The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-01-14
A C0NFESSI0N
A Peculiar Tale of WOman'S Wrong
full Love.

]
] am about to make a confession, the impor-
| lance of which will reveal itself as you read.
| / hold you with a glitteFin~ eye, as the An
cent Mariner did the wedding guest and bid
you be silent while tell you my story.
] am constrained 10 confess it to some one,
aud who will keep my confidence SO we'll as
I you an entire stranEer2
/ am still full Of excitement aud agitation,
but shall calm myself aud relate the circum-
stances. for your sake. as composedly as can.
Ny lover was here last night Ny old old
lover that / had not seen in years, whom /
supposed had never once remembered me
since our bitter bitter parting one quiet night
long ago.
said my loverl" God forgive me! What
right have ], n married woman, to use those
words?
dare not Think know ought not-of
what untold rapture and happiness last night
brought me. i have said hundreds Of times
during the rounds Of household duties, in the
midst Of gay society chatter, in my midnight
yigils, in lone COmmunings: lie is dead TO
me, nothing can ever revive the old interest
i'm him. My husband is everything TO me-"
| can honestly say thought So for thus / had
prayed il to be, but oh, are such prayers ever
/ answered.
When | saw his face in church two days ago,
and felt those burning eyes pierce into the hid
den recesses Of my soul, / then knew, with a
fash Of revelation, what a mockery had been
my past life.
What did do? knelt in fervent devotion,
joining in the petition: lead US not into
temptation"
What n sham il all seemed. What a lie /
was acting. How despised myself-the wife
OF one man while was loving another The
consciousness of being the wife of the best
man that ever lived failed to help matters, in
deed made them worse. wished then, as
had often done before that he had q little Of
the lcaven Of wickedness in him. Just a sus-
picion of il would have been enough; but no.
there he stood al my side erecty good and per-
feet, while realized how unworthy / had
grown Of the exceeding great love and tender
ness he heaped upon me.
Last night, on being summoned to the parlor
to sec a gentleman, Henry stepped forward to
greet me. What a wildly beating heart lay
under the calm exterior / forced myself to as
sumo.
:" am so glad 10 see you, be exclaimed. cor
daily. =" i had no idea you lived i'm Westlinc.
IL is an unexpected pleasure to meet you"
j extended my hand as / would to any old
friend shook his warmly, and invited him to be
seated.
81 have only half hour to stay" looking at
his watch. II left a party Of friends at the
hotel. We are to drive to Gibson's Rock, one
Of the interesting points around here, be-
licve"
Yes; the scenery is beautiful both going
aud coming"
cit is usually the same both ways, is It not 2"
quizcally.
"Don't be absurd? You 60 one way and re-
turn another, unless you are foolish aud prefer
the same thing twice"
Some things improve the oftener you see
Them in that case you desire the same thing
over again"
Whether or not he meant anything personal,
] grew embarrassed, for he never took his
hungry eyes of my face. Trying to recover
myself said:
You ought also to 20 TO Boiling Springs
and across the mountain to the Gap. IL is
very wild and picturesque through the Gap"
How far is itg"
mot as long trip as to Gibson's Rock"
Is there fishing at the springs?"
Mercy, no; is that what you want2"
Certainly. What else do you suppose q
party Of men start for2"
How should ! know you are a party of
menI" and laughed nervOusly.
You do not fancy that / would be travel
ing with women, do your"
why not?"
You sit there aud ask a question like
that" fercely.
why notY f" with fatal persisteucy.
you ought TO k#ow that am not fond OF
"NIANA" why NAAIN A0A 1AI al kuG pA1b1 4
care for only one now"
There was no mistaking his tone or his
meaning. fastened to change the converse
tion, which became pleasant, piquant and
agreeable. An hour passed, two were nearly
spent when he rose TO go.
Julia" he said you have not changed
since knew you years ago. "If you have"
cycling me closely, 10 is for the better I
recognized you instantly in church. How
long have you been married ?"
If you have forgotten, / will tell you. 1t
is long time" and without in the least in
tending To DO so ] sighed. He detected it, low
as il had been, caught his breath quickly as
If to say something. then changed his mind and
moved toward the door.
Julia" laughingly, you have the same old
trick Of making the hours pass like minutes
BY jove!" glancing at his watch hurriedly,
=" j had no intention Of spending the day with
you. To tell the truth, hate 10 go. i would
far rather remain here than join that noisy fish,
ing crowd"
He reached the door, half opened Il. closed Il,
and made some trihiHg remark which | an
swered In jestiDg tone, at which he came
back, sat down again, and rather irrelevantly
related bit Of travel. The second time he
made a move to leave.
Now am really going" he exclaimed, shak-
ing hands again. =" ought TO have been at the
hotel an hour ago. lt is like burying the dead
70 leave yOn, Julia"
Even then he did not appear to be in any
particular hurry.
With one hand on the knob of the door, he
looked back moment, relinquished his hold,
and walked over to where he left me standing
Ii IS no use" he said, " cannot 60 without
first making one request. Will you grant it,
Jnliar IL VIII be very little TO you, but a
great deal TO me-" How noble and handsome
lie looked as he stood there! How my heart
leaped, longing to defy circumstances and join
itself with his. Ny eyes fell. / could no
longer meet the glance Of the only man ] had
ever deeply aud truly loved
VIII you grant IT," he persisted.
with difficulty / raised my eyes to his
They must have pleaded with him silently not
10 torture me, for he continued:
No, do not dare ask IL. / have not the
courage to run the risk of a refusal, but 1 shall
take what ! never have yet"
Swiftly he bent down, leaving a burning kiss
on my forehead. Before / recovered from my
surprise Inc was begging my pardon most
humbly for the liberty so unjustly taken.
What ought to have said? My checks were
ailame with shame and what resembled burn
ing indignation, yet-must / tell IL? Away
down In my Utmost heart took that kiss, and
II LETT memory that time will never erase.
During his apology / stood silent aud passive,
wlth downcast eyes and ayeTted face-not in
dignant any more at tho unWaTTantable con-
duet. but dreading the moment when he would
leave me, when the door would close behind
him separating us forever!
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