River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1894-11-29
ALire Wrecked NV Lie.


"I have not told a lie since l was
nineteen years of age" said the hand
soonest woman in the post office depart
ment recently, when | told her the
BARRIERS story. Il learned a lesson
more severe than your colored friends
lesson; but it taught me the same high
regard for the value of truthfulness. |
lost the opportunity of my lifetime,
not only from a financial standpoint,
but from every point of view. 1 am a
clerk in this department to-day, on ac-
count of that one lie, told in my youth.
If | had told the truth I''-here she
stopped and rubbed handkerchief over
her bright brown eyes, while she
chol,ed down a sob which almost
brought forth a sympathetic gulp from
me, too. | knew that she was suffer
ing pangs of remoTse, as she sat there
overcome with a sudden stroke Of a
memory of young maidenhood. Her
whole manner indicated the truth of
the poets saying thai Sorrows crown
of sorrow is remembering happier
days"
They said that | was a beautiful
girl them" she added, and could well
believe it, for she is beautiful yet, despite
her forty years and the threads of sill
yer which glisten in her raven locks.
II was engaged to be married to a
handsome, nanly fellow. | was nine
teen and he was twenty-f)ur. His
father had retired from business, and
my lover was in charge of the estab-
lishment. He has since become one of
the leading financiers of the country.
He is married and has three children.
His wife is M friend. and / OCCASION
ally visit their house. The children
love me; brt they do not know. noI
does his good wife know, that | pat
those children on the head and tell
them stories, and buy candies for them.
and take them walking in the parks.
because they are his children. Neither
does he know, nor will he ever know,
how devotedly l loved him. He does
not know that never married because
of my love for him. do not suppose
that he ever even thinks of me in the
olden light. / sincerely hope not, for
it would be wicked; and / know he is q
perfect man."
Ny friend, and my good friend she
is. too, hesitated moment, and then
said: ''IIe came to see me one night,
and | had been looking for him for
more than an hour He was a little
late. and, on account of my intense love
for him, | became impatient. Glad as
i was 90 see him, pOuted, and refused
TO kiss him when he entered the par
Tor. ] punished myself worse than I
punished him, and / was Immediately
sorry, but too proud TO say So He was
chilled aud the conversation tagged,
when IL ought to have been brilliant
and JOY full. He did not understand me
and was foolish enough to take a sort
of wicked pleasure in his emb; rrass-
ment. He was jealous of a young man
whom did not love, but whose atten-
tions had been urgent. Finally he said
that If George Hendricks had called he
might not have been repulsed If he had
offered 20 kiss me. That made me
angry, because it was untrue and I'M
just. | retorted, hotly: You seem to
be good guesser.' He Immediately
arose, bowed and started for the door,
saying: i shall not stand in the way
of your happiness l said: That is
kin lness which I shall ever appreciate
Then he left me. looked through the
birds. saw him pass out of the gate,
and gazed through my tears as he
passed out of sight. ] went to my
room and sobbed myself co sleep. lie
never called again am an old maid,
and will die an old maid. and all be-