The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1893-10-23

/ had been sitting at my desk for q
full hour, engaged in the laudable occu-
patton of doing nothing. In spite of my
trouble, what wonder then that l drifted
off into r~everie, and my thoughts re-
verted to sadly pleasant retrospect?
Once more it was winter-the sunny
New Orleans winter-and Will and l
were together. | recalled the hours
passed. in reading and writing and mu-
sic; the drives and walks and theaters.
The most minute and trivial incidents
recurred to my mind, and I found my
self smiling at the recollection of a Ger
tain long, narrow, phenomenally dark
passage or alleyway on Royal street, up
which we glanced n night, and which
Will, with his bright and quick sense of
humor, Immediately christened Jack
the Ripper's court"
This is not a sensational story that !
ann about to tell. warn my readers
in advance that there is nothing star
Ting or wildly romantic in it. From
start to finish it is q simple 'o'ertrue
tale" And yet it was romantic too.
There was a tinge of romance, after all,
when VIII asked me to become his wife,
to marry him in secret. We had been
betrothed for a year, and he was far
from strong. His health was under
mined, and a horrible fear oppressed
him that he would be taken away. In
the prime of his manhood, with life and
hope and happiness all his. it was IN aw
full thought.
Constance" he said one night as we
stood on the moonlit gallery, with it's
lnxuriant rose vines and the great yell
low roses clanbering up to shake down
their showers of fragrance in our faces,
my darling, be my wife now! Why
should we wait, dear one? There is moth
ing between our lives and happiness but
the bngbear of poverty, and / shall have
a fortune when | am 80. | shall be 80
next September, Constance, Tiff I live"
Something in the sweet, tender voice
made me glance up swiftly into the
brave, dark, eyes. Beautiful, tender eyes,
where are you now? Where are you
today, o Will? Hidden away forever
from the sight of my eyes, from beyond
the clasp of my arms-gone. gone-I feel
it, believe ito that
Beautiful, yelled, bright world.
Where the glad ghosts meet.
Something in his voice made my heart
ache.
why do you speak so sadly?" Iasked
-L.-- 1kN-- -~.-l A. Auz WIN
care nothing for that. if you are only
spared to me-"
II know it, dear, tender little heart, -
he answered softly. You are the only
true oma in the world, Constance.
But I wanted to tell you 4 am supersti-
tious. | admit it, it was prophesied that
shall die before | am 3d."
'Nonsenser" | cried sturdily, that is
sheer superstition, and it is very wrong
to believe in it, dear. No one knows the
future. | would never think of that
again if | were you"
/ tried to smile as / spoke-to shake Of
the strange feeling that would Cypress
me, try as | might-but all in vain. Die
before 80! My true hearted, noble Will,
with his sunny smile and tender dark
eyes! | would not believe it. 1t was
absurd. So | laughed at his fears al
foolishness and tried Il make him for
get. But he was far from strong, an6
that one glimpse of what might be il
store for us-the awful parting tina
might come-made me decide. So
promised that night to become his wife
at nee and ''in secret and silence" a.
the old song says.
Everything vas made ready, and OF
the following night-the night before hi
departure-we Were quietly married il
a quaint little old church in one of th,
retired streets of New Orleans. Ant
Win and belonged to each other TO
time and eternity.
The sad parting came next day-anc
he went back to his northern home
while returned tony work, brightene,
only by the hope of meeting in the sum
mer at quiet Long Beach.
am not a superstitions
had laughed at Will for his own drea
of the supernatural and his belief in
prophecy, but we had not been parte
a whole month when something very CT
rious happened. Will had written to m
every day, such dear, sweet letters tha
they did my heart good-kept it alive, i
fact.
But for those letters I would have give
up my hold upon hope and would ha,
succnmbed to despair.
But. one day no letter came. / felt
strange sinking at the h~eart-an awf,
sense OF depression; darkness gathere
over my life. Suspense-hope deferret
these are the two emotions which ser,
to kill the human heart, to darken an
blight existence. That night I went o,
on theiittle gallery where we had pas
ed 50 many happy hours. The moo
was bright, and one star shone in Il
blue ssult above my head-one that WI
had long age designated '.our star" n
beaft was crushed and heavy.
stood leaning againstsone of the &C
uE1s which supported the gallery. Il
ncent Of the roses that he loved hoati,
n around mi. And as I stood thez
sane11tg-a hight tonch--eeal ,tpon q