Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1893-05-11
DEMOCRATIC NORTHWEST. NAPOLEON, o, MAY H. 1898.

you earlier how things were. twas cruel OF ma
20 let you go on loving me without telling you
the truth. was afraid 70 AZ last, but now you
are away IL seems less difficult TO say. For.
give me. Look elsewhere for a more fittine
mate-some one who can fully share your new
life with you and help you as a wife should
with head. heart and handsome one who can
love yor better than DoRE.
An hour went by, maybe two, while
the hardening went on, while the love
died away, and tho light ard the Joy of
life dimmed and Eickered ont, leaving
me in darkness with hate and revenge.
Then | rose up and looked round at the
difference Of things, for all seemed
altered and not the same. l moved to
my desk, and unlocking drawer took
out all her letters, and they, too.
had altered and were merely so many
pieces Of paper, not sacred things to be
touched with reverence, like bits of the
holy rood. But the breath of lavender
from them got at some soft corner in
me, making my eyes hot and tightening
my throat. For a second or two l
paused, looking at the vision that grew
out of them, till anger puffed and blew
it all away, leaving me with only the
bundle of papers. This wrapped up,
along with dead rose and a lock of
yellow hair, and directed to Miss Han
low, Ranston-in-the-Vale, Worcester
shire, England.
"Here," said | as Nita, my uncle's
old housekeeper, hobbled in to lay the
cloth for tea; "let one of the lads take
this to the station before dark. No
matter; I'll take it myself. Where's
Boss?'
"Goin away?' said Boss Wilson as
pulled up half an hour later at the gate
he was mending-''just as the corn's vel
lowin for the machinesP Summat wrong?
You look kinder hit-hope tain't seri-
ous." He wiped his face, looking hard
at mine, which turned away, feeling it
was telltale.
"You won't be alone long," went on.
my father is on his way, and will take
possession of the farm and see to things
in my absence. / have asked him to
keep you on, Boss, and l think you'll
find him good sort. Goodby. See YOU
again some day when Pve-when I've
found what l want" l glanced down
at his furrowed face and saw kindness
in it.
"Lost summat, gaffer?" said he, and l
could feel the search of his look. He was
shrewd man, twice my age, and may
have noticed many things since we had
been together.
"Aye, I've lost something, d" answered,
"but it's not that I'm after, Boss. No
use hunting for broken bubbles, |
take it,"
"No, 'tain't," drawled Boss; "but what
ever you're after i'll TEX some fndin,
guess, an you may scour the world up
an down an find it in yourself when alls
done. Have a good knock round, gaffer,
an when it's all burned out come back
again and mex friends VII things"
could see his outstretched hand, and
mine went to it involuntarily.
"S'long, gaffer," was all l heard as
the horse leaped away with me down
the rough track.
$50 long" l said to the hot silence
and the western solitude, where l had
dreamed my dreams awhile, tolerant of
the summer loneliness as long as 1 could
people it with fancy and see Doris and
good company behind it. But to remain
there with my dead hopes all about me,
grinning like marionettes which love
had made caper, deluded by its own
magic; to live on through the long mo-
notonous heat with no opposite shore
for the bridge of thought to touch, with
no future but fog bank where had
been a fair country-no, could not.