The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1891-06-27

~"NhhEff ttpiAtu NIut tftu ~ uhli-
intoxicated brute who tried his best 20
be entertaining was far preferable Ia "A
Jealous and unreasonable one who was
doing his very best 10 be ~disagreeable.
and that might do just as | pleased.
Her answer drove me 10 despera-
ton. ! left the scene OF merriment
and confusion and went Immediately
TO the house where I was then board
ing, leaving the girl ! loved better
than life TO get home again as best she
could.
'Of course she was bitterly offended
at my grossly uncourteous treat
ment OF her. and the result was what
might easily have been ~foreseen. Dick
Marston vas only too glad OF the OPP
p~ortunity TO slip into the place | had
just vacated. and begged the privilege
OF seeing Nellie safely home nt the close
Of the revcl. What could the girl do but
accept. after being left In as embar-
RAISING a situation az hers?
within t~wenty-four hours the we'll
pleased gossips of the neighborhood
had impaired the unpalatable news to
me times without number. The con-
slant reiteration OF the unwelcome fact
was perfectly m~addcning TO me, and ]
became almost wild with anger and
bitterness.
IA w wen near Nellie for three
weeks. but ] nursed my wounded pride
in silence and at home. ! was waiting
for some signs OF ~rclenting on her part
but O m came: though / heard that
Dick Marston was in constant attend
ance at her side. / was utterly mis-
erablo. but was too proud to acknowl-
edge that ! had been in the wrong.
THE next time that Nellie Forsyth
and | met IL was by accident, and on
the road through what was known as
the Nelson woodlot. | saw at once
hat she looked IA IL she had been as
miserable as myself. but she had sent
me no token In all that miserable time
SO ! steeled my heart against the
voices OF love and reason.
Nellie tried 10 start a pleasant con-
versation with me just AS II nothing
had happened. hut / froze as she soft
end and IL was "a sorry failure. At
length 20 bring me TO terms through
my jealousy no doubt. she said:
Dick Marston proposed TO me last
night and IL you have no objections |
think ! shall accept him
i have not the slightest objections;
why should ! have?n said /.
~ don't know-but-you once said
something OF the sort-yourself,' said
Nellie, with n burning blush.
81 am not quite such n fool as /
was then. was the scorching rejoinder,
which burst from my lips before |
knew what | was saying. Again Il
crimson flush suffused her whole face,
but this time IL was caused by a
righteous anger; and when II faded II
left her rs white rs ashes.
Her lovely lips compressed into "A
look OF bitter and Interchangeable de-
termination as she abruptly turned
away and left me. ] could have torn
my tongue out for It's brutal and scath-
ing rcjoinder. but my pride would not
allow me 10 call her back. and | let
her 90 without n word. In three weeks
more she was Dick Marston's wife.
''As o as | heard OF the marriage
| resigned my position and left the
state. | was gone for more than n
year, but somehow | could not seem To
do anything or be anybody. All of my
old-time energy and ambition. and
even my very love OF life. seemed TO
have forsaken me. AT length. when
could endure the absence no longer, /
returned TO my native town.
II had scarcely set foot in the village
when 1 saw a poorly-drcssed woman
trying 10 induce "A drunken. miserable
wretch. evidently her husband. TO ne
company her home. She turned her
pinchcd and haggard features toward
me as ! approached her. Great Cod
IL was Nellie.
AS she recognized me a look OF JOY,
that suddenly changed to one OF the
deepest despair, shot across her pallid
~countenance; and she stretched out
both her arms ere she remembered
that 10 do 50 was almost "A crime. Then
she suddenly drew back and hid her
face In both her hands as "A choking
rob shook her whole figure.
II saw the truth I'm AN instant. She
had married Dick Marston In a moment
OF anger and spite, but her heart was
irrevocably mine. And he, drunken
v%agabond that he was. had evidently
made her life one perpetual round OF
misery and disgrace.
II could not trust myself to APP
proach her. so | turned away with
grief and despair In my heart Poor
Nellie renewed her efforts 10 get her
intoxicated husband home. and he
soon staggered around the corner and
they vanished from my sight
1T was the last time that ! ever
va Nellie Marston alive. That very
night her husband blew out her brains
and then his own in n fl OF delirum