Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1893-02-16

"Yes, love you Electra Dunbar,
and II maddeDs me TO see you here tied
to a elod who does not appreciate you;
a life where your beauty and talents
will be lost forever Come 10 me and
you shall have all the world can offer.
o, Electra. my darlingln
He poured these words out in one
passionate food, and Electra sat still
as u turned TO stone, A great horror
held her silent. For one wild moment
she felt all earth and heaven too. Slip
ping from her grasp.
"Was there no truth, no goodness,
Her silence emboldened him; he
gently laid his hand on the white one
that lay motionless in her lap, bat she
flung it off as though the touch stung
her.
"For Gods sake, hush. You will
break my hearth she cried. "Ithought
you so true, so noble and now,-" her
voice rose to a wall. 80 Joe, where
are you? Joel Joem
Meanwhile Joe Dunbar had driven
slowly home In the soft early twilight.
AS he drew near the villagea neighbor
had asked him for ''lift." A talka-
tive individual, who paid for all his
Gifts" through life, in the small coins
of words.
"What still fellow you be, Joe," he
said at length; mot much like that
fancy boarder o. yourn." Should think
you'd be "feard that pretty wife o.
yourn would be wantin' to swap one of
these days" This last with a silly
laugh that maddened his listener.
"What do you mean?" he demanded
fiercely.
20 now don't go to take feller's
head off! only said what other folks
think; that it amt exactly a good idee
to keep such a 'tractive feller around"
Folks had better mind their own
business" said Joe sharply. "Iam GO
ing to put the horses in the pasture lot,
so you will have to get off here, neigh
bor."
The mans words added to the bur-
den he had borne on his mind all day,
brought a sudden resolution. He
would leave the wagon down here and
walk up to the house,
Twenty-four hours before he would
have as soon thought of cutting off his
right hand, as to spy upon his wife;
but twenty-four hours has made diff
ferent man of him. He felt ten years
older as he walked slowly up the path.
SIT is for her sake" he muttered, "if
she loves him more than me, she shall
be freew He sees light in the shop
window and glances in. No one there
but he hears the murmer of voices in
the room beyond, and steps softly on.
He parts the heavy vines that shrOwds
the window and looks in. He sees the
gleam of Electra's white gown, hears
Holmcrorps passionate cry, sees his
hand clasp hers, his wife. %, my God'
Is it an old man that totters away
from the window; his blanched face
clearly in the fading light?
II will leave her word that she is
free, then go and end it alp He
thinks, but another thought follows
quickly. "She would never be happy
if she knew; no, it shall be an accident.
o, Electra, my darling!'
So two men called her name that
night, but with what a difference.
Electra, with that one wild cry of
0Joe! Joe" had fled out into the rap
idly deepening night like wild crea-
ture. In that moment she forgot her
baby; forgot all but her husband.
Joe was good, she must find Joe.
''What is that dark figure coming
far down the road? Is it Joe's wagon?
Surely that is the sound of wheels.
'The dear old wagon.o She laughed |
a wild kind ofa laugh devoid ofmirth,
and then the tears ran down her
cheeks as she flew down the path, but |
It was only belated farm wagon going
home. 80 why does he not come"
But what is this beneath her feet?
Joe's old hat. Then where is Joe?
1t is nearly dark now, but she sees
he tail grass trodden down as though |
Dy heavy feet. She follows after down |
the heavy meadow grass.
"Why should Joe go down toward |
the old bridge over Deep Water?n
s'Don't 60 near the old bridge, Elec- |
ira" he had said a few days before; "it
is unsafe.n And now. Her feet
nearly flew. A nameless dread took
possession of her.
"Joe! Joe!n but no voice answered
her out of the stiffness. She reached
Deep Water at last and looked to where
the old bridge had stood. A mighty
tremor shook her form. The bridge
was down. Only shapeless mass OF
timbers blocked up the stream. One
beam reached close to shore, she wad-
ed out and crept upon it, A terrible
filled her soul. Somewhere
in these ruins was her husband. She
crept farther out. O for light; more
light
A lone bird sang from neighboring
tree; single star shone out in the faint
sky, and still she felt her way among
the treacherous rotten timbers. At
last she catches gleam OF something
fastened in between two heavy planks;
but what? 1t is he whom
she seeks, but whether alive or dead
she cannot tell.
With almost superhuman strength
she draws away the fastening timber,
h;.+ can she ever get him to the land?
RI r. was on,,v a few feet but the water is
deem and strong. She gives one cry
for help, but only an ecao OF her own
voice answers her, and laying the
heavy head upon her shoulder, she
throws one arm around the helpless
form and some how. she never knows
quite how, she draws her husband safe
to land.
When Joe next opened his eyes he
Law in his own bed. There was some
thing that felt tight around his head,
and when he tried to raise his hand to
find out what it was, there seemed to
be something wrong with that also.
"What did it mean?" and then ne
remembered all, and turning his head
hid his face in the pillow. Suddenly q
light step crossed the floor, soft arm
crept around his neck, o kiss fell on
his cheek and he looked up to see his
| wife's fair face.
/ l.His wife, o no not his! OwhY die