The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1892-11-03

her two weeks before to 90 south on
business, promising to return in O.
| week at helatest. It was their first
separation and Margaret had frettea
! herself sick, imagining all sorts OF
/ horrors would befall him. The days
dragged on until the week
was up and he had not come
instead, the morning mail brought
her two letters, one from Jack telling
her he would be detained for few
! days longer and the other in an un-
familiar handwriting, signed "A Friend
and saying that Jack was not intend.
ing to return, that the business upon
which he had gone was only pretext
and that in reality he had deserted
her for charming burlesque artist,
who just at that time might truthfully
be said to be kicking her way into the
hearts OF the theater going public, es-
pecially the male portion OF it. ea,
Stunned by the blow she still had
reason enough to write to Jack, in.
close the note and beg him to come
to her at once. After waiting week
almost for an answer she left every
thing and came here.
81 reasoned with her, brought forth
argument after argument to explain
Jacks silence, for never for an in
slant believed the vile story. I insi-
ed she should have waited for him,
but I might as we'll have talked to a
stone, and finally giving it up went
in search of our housekeeper, dear,
motherly old soul, and told her to
prepare room for Margaret for the
night, and the morning proved the
wisdom Of my course as the house
keeper, on going to her room, found
her in fever and delirious. 1t was
pitiful to hear her talk. 1t was all
Jack. And loving him as she did I
never could understand how she could
allow herself to be influenced by that
miserable note.
"For days she required all our care
and attention, but she finally pulled
through and grew strong enough to
sit up, when one day boy came up
from the hotel with message from
the proprietor to the effect that I was
to come down there at once. I of
course lost no time III responding and
was ushered into room where on
the bed lay Jack Ashton.
'"To say was surprised does not
express it; regaining my wits, however
| crossed the room and seeing he was
wide awake asked him if he knew
me. He looked at me for a moment,
then with q smile laid his hand in
mine
81 knew after my first glance at him
that he was hey ond all earthly skill
and being anxious to hear his side of
their trouble. I asked him what he
was doing here in Margaret's old,
home without her and the sum and
subsutstance OF his story was this:
After leaving Margaret and transact
ing, as he supposed, all his business,
he was preparing to start for home
when he received a telegram from q
firm in the adjoining town with whom
he had dealings, requesting,him to call
upon them; leaving orders for bis
mail to be kept until he returned.
Jack set out, was detained longer
than he had anticipated and on re-
turning to the hotel for his mail found
Margaret's letter, inclosing the anony-
nous note. That settled it; no more
business for Jack. He brought mat
ters to q close and starting home on
the next train found Margaret gone.
"Stopping for neither food nor rest
he came directly here, where hope
had whispered she would surely
be.
''Then the long fasting and Sleep
less nights began to tell upon him
and he found himself unable to further
continue the search.
AFTER he WAS finished I gave him a
powder to induce sleep and promis-
ing to return shortly, l left him and,
driving down the street at pace
that would make a jockey turn green
with envy. I soon reached the asy-
lum. Going direct to Margaret's
room I told her briefly that a ride
would do her good. She made no
objection and we were soon on our
way back to the hotel.
1--WE drove slowly, for I had a
great deal to say to her and was
ransacking my brain for the best way
to say it when she, to my relief, took
the conversational ball in her own
hands and set it to rolling by saying:
"Do you know, DR.. Elliott, that while
l was i'll [ thought of what you ad-
vised me to do and I can See now
that it is my duty to go back home.
l think 1 must have been crazy to
have left Jack as did Poor fellow!
perhaps he is waiting for me to re-
turn: I shall 60 in few days.
'"Ihis was my opportunity and I
gladly seized it and told her as quiet.
ly as | could that was taking her to
see Jack then.
'By this time we were at the hotel
and bidding Margaret follow me and
be calm led the way to Jacks room.
with cry that rings in my ears
to this day she flew to him, her arms
about his neck, her face against his,
before could shut the door.
knowing, as did, that Jacks
hours were numbered, ] thought they
might as well get what comfort they
could out OF their meeting and left
them alone.
II heard Jack say, You did not be-
lleve it, sweetheart, did your and
Margaret, poor child, could only sob
out: oh, Jack, forgive me?" " e..
"When / returned the short winter
ait ernoon was at an end. The awful
stiffness in the room alarmed me and,
lighting the gas, I looked toward the