the electric button at
MS side.
Terry" he said mildly. as the boots
appeared. bring us a couple of wills
lsies And you tell the blrkeeper that
if he has any muriatic acid IA ndy to
send M pint II once"
The morning vest.bule was on time.
for a wonder, an INV wife was the first
one TO aight She ran half the length
of the platform 10 throw herself in M
arms. tried 10 assume reproving
glance but could not NV face was
literally wreathei with smiles. At
this moment my stately sister-in-lavv
calmly approached. shook hanIs with
me daiatily. told the porter 10 deposit
her wraps in the waitng-room, and
yawnej always felt chilly whe..
She was in the vicinity
Ten minutes later we were in the
house. watched my wife narrowly
a she united her bonnet-strings
Jessie. hroiS. on, suddenly.
arropo> of nothing in particular. Mr..
Smith will b. with u, at luncheon.
The little Jezebel never WINGED. but
clapped her hands gleefuIly.
Mae She cried hes just too love-
~ for anything. Won't Aletta be
happy tAletta. let me remark by
way of parenthesi~. Il my sister-in-
law lie almost proposed Ia her
thought she was vour wife and that |
was Your sister. wanted to fllrt a
little. and Aletta never goes in for that
sort % thing AZ all. you know. aud 50
begged her To change names with
a L. Z y
ane ] for Mis- Knox. II was simply
beautiful until Israel came. and
then he fell in love with her. and.
mirabile dictu, She fell in love with
him. Of course had never count II
on that at al but we had gone 50 far
that We could not retract. aud Aletta
was ashamed 10 tell Mr.. Smith of our
deception and 30 he ran away, and
Lefty mas been perfectly miserable ever
since
The front door bell rang sharply
Jessie. I whispered. weakly. lit
Is Israel What shall do-tell him.
"Of course she returned resoiutely.
AT once
am tile most obedient of husbands.
and therefore Mastered 70 descend the
stairs NV sister-in-law an ticipated
me She had been downstairs reading
tn. paper waiting for Us. when she
heard the door bell ring
I'm -, she called TO me
Don't. / shrieked at the top of my
lungs ''NOu mustn't. really. It's q
tramp with a great dog. and he will"
Aletta cast a whitening glance at
me.
Mac" she vouehsafed. scornfully.
You are growing absolutely silly"
And she opened the door.
For one short moment thought my
sister-in-law was going 10 faint She
sat Imply down upon the seat Of the
I hat rack.
..Your' she stammered.
one would have thought that she
was addressing the murderer of her
child. TO Judge by the solemnity OF her
| tones.