Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1891-11-13
ON THE BRIDGE

rarely sec. that my lonely life has not
been without love for woman. you win
perhaps laugh or doubt
"Whatr" you win say; "that gaunt
old specter ia his attic. with his books,
his tobacco and his three flower potsl
He would not know that there is such a
word rs love did he not encounter it now
ard then ia his reading"
True, ! have divided my days between
the books ia a rich mans counting room
and those in my attic. True, again. !
have never beer more than merely pass
able to look at, even in my best days. .
Yet | have loved n woman
During the Eve years when my elder
brother lay in the hospital across the
river, where he died. it was my custom
20 visit him every Sunday. enjoyed
the AFTERNOON walk to the suburbs, where
the air has more Of nature in it. especial
Is that portion Of the walk which lay
upon the bridge. More life than was
usual upon the bridge moved there on
Sunday Then the cars were crowded
with people seeking the parks. Many
crossed on foot, stopping to look idly
down at the dark and sluggish water.
One afternoon, rs J stood thus leaning
over the parapet, the sound Of a woman's
gentle laugh caused me to turn and ocu-
larly inquire its source. The woman
and p man were approaching. At the
side Of the woman walked soberly q
handsome dog-a collie. There was that
in their appearance and name which
plainly told me that here We're highland
and wife. Of the middle class, intelligent
hut poor. out for a stroll. That they
were quite devoted to each other was
easily discoverable.
The man looked about thirty years Of
age, was tall. slender aud with neither
strong nor handsome, but amiable face.
He was doubtless a clerk tit to be some
thing better.
The woman was perhaps t.Tonty-four.
She was not quite beautiful. yet she WAS
more thar pretty. she was Of good size
and figure; and the short plush coat that
she wore, and the name in which she
kept her hands thrust in the pockets
thereof. gave to her a dauntless air
which the quiet and affectionate express
sion Of her face softened.
She was "A brunette, her eyes being
large and distinctly dark bSown. her
face having that peculiar complexion
which is most quickly affected by any
change in health.
The color Of her cheeks, the dark rim
under her eyes, and other indefnable
signs indicated some radical ailment. In
the quick glance that / had Of that pair,
while the woman was smiling, a feeling
Of pity anne over me. have never de-
tccted the exact cause Of that emotion.
Perhaps in the woman's face ! read the
trace Of past bodily and mental suffer
ing; perhaps a subtle mark that death
had already set there.
Neither the woman nor her husband
noticed me rs they passed The dog re-
gRrded me cautiously with the corner Of
his eye. | probably would never have
thought Of the three again had | not
seen them upon the bridge, under ex-
actly the same circumstances, on the
next Sunday.
so these young and then happy people
walked here every Sunday, ! thought
This, perhaps, was an event looked for
ward to throughout the week. The hus-
band. doubtless, was kept a prisoner and
EAfANE ~ la NNeh nun NARAAAAJ AAA AAAA
until Saturday night, with respite only
for eating aud sleeping Such cases are
common, even with people who can
think and who have some taste for luxu-
~, and who are not devoid Of love for
the beautiful.
The sight Of happiness which exists
despite the cruelty OF fate and man, and
which ID temporarily unconscious Of its
own liability TO interruption and extinc-
tion, invariably llls me w,th sadness.
And the sadness which arose at the con
temptation Of these Two beings hegat in
me a strange sympathy for and interest
in them.
On Sundays thereafter / would go ear
~ to the bridge and wait until they
passed. for it proved that this was their
habitual Sunday walk Sometimes they
would pause and Join those who gazed
down nt the black river. / would, now
and again. resume my journey toward
the hospital while they thus stood, and
would look back from q distance. The
bridge would then appear to me an
abrupt ascent, rising 70 the dense city
and their two figures would stand out
aAeAAAl nnsiAnA AAa AAAAnAhAAAAf
Il became a matter Of care to me 70
observe each Sunday whether the health
of either had varied during the previous
week. The husband, always pale and
slight, showed little change, and thatin.
frequently. But the fluctuations Of the
woman. as indicated by complexion.
gnit expression and otherwise, were nu.
merous and pronounced Often she
looked brighter and more ROBUST than on
the preceding Sunday Her face would
then rounded out, and the dark eres
cents beneath her eyes would be les.
marked Then ! found myself elated.
But on the next Sunday the cheeks
had receded slightly, the healthy lustel
Of the eyes had given way 10 an ominouI
glowi the warning Of death had re
turned Then my heart would sink, and
signing, I would murmur inaudibly;
This is u Of the had Sundays.'