River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1893-09-07
HIS WIFE'S ALARM.
It Was Caused by the Lies of a
Rascally JanitOr.


races on Monday aud put all I'm worth
d. Razzle Dazzle"
why don't your" asked Tom Muir
ply.
..Why?" said l. "Oh, I'm a married
man. and my wife has horror Of the
races I've promised her to keep away
from them a promise IS a promise
And good enough you've made il.
sir" said our old porter. Honest Jim
we called him Many man has gone
down TO ruin and degradation on ae-
count Of them races The lady IS wise.
She is wise. I'm telling you what |
name Obey the lady, and you'll never
see yourself in difficulties"
honest Jim was fond Of giving adj
vice. aud he broke up our chat with
these words Murphy and Virgins
went away To get glass of beer before
they parted. and took the train home.
A broOding storm broke Just as /
reached my cottage. and glad enough
was I 70 escape IT, We had supper to-
gether and went into the parlor as
usual What a night il was. To be sure.
A wild night, bitter night, a night
when there seemed TO be strange voices
in the wind. and those within the house
were likely TO fancy knocks upon their
doors and unbar and unbolt them and
cry: who i there?" when IL was only
the blast that had caused them TO rat
tie. Yet it was on this night that my
wife, my little, delicate, beautiful wife
Fleda arose from the tireside and tell
ing me that she would return shortly.
left the room
To leave the room was nothing, but
when heard her leave the house
could scarcely believe my senses. She,
who was so timid-she who Why,
no. IL could not be. went about the
house calling her. grew alarmed. and,
fearing to find her lying in swonn
somewhere. carried tho lamp low and
looked in the garnet. the cellar, the lit
tie kitchen where cooking was done in
summer-everywh here. in fact
She was gone, and 50 was the cloak.
that usually hung in a certain place
and a hood she wore about the grounds
on cold days. What could have taken
her out? Had she heard our pony
fdgeting IN ms stall or the peep of some
stray chiclscn2 Was she anxious about
the Jay-old calf? We had all these
rural belongings in the small boundary
of cur little summer-home-
If so. why did she not mention IL to
me? II was. no doubt. that cold OF
mine, which had made too much fuss
about She went herself rather than
to expose me. tossed on my water
proof coat. pulled an old hat over my
cars and went out u-5On the porch
The lantern was gone.
''F1edar' I cried, lifting my voice,
"Fleda. say, Where are you. Fleda?'
heard no sound, but shortly. far
along the road. I spicd yellow blur
waving nSar the ground, and knew,
when ! had watched IL for some time.
that IL was lantern carried by some
one to light her steps along the irregu-
lar foot-path I say ''her," because
shortly I could see the drapery of
woman's dress. 1t was my wife, re-
turning home ! was certain of that
now. and called TO he at once:
..Fleda. why on earth are You strag-
Cling about IN the Storm Why didn't
you send me Ia do what YOU wanted
done2 The wind Is strong enough to
carry Won over the hills. I've been wild
about you"
She came up tn me as ] uttered these
words. Her long. light hair, usually
as smooth as a piece of satin, tossed
about her face and shoulders. her hood
hanging down her back. her cloak
twisted about her slender figure She
turned To speak, but could not; her
breath failed her. put my arm about
her and helped her 20 the house and 50
far as the sofa in our little parlOr, on
which she dropped, gasping.
.sAlI this said. for some chicken
with the pip. I suppose
Il did not know the wind was 50
strong"
AMI asked no more questions My
anxiety for Fleda swallowed up every
other thought. However, she was per
fectly well next day, though curiously
depressed and distracted
have not vet introduced myself I
am Henry Darlington. My business
was that Of cashier with the Dayton
Brothers NV wife and ! lived simply
in a Tiny out-of-tOwn cottage in sum
mer: in timer Hat in winter. | had
never been extravagant. and my only
great folly had been TO risk certain
sum of money. left me A. a legacy, at
the races. backed the favorite and
lost every dollar Fleda was very
usuCh distressed when ] told her the
news
Not al the loss of the money,
Henry she said but that YOU should
risk il at the races. NV uncle once en-;
plovcd = Young man who became dis
honest and a. finally arrested because
of going II the races and betting and
all that Pray. pray, be careful
/ laughed at her. and told her that I
had had sufficient warning and punish
meut in losing the snug nest egg I had
ous summer Now the races were going
on again. They were. own, my great
est earthly temptation.
The week passed quietly. Pay night
came again Il often happens that the
same night i stormy for several sue
ceeding weeks This night. however.
was not as had as the one on which my
story opens. However. il was much
more comfortable indoors than out
And vet just as I was in the middle of
a paragraph I was reading 10 her from
the evening paper. looked up and saw
that Fletia had vanished. Again
searched the house. Again | found
that she had left H. Again the yellow
light of the lantern told me Of her re
turn. She was not out of breath this
time, but she was pale and trembled
little She shook her head when |
asked her where she had been. and said:
Nowhere. The house felt close l
wanted little air. That IS all
lyon did not find what was reading
lnteres ting said l.
Il assure yen she began. then
broke off suddenly Don't talk about
it, she cried Don't. Don't pray,
don't talk about il,
did not talk. but I thought good
deal. and had reason 10 think Day
by dav noticed that Fleda was gradu-
ally growing thinner and paler. Her
spirits were deserving her. And when
the same day of the week came around.
she left the house as mysteriously aS
before The presence Of a guest pre-
vented me from following her, but
discovered that. in order 10 keep the
knowledge of her absence from the
house from me. she entered the store
room, climbed out of the window at
the risk Of her neck and returned in the
same manner Moreover. I discovered